I love March...it means that the heavy duty second term is nearly over, and that we are heading into spring.
By next week, I will have figured out the students for the Engineering and Animalia programs. If you do not hear from me, then your student did not get a spot in the program.
For the Primary students, I will be letting you know about programs in early April.
Today, our team is offering a great Inquiry Session at the Challenge Centre. We have invited students to learn about Metacognition - their own thinking! It will be very exciting and rewarding to work with these students.
One of my favourite Challenge Centres this year is "The Great Debate". I decided to offer a seminar in debating for grade 6 and 7 students because it a a great way to:
-get at higher level thinking skills (top of Bloom's Taxomomy- synthesis, evaluation, analysis)
-research current events and worldly topics
-promote critical thinking
-build on team work
-enhance self confidence
And...finally, provide a great way for students to learn the fine art of "arguing" an idea in a systematic fashion.
However, planning the debate was another story: there are many types of debating, and because I had never witnessed a local debate tournament, I was a bit unsure of how to proceed: parliamentary, standard, or cross examination style debating? I eventually tried the standard and the cross examination style, which were both a bit challenging. Students had to learn how to effectively cross examine the other team, as well as give strong rebuttals.
Regardless of the style, it was the process that proved so valuable and rewarding. The students just took off! And from a teacher's standpoint, each time I taught the process, I was able to think of better ways to make it work. I think that debating is a fantastic way to pull together so many of the ideas we work with in gifted education: critical thinking, articulation of ideas, public speaking, logical reasoning, and research.
I am hoping that I can get some time to see university or high school students debate, and furthermore, refine my practice in teaching and mentoring the students in this process.
Lastly, I would like to thank the grade 6 and 7 students involved in this process - all of you were critical thinkers and you were inspirational!
This year, I am offering two book clubs in the Challenge Centre and we have been reading the following books:
1. Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper
2. The Giver by Lois Lowry
3. The Garbage King by Elizabeth Laird
4. Holes by Louis Sachar
Why these books? All are a great story, and I found them accessible and each one unique. I am also suggesting another book: "The One and Only Ivan" by Katherine Applegate.
This book made me cry my eyes out. What a beautiful book and truly deserving of the 2013 Newberry Medal. My debating group is going to be debating the proposition, "Animals should not be kept in captivity", which ties right into the book. Many of the students were horrified that in 1964, a Silverback could be privately bought, taken from the Congo, and placed in a mall in Tacoma! How times have changed.
You can read about the real Ivan here and here .
As well, as these 5 books, I am also suggesting the group read as much as possible and bring in their suggestions for our second meeting. Happy reading, everyone!
Over the next two weeks, I will be selecting the students for the following programs: The Write Stuff Grades 4/5, Engineering Grades 3/4, and Animalia Grades 3/4. Thank you, gifted contacts for filling out the forms and for being so detailed! You will be hearing whether or not a student from your school has received a spot soon. Thank you all for your patience!!
For the other programs in term three ( Design Your Own Universe, Gizmos and Gadgets, Fairy Tale Adventures), I will be notifying schools in March and April.
If you do not get an email invitation, your student has not been accepted. Again, I will not be sending out wait-list letters, and I do apologize. I am looking at better ways to let you know whether or not a student is accepted in the future.
Finally, Participation Certificates for programs in term one and part of term two are being sent out over the next few weeks. Why the delay? I have changed the report card to a more general "Participation Certificate" that demonstrates:
1. That the student participated in the program2. How the student did in the program (anecdotal comment)3. Whether or not the student was a good candidate for the program
Finally, I have just finished working with students in the Great Debate Grade and Mind Your Math. Both programs were very exciting to teach and the students were exceptional. I will be offering both programs next year. In both of these programs, students did not create "projects" so I didn't take any photos. Next week I am continuing to work with the Engineering students.
Have a great weekend!
