GT Newsletter

Welcome back!

Welcome to a brand-new year of learning! Giftedness is much more than earning good grades...it's about how a child thinks, learns, and experiences the world. Gifted learners often ask big questions, notice details others miss, and crave opportunities to explore ideas deeply. This year, we'll partner together to nurture curiosity, creativity, and a love of learning.

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I've very much enjoyed meeting our new students and welcoming back so many familiar faces. We learned about our brains in 3rd grade, made inferences about mystery boxes in fourth grade, and completed some timed challenges in 5th grade. I've already noticed some third graders high-fiving each other after making a mistake in class. Mistakes are a part of the learning process and should be expected and respected. Way to go third grade!

What is Giftedness?

NAGC, the National Association for Gifted Children, explains that gifted learners are, “Students with gifts and talents that perform—or have the capability to perform—at higher levels compared to others of the same age, experience, and environment in one or more domains.”

Being gifted doesn’t always mean that learners will get good grades or do well in school. While gifted learners might be high achieving, this isn’t always the case. Giftedness looks different in every learner, and it’s important to understand and appreciate those differences.

If you’d like to learn more about giftedness, please check out NAGC’s article, What Is Giftedness.

💡 At Home Activity 💡

Using only 20 index cards (or paper) and tape, build the tallest free-standing tower you can. If it falls, change your design and try again. Remember: Great thinkers improve their ideas by testing them!

🍎 Teacher Tip 🍎

Have Options for Students Who Finish Early

I call them “sponge” activities because they soak up the extra time before moving to the next topic.

Listen to a podcast - see a list of recommended ones for K-12 below!
Virtual Enrichment Rooms or a website with extension options that are easy to access and do independently
Interactive Bulletin Boards - turn the puzzles you love into immersive bulletin boards. Love Sudoku? Make a huge one and have students place post it notes with numbers onto the puzzle to solve it.
What NOT to do: Don’t have early finishers tutor other students

Students finished early?

Podcasts can be a fun way to explore new topics and spark ideas for students of all ages. Check out these podcast recommendations for grades K-12 by going here: bit.ly/podcastgifted

CCSD Gifted & Talented Resources:

Elizabeth Biggs

Email: elizabeth_biggs@charleston.k12.sc.us
Website: https://www.ccsdschools.com/giftedandtalented
Location: 103 Calhoun Street, Charleston, SC, USA
Phone: (843) 724 - 7750