Gifted and Talented Enrichment Programme
What does it mean to be identified as a GATE student?
The purpose of our GATE programme is to enable gifted and talented students to discover and follow their passions - to open doors for them, remove ceilings and to raise expectations by providing an educational experience that strives towards excellence. Being identified as 'gifted and talented' refers to a wide range of students. In general terms, being 'gifted' refers to a student's intelligence or academic aptitude, whereas being 'talented' relates to demonstrating a high area of performance in areas such as art, music, dance or sport.
The purpose of our GATE programme is to enable gifted and talented students to discover and follow their passions - to open doors for them, remove ceilings and to raise expectations by providing an educational experience that strives towards excellence. Being identified as 'gifted and talented' refers to a wide range of students. In general terms, being 'gifted' refers to a student's intelligence or academic aptitude, whereas being 'talented' relates to demonstrating a high area of performance in areas such as art, music, dance or sport.
How do we identify GATE students at Sumer School?
Students are identified for the GATE programme from a combination of assessments (where they are identified as working two or more years above their chronological age in Literacy or Mathematics), information from parents and teacher recommendations. Renzulli’s ‘Three-Ring Concept of Giftedness’ along with Howard Gardener’s Multiple Intelligences are used to assist us in identification of our GATE students. While the Multiple Intelligences framework is still being used to acknowledge the multiplicy of abilities that children could have, the term 'Smarts' has been removed as it doesn't acknowledge the importance of current research around Growth Mindset.
Students are identified for the GATE programme from a combination of assessments (where they are identified as working two or more years above their chronological age in Literacy or Mathematics), information from parents and teacher recommendations. Renzulli’s ‘Three-Ring Concept of Giftedness’ along with Howard Gardener’s Multiple Intelligences are used to assist us in identification of our GATE students. While the Multiple Intelligences framework is still being used to acknowledge the multiplicy of abilities that children could have, the term 'Smarts' has been removed as it doesn't acknowledge the importance of current research around Growth Mindset.
Howard Gardener's Multiple Intelligences
First let’s look at the traditional view of intelligence. It was believed that:
· People were born with a fixed amount of intelligence.
· Intelligence level did not change over a lifetime.
· Intelligence consisted of ability in logic and language.
· Intelligence could only be measured by short-answer tests: eg.Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children
(WISCIV)
Howard Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences
In 1985 Howard Gardner, proposed the theory of multiple intelligences based on several years of research investigating how we come to know what we know about our world. How do we learn, process, and understand information? What is the process by which we acquire knowledge? In a nutshell, “What makes us smart? What makes us intelligent?”
In his research, Gardner discovered that each of us possesses at least eight distinct areas of intelligence, eight ways we acquire knowledge, process information, learn and understand – way beyond the traditional IQ, which gives credit for only two.
First let’s look at the traditional view of intelligence. It was believed that:
· People were born with a fixed amount of intelligence.
· Intelligence level did not change over a lifetime.
· Intelligence consisted of ability in logic and language.
· Intelligence could only be measured by short-answer tests: eg.Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children
(WISCIV)
Howard Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences
In 1985 Howard Gardner, proposed the theory of multiple intelligences based on several years of research investigating how we come to know what we know about our world. How do we learn, process, and understand information? What is the process by which we acquire knowledge? In a nutshell, “What makes us smart? What makes us intelligent?”
In his research, Gardner discovered that each of us possesses at least eight distinct areas of intelligence, eight ways we acquire knowledge, process information, learn and understand – way beyond the traditional IQ, which gives credit for only two.
Renzulli’s ‘Three-Ring Concept of Giftedness’
Renzulli acknowledges three important factors for the development of giftedness and only if these factors work together then gifted behaviour will be present. These three factors are: Above average ability, creativity, and task commitment.
Renzulli identifies above average abilities as being either general abilities, such as processing information and abstract thinking, or specific abilities such as the ability to perform in a specific activity.
Renzulli defines creativity as including flexibility, and originality of thought as well as a willingness to take risks.
Renzulli includes in task commitment motivation turned into action. This includes characteristics such as grit, perseverance, endurance, hard work, along with confidence, perceptiveness and an in-depth interest in a particular subject). Renzulli states that without task commitment high achievement is not achievable.
Renzulli acknowledges three important factors for the development of giftedness and only if these factors work together then gifted behaviour will be present. These three factors are: Above average ability, creativity, and task commitment.
Renzulli identifies above average abilities as being either general abilities, such as processing information and abstract thinking, or specific abilities such as the ability to perform in a specific activity.
Renzulli defines creativity as including flexibility, and originality of thought as well as a willingness to take risks.
Renzulli includes in task commitment motivation turned into action. This includes characteristics such as grit, perseverance, endurance, hard work, along with confidence, perceptiveness and an in-depth interest in a particular subject). Renzulli states that without task commitment high achievement is not achievable.
How do we cater for our GATE students at Sumner School?
Once identified, GATE students are, first and foremost catered for by the classroom teachers within their classroom, where, like all of our children they are supported to reach their full potential academically, emotionally and socially. Our teachers are attuned to the individual needs of their children and are skilled in student-centred strategies that promote a differentiated classroom programme. In addition to this, the National Curriculum allows students to work at levels that match their skills and abilities.
Our GATE enrichment programme is based around providing learning opportunities that give breadth and depth to the curriculum, inline with student's interests, abilities, qualities and needs. Our programme is designed to offer challenges and opportunities that are in addition to those within the curriculum. These opportunities include competitions, specialist programmes, tuition and extra-curricular clubs. These enrichment opportunities will be offered to different GATE students throughout the year, in response to their needs and individual strengths. Therefore GATE programmes may run for the whole year at a selected time during the week or they may run for a shorter more intensive period of time. This gives the flexibility to target student needs more effectively.
Once identified, GATE students are, first and foremost catered for by the classroom teachers within their classroom, where, like all of our children they are supported to reach their full potential academically, emotionally and socially. Our teachers are attuned to the individual needs of their children and are skilled in student-centred strategies that promote a differentiated classroom programme. In addition to this, the National Curriculum allows students to work at levels that match their skills and abilities.
Our GATE enrichment programme is based around providing learning opportunities that give breadth and depth to the curriculum, inline with student's interests, abilities, qualities and needs. Our programme is designed to offer challenges and opportunities that are in addition to those within the curriculum. These opportunities include competitions, specialist programmes, tuition and extra-curricular clubs. These enrichment opportunities will be offered to different GATE students throughout the year, in response to their needs and individual strengths. Therefore GATE programmes may run for the whole year at a selected time during the week or they may run for a shorter more intensive period of time. This gives the flexibility to target student needs more effectively.
What opportunities are available to GATE students at Sumner School:
Strengths in Literacy
Children with strengths in Literacy are children who possess verbal-linguistic intelligence, meaning that they are strong in reading, writing, telling stories and using words. Students with these strengths are catered for through;
Strengths in Numeracy
Children with strengths in Numeracy possess logic-mathematical intelligence meaning that they are strong in maths, reasoning, logical thinking, computational thinking, problem solving and patterns. Children with these strengths are catered for through;
Strengths in Music
Students who display talent and intelligence in music are those students who are strong at singing, picking up sounds, remembering melodies and rhythms. As well as music being integrated into classroom programmes, children with these strengths are catered for through;
Strengths with people
Students who possess interpersonal intelligence display strong understanding of people, leading, organising, communicating and mediating. Children with these strengths are catered for through a number of opportunities including;
Environment
Children who possess naturalistic intelligence show an understanding about nature, are skilled at identifying flora and fauna and show care for their natural environment. Children with these strengths are catered for through;
Sport
Children who possess bodily kinaesthetic intelligence have the ability to manipulate objects using a variety of skills. These children are catered for through;
Other opportunities
There are a range of other opportunities for Sumner School Students to assist with successfully differentiating their learning programmes. Some of these include;
Strengths in Literacy
Children with strengths in Literacy are children who possess verbal-linguistic intelligence, meaning that they are strong in reading, writing, telling stories and using words. Students with these strengths are catered for through;
- Future Problem Solving
- Toi Toi Writing Journal Submissions
- Young Writer's Workshops
- Debating
- Years 3 and 4 writing workshops
- Kid's Lit Quiz
- Current Events Quiz
- Spelling Quiz
- ICAS examinations
Strengths in Numeracy
Children with strengths in Numeracy possess logic-mathematical intelligence meaning that they are strong in maths, reasoning, logical thinking, computational thinking, problem solving and patterns. Children with these strengths are catered for through;
- Otago problem Solving competition
- Bays Cluster Maths Enrichment at Linwood College
- EPro8 science and engineering competition
- Cantamaths
- Coding Club (Scratch and M-Block)
- Robo Club (Robotics)
Strengths in Music
Students who display talent and intelligence in music are those students who are strong at singing, picking up sounds, remembering melodies and rhythms. As well as music being integrated into classroom programmes, children with these strengths are catered for through;
- Christchurch School of Music tutoring and Band programmes
- School Rock Bands
- Sumner School Choir
- School Productions
- Regular music performances in assembly
- Kapa haka
- School talent show
Strengths with people
Students who possess interpersonal intelligence display strong understanding of people, leading, organising, communicating and mediating. Children with these strengths are catered for through a number of opportunities including;
- School Leaders
- House Captains and Deputy House Captains
- Student Council
- Road Patrollers
- Media Team
Environment
Children who possess naturalistic intelligence show an understanding about nature, are skilled at identifying flora and fauna and show care for their natural environment. Children with these strengths are catered for through;
- Oderings Garden Show
- Gardening Club
- Collect, Sow, Grow Port Hills Project
Sport
Children who possess bodily kinaesthetic intelligence have the ability to manipulate objects using a variety of skills. These children are catered for through;
- School sports teams
- Canterbury Zone Tournaments
Other opportunities
There are a range of other opportunities for Sumner School Students to assist with successfully differentiating their learning programmes. Some of these include;
- Foreign Language Tuition
- Science Badges
- Cultural Festival
- Home Learning Challenges
- ICAS examinations
- Techsperts - trained to help with technology
- Bays Cluster Tech Fest
- Science Club
- Art Club
- Bays Cluster Speech Competition
- Bays Cluster Cultural Festival
- Bays Cluster Music Festival
- Bays Rock
