Elective Course Focuses on Gifted Students

By Leslie Cranford, section manager

Most parents would probably say their child is gifted and/or talented in some way or another. But according to the Texas Education Agency, there is a specific definition of the term when it is used in education:

A gifted/talented (GT) student is a child or youth who performs at or shows the potential for performing at a remarkably high level of accomplishment when compared to others of the same age, experience or environment and who:

• exhibits high performance capability in an intellectual, creative or artistic area;
• possesses an unusual capacity for leadership; or
• excels in a specific academic field. (Texas Education Code §29.121)

Texas Tech K-12 offers an optional non-credit elective course for qualifying students who have been identified as GT either by a previous school or after they were admitted into the Texas Tech K-12 program. Teachers, administrators and parents may refer students for the program. The referral process is held annually for students in the full-time tuition-free program. All students referred will be screened for placement.

Keetha Chadwick, assistant principal, says gifted students enjoy learning things in new and innovative ways.

“Our elective program provides an opportunity for them to use project-based learning to explore new ideas and to present their learning in ways that resonate with their unique vision.”

The course features:

• Critical thinking activities that promote problem-solving and complex reasoning.
• Enrichment projects focused on creativity, innovation and independent research.
• Flexible pacing to accommodate students’ individual learning styles and needs.
• Showcase of students’ research, passion and hard work at the end of the course.

Melissa Francis, the GT course teacher, has been an educator for 20 years, specializing in teaching and developing programs that cultivate creativity, critical thinking and advanced academic skills for diverse groups of learners.

“This course provides an engaging, thought-provoking curriculum tailored to stimulate the intellectual curiosity and high potential of young learners, encouraging them to think beyond the conventional and explore new ideas in a supportive virtual environment,” Francis said. “Although it is an elective and will not count for credit, the true benefit lies in helping your child delve deeper into their interests.”

To learn more about the curriculum, visit Texas Performance Standards Project.