Goal Setting

September 12, 2011



Dear Parent(s) and/or Guardian(s):



I want to meet each GATE students’ needs emotionally, socially and academically. Below you will find my mission statement and

goals to direct my teaching. Please fill out and return the attached goal setting checklist to better help me

understand your expectations. I will write goals for your student based on these responses. These goals will

also be shared with the classroom teacher.



Personal Mission Statement

My mission is to instill a feeling of importance and value in each child. I will make them feel a part of my classroom and school,

and give them a sense of belonging. I will try to meet each child’s needs emotionally, socially and academically. I want each

child to reach his or her own potential. I will hold high expectations for my students. I will differentiate curriculum and use

creative teaching methods. I want to empower each child with the tools they need to succeed in today’s world. I want to

instill the love of learning in my students.



Personal Goals

 I am an advocate and resource for GT families and students.

 I hope to build a network or community of families.

 I am a researcher and facilitator of curriculum and instruction.

 I plan to work with teachers to create differentiated lessons/units that are of quality for student(s) not just quantity.

 I plan to facilitate staff development around the social-emotional and academic needs of the gifted learner.

 I strive to build personal growth and confidence in my students.

 I will hold high expectations, challenge and meet individual student needs.

 I will create an environment of wonderment and creativity.





Austin Public Schools

Elementary Gifted and Talented Education



Gifted and Talented Intervention Teachers’ Role:



 Gifted and talented intervention teachers will provide direct instruction through the use of push-in, pull-out, co-

teaching, or a combination of delivery models in order to match student and building needs.

 Push-in and pull-out instruction will be small group with a maximum of 6-8 students in a group. Scheduled teaching time

priority will be 1st to identified gifted and talented students, 2nd for providing enrichment in grades one and two, and 3rd

to support students who are achieving at high academic levels but are not formally identified as gifted and talented.

 Flexible grouping will be based on student testing data as well as curriculum-based assessments and anecdotal

information.

 Instruction will focus on reading, writing and math with science, social studies, social-emotional, and career planning

instruction infused in those core content areas. A variety of resources and curricula will be utilized to provide for

student’s needs.

 Assist with identification of gifted and talented students by being a part of the school gifted and talented identification

committee.

 Attend monthly GT teacher meetings and participate in district Gifted and Talented Education Advisory Committee.



Scheduling/Class Placement:



 Gifted and talented students will be clustered into 1-2 classrooms per grade level in each building with a maximum of 6-

8 GT students clustered in one classroom.

 GT Cluster classroom teachers need to have knowledge about and or background on working with GT students and/or

attended or be able to attend the GT summer symposium.

 GT teachers direct instruction time will be scheduled based on student’s needs. For some groups, direct teaching time

may be scheduled 3 or 4 days per week. In these situations, the other 1-2 days per week will allow students to work

independently on their learning goals.

Other:



 Gifted and talented education should function as an integrated part of the educational system. When students

have social and/or emotional needs beyond that of typical students’ needs the school social worker, psychologist,

and/or SAT will be consulted.

 A continuum of gifted and talented talent development services currently exists and others can be planned for in

order to meet students’ needs, including:

o general classroom enrichment, including Junior Great Books

o discovery, inquiry, problem-based learning

o differentiation

o independent study in interest or talent area

o individual and small group counseling

o curriculum compacting

o small group flexible grouping

o push-in instruction with GT intervention teacher targeted by ability

o within and cross-grade pull-out instruction targeted by ability, subject, and interest

o subject acceleration

o grade acceleration



Identification of Gifted and Talented Students:



 Identifying students as gifted and talented will formally begin in third grade (see APS Identification Procedure

document).

 Kindergarten, first and second grade students in need of unique education plans will be identified and planned for

through data meetings, teacher collaboration, and class-wide screening tools.

 The goal of identification is to match students to the educational services that they need.





I look forward to teaching your child! Let’s work as a team! By working together, we can make the school year a

memorable and successful experience for your child.



Please feel free to call me at school or e-mail me with any questions, concerns or comments that you may have throughout

the school year. E-mail is the best way to get a hold of me.



Mrs. Heather Wittstruck-Egtvedt







Gifted and Talented Intervention Specialist

Austin Public Schools

Southgate Elementary

heather.wittstruck@austin.k12.mn.us

Ph. 460-1300









“Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm!” Ralph Waldo Emerson

“And about your profession…let what you love be what you do!” Rumi

Southgate’s GATE Program:

GATE Instructional/Curricular/Social-Emotional Models

Academic Thinking - Differentiation Social- Grouping Executive Creativity

Metacognition Emotional Functioning



Research Bloom Tomlinson Costa Gardner Winebrenner Piirto



Dweck Winebrenner Hansen Heacox Heacox Torrance



Costa Gardner Gilbraith & Tomlinson Rogers Heacox

Delisle

Marzano Heacox Slade

Maslow

Rogers Rogers

Rogers

Slade

Schroeder-

Davis

Curriculum, Math Socratic Multiple Habits of Clustering Agenda S.C.A.M.P.E.R.

Models Wonders - Questioning Intelligences Mind (Substitute,

and ClockWise! Daily schedule combine,

Strategies Clockulators posted with adapt, modify,

assignments due put to other

purposes,

Give reminders eliminate,

rearrange)

Project M3 Bloom’s Learning Styles Affective Ability Pocket folder – Piirto’s 7 I’s

Taxonomy Traits of take home /leave (Inspiration,

Jacob’s Gifted at home, return imagery,

Ladder Children to imagination,

P.E.T.S. school/homework intuition,

(Primary insight,

Education Color code folders incubation

Thinking with subjects and

Skills) improvisation)

Learning

Hands on Growth Concept- Maslow’s Interests Contracts Divergent

Equations Mindset Product- Hierarchy of Thinking

Process Needs Growth Contracts

William and Visual Maps Readiness- Readiness

Mary Interest-

Learning

Thea Holtan Habits of Mind KUDOs Learning

Research (Know, styles

6 Traits Paul’s Understand, Bibliotherapy Multiple

Elements of Be Intelligences

District Reasoning Able to Do)

Curriculum (William and

MN Mary)

Standards



H. Wittstruck 2009

Student Name_________________________ Grade______

Parent(s) and/or Guardian(s) ________________________ Classroom Teacher______________





Goal Setting Checklist

**Which areas would you like me to focus on the most?



Areas of Need: Example(s)/Comment(s):

Social-Emotional

 Empathy

 Emotional Intensity- Peaks and Valleys

 Strong Feelings Toward Others and Self

 Entelechy – Goal-Oriented Behavior

 Boredom

 Inhibition

 Persistence

 Self-Control

 Listening Skills

 Perfectionism

 Managing Stress



Habits of Mind

 Thinking and communicating with clarity and

precision

 Managing impulsivity

 Gathering data through all senses

 Listening with understanding and empathy

 Creating, imagining, innovating

 Thinking flexibly

 Responding with wonderment and awe

 Thinking about thinking (metacognition)

 Taking responsible risks

 Striving for accuracy

 Finding humor

 Questioning and posing problems

 Thinking interdependently

 Applying past knowledge to new situations

 Remaining open to continuous learning

Thinking

 Divergent – Out of the Box – Inventive

 Convergent - With Deductive Reasoning-

Analytic thinking

 Evaluative – Make judgments – Valid

Considerations

 Creative Problem Solving -- Thinks of several

ways to solve a problem

 Understand abstract concepts

Extracurricular

 Taking responsible risks

 Trying new things

Academic

 Advanced Math Content

 Writing

 Reading

 Other interests – fine arts, science, ________









Independent Learning

 Self Managing

 Self Monitoring

 Self Modifying

 Utilizing teachers as consultants more than

instructors

 Expert Research





Work Study Habits – Executive Functioning Suggestions:

 Listens and Follows Directions  Agenda

 Uses Organizational Skills  Daily schedule posted with assignments due

 Uses Time Wisely  Homework sheet with parent check off

 Completes Assigned Work on Time  Give reminders

 Motivation  Pocket folder – take home /leave at home, return

to school/homework

 Color code folders with subjects

 Learning contracts





At Home We Plan to Work On OR Are Already Additional Comments:

Working On: