RSES Support Team

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CHALLENGE PROGRAM Stretching Strengths
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Mission StatementsContinuous Improvement
Everyone, Every Way, Every Day

• Cecil County Public Schools
• Our mission is to provide an excellent
  Pre-Kindergarten through graduation learning
  experience that enables all students to
  demonstrate the skills, knowledge, and attitudes
  required for lifelong learning and productive
  citizenship in an ever-changing global society.
• School
• Our mission is to create a community of learners
  to empower student success.
• Challenge Resource Teacher
• The mission of the challenge program is to
  identify students with exceptional creative
  talents and intellectual abilities and to nurture
  their unique potential, through the collaboration
  of all stakeholders.

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Philosophy

• The Cecil County Public School system
  acknowledges that some students have exceptional
  creative and/or intellectual abilities, promise
  and potential. The success of these students as
  independent learners, creative producers and
  collaborative problem solvers depends upon the
  development and nurturing of their talents. Each
  of these students is unique there is no single
  gifted student profile.
• The Challenge Program facilitates appropriate
  adjustments to content, processes, products
  and/or pacing, encouraging students to stretch
  their strengths and develop their talents. A
  continuum of services is provided, and all staff
  members work to match the needs of the learners
  with appropriate educational services. The best
  practices for gifted students are the best
  practices for all students.

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Role of the Challenge Resource Teacher (CRTs)

• The Challenge Resource Teachers act as
  consultants and collaborators, helping classroom
  teachers plan and teach lessons that will
  challenge all students appropriately through
  differentiation of the curricula.
• Particular attention is paid to extending the
  depth and complexity of the learning outcomes in
  developing and adapting units and lessons.

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Challenge Resource Teachers(CRTs)

• As an advocate for meeting the academic and
  affective needs of the gifted and talented
  students, the Challenge teacher coordinates and
  monitors the services provided for each student
  in the Challenge Program by communicating with
  students, teachers, guidance counselors,
  administrators, and parents.

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Focus Areas for CRTs
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Support and Collaborate

• Includes
• Planning
• Co-teaching
• Providing resources
• To support
• Robust Differentiation which considers six
  variables and is concept-driven.
• Content
• Process
• Product
• Student Readiness
• Student Interest
• Student Learning Style

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Differentiation in the Classroom

• What does it look like?
• Starts with concept based instruction in a whole
  group setting
• Followed by small group instruction based on
  student needs and learning styles
• Math Flex Groups
• Guided Reading
• Students returning to the large group and sharing
  
• High end assessments

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Math Flex Groups
Example of Differentiation in Instruction
Objective Identify, write, solve, and apply
equations and inequalities find the unknown in
an equation with one operation Class Activity
Use a graphic representation of a balance pan to
represent equations with one operation, using
addition and whole numbers (0-81) For example 8
N 3 N 5 Advanced Use decimals, rather
than whole numbers in the equations Basic Fill
in the missing numbers for the equations Accommoda
ted Use an actual balance pan and real
manipulatives to balance the equation
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N 3
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Language Arts

• Example of Differentiation in Instruction
• Objective Analyze the characterization of a
  narrative text
• Advanced
• What redeeming qualities does the villain of
• the story/book exhibit? What is the shadow
• side of the hero character in the book/story?
• Basic
• Identify characteristics of the hero and villain
  and
• provide examples from the book/story to support
• your ideas. Summarize what makes each character
• either a hero or a villain.
• Accommodated
• Chart characteristics of a villain and a hero
  from a story/book.

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Guided Reading
Example of Differentiation in Instruction Objectiv
e Identify and explain relationships between
and among characters, settings and events
Content
Process
Product
Students will explain how the characters and
events would change if the setting were different.
Students will rewrite a scene from the story
putting the characters in a different setting.
Challenge-level guided reading book
Advanced
Students will write an explanation about why the
author chose that particular setting for the
story.
Students will explain how the setting impacts the
characters.
On-level guided reading book
Basic
Students will write a description of the
relationship between the character(s) and the
setting.
Students will identify the characters and the
setting of the story.
Below-level guided reading book
Accommodated
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Snapshot of Challenge Services
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Professional Development

• CRTs receive and provide professional development
  on
• Characteristics and needs of gifted Learners
• Robust Differentiation
• Concept Based Instruction
• Parallel Curriculum
• Ascending Intellectual Demand (AID)
• Use of technology for instruction
• Primary Talent Development (PTD)
• Round the Rug Math

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Thumb on the Pulse

• ICab (Instructional Cabinet)
• SIT (School Improvement Team)
• Parent Meetings/ GT Parent Advisory Council
• Survey Data
• Record Keeping and Conferences
• Team Meetings

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Student Identification and Monitoring

• Students are formally identified in grades 4 and
  5. This year we will begin formally identifying
  3rd grade students, second and third marking
  period.
• Occasionally, students in primary grades are
  informally identified on an individual basis,
  based on teacher observation, parent
  recommendations, and classroom performance.

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Bright Learners vs. Gifted Learners
Typical characteristics, but not found in all
gifted learners. Adapted from work by Janice
Szabos
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Parent Resources

• Brochure and hand outs
• Website http//media.ccps.org/challenge/index.htm
  l
• County-wide Challenge Parent Meeting to be held
  on October 9, 2008 at Elkton Blvd. offices, 700
  - 830 p.m.
• Gifted and Talented Parent Advisory Council
• See Challenge website for information or contact
  kathyann_at_sandyhillcamp.com
• Coffee with the Program Facilitator coming in
  October
• Challenge Resource Teacher Debra Janke Jackson
• djjackson_at_ccps.org

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• Coming together is a beginning
• keeping together is progress
• working together is success.
• -Henry Ford