Niente sienzo -- "Nothing without joy."

Overview

G. T. students are clustered in academic classes which reflect their areas of giftedness. In the G.T. enrichment program our major objective is to incorporate the various contents into a process-based class. The process includes teaching methods as well as thinking skills.

HIGHER ORDER THINKING SKILLS
Our gifted program stresses use rather than acquisition of information (less is more). G.T. students usually have a repertoire of easily acquired information, and they are challenged to analyze and evaluate it, apply it to new situations, and develop new ideas and products.

OPEN-MINDEDNESS, DIVERGENT THINKING
Open-ended strategies suggest that there are no predetermined right answers and that the questions and activities are provocative in that they stimulate further thinking and investigation about a topic. Exercises in stretching the imagination and in thinking in terms of what "could be" rather than what "is" are encouraged.

DISCOVERY
Activities are designed so that students use their inductive reasoning process to discover ideas, patterns, relationships, etc. This technique builds on their natural curiosity to "know" and it increases their independence.

EVIDENCE OF REASONING
It is important for gifted students not only to share their conclusions, but also to explain the reasoning that led them to these conclusions. In this way students learn different reasoning processes from other students. Socratic seminaring is one activity that allows students to hone these skills.

GROUP INTERACTION AND SIMULATIONS
This is an indispensable part of the gifted and talented curriculum. Students need to develop social and leadership skills, and, therefore, small group activities requiring interaction, peer evaluation, and self-analysis are necessary.

CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING
Students learn the processes and use them to work singly or in small groups to identify and solve problems. An integral part of the enrichment program is Destination ImagiNation.

More-detailed information may be accessed through the district website.

Recommended Reading The Habit of Thought: From Socratic Seminars to Socratic Practice by Michael Strong and Douglas M. Strong

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