Program

GTD Program Description

//The GTD Program strives to meet the diverse needs of our children by providing differentiated services in the classroom to provide frequent challenging work and direct service for students with the greatest academic need for challenge. //

We believe every child deserves to make at least one year’s growth even when that child has already accomplished many of the grade level goals. To ensure a year’s growth for all students, some students may need adaptations to the curriculum to make it more challenging (differentiation). Some students need differentiation regularly in more than one subject area, while other students need it occasionally or for a specific subject area. The district provides some resources in math and reading to help teachers differentiate for students. One of my roles is to help teachers use these resources and to find additional resources when needed. I also help teachers in identifying who needs differentiation. In addition to supporting differentiation, some students will be identified to work directly with me, the GTD teacher. In kindergarten, first, and second grades, I team teach with the homeroom teacher to provide challenging opportunities for those students who excel at grade level work and need something beyond the regular curriculum. Third through fifth grade students are identified for direct service, meaning they meet with me every week throughout the entire year and most continue in the program until they leave Holmes. To identify students for direct service, we use the following indicators: standardized tests, cognitive ability test (CogAT), motivational evidence, and MAP test scores. At 2nd and 4th grades, all students will be given the CogAT, which indicates students’ ability to learn and reason, their creativity, and the fluidity of their thinking. All 2nd through 5th graders take the MAP test three times a year.

 **Primary Grades: Kindergarten – Second Grade**  The GTD teacher helps primary teachers provide challenging opportunities for students. Examples of this support include: providing examples of various types of differentiation, finding supplemental materials, developing adaptations to the curriculum, and offering co-teaching opportunities. In Kindergarten through second, I work with students in cooperation with the homeroom teacher. In kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grades, I sometimes work directly with students, but these groups are based on a child’s level of success with the grade level curriculum. Work that I do with primary students will be in their homeroom and planned out with the classroom teacher. Groups of students will not be pulled out of class for instruction. This research-based approach to providing service for primary students, allows me to get to know more students and their level of need for differentiation. It also puts less emphasis on testing which is less reliable at younger grades.  **Intermediate: Third Grade – Fifth Grade**  In the intermediate grades, I also support homeroom teachers as they differentiate for their students who are ready to go beyond grade level expectations. Some of my responsibilities include helping to determine who needs differentiation, answering questions about the district-provided differentiation materials, and filling holes when these materials are not adequate. In addition to differentiation support, I will provide direct services to identified students in the areas of Language Arts and math. Students who met with me last year will continue to receive services this year. In-coming third graders, will receive a letter from me this fall indicating whether they will receive direct service and in what subject areas. These letters will be sent home once MAP testing is complete. If a child qualifies for direct service in math, he or she will be accelerated to the next grade level for math and receive his or her math instruction and grades from this teacher. In addition, I will work directly with them once a week for approximately an hour to facilitate math competitions and math projects which incorporate real-world uses for math. I will work with classroom teachers to determine the best time to provide this service. It will not be during a math time. Children who qualify for LA direct service, leave their homerooms twice a week to work on accelerated activities. In these classes, students, students read and discuss novels that are at a higher reading level. While completing projects related to the books, there is an emphasis on higher order thinking skills like evaluation, compare and contrast, and synthesis.

 Carla Circo,  GTD Teacher ccirco@op97.org