Teaching Exceptional Students: a workshop for the gifted and talented Geographical Association Conference 2005 Secondary Education Section Committee.

Teaching Exceptional Students: a workshop for the gifted and talented

Geographical Association Conference 2005

Secondary Education Section Committee

Presenters

Gary Dawson - Head of Geography, Fair Oak Business and Enterprise College, Staffordshire

Melissa Gardner - Head of Geography, Stanchester Community School

Alan Parkinson - Head of Geography, King Edward VII School, Norfolk

Fred Martin - PGCE Tutor, Bath Spa University College

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Other contributors On holiday ! Rob Lodge - Secondary Consultant

Foundation Strand, Norfolk Sarah Todd - AST, Stanchester

Community School, Somerset Sarah Watts - Secondary

Consultant Foundation Strand, Hampshire

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Have we got some headlines for you !

Background image copyright Hat Trick Productions and the BBC.

Africa continues to lag behind the rest of the world.

Trade holds the key to African development.

China set to overtake Britain as the 4th richest country in the

world.

Britain promises to cancel debt to help the developing world.

Millions still without access to water in poor countries.

Rich countries give aid with one hand, but take aid

repayments with the other.

Poverty in Africa is a legacy of European colonialism.

Corrupt officials and politicians put off overseas investors.

Trade barriers prevent Africa’s escape from poverty.

Africa needs to reduce its dependence on aid.

And now the next activity !

Objectives 1What are the differences between gifted and talented students ?What are the characteristics of a gifted geographer ?What are challenging tasks for gifted geographers ?How can challenging tasks be made more accessible to the mainstream ?

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Objectives 2 How one department manages gifted

geographers Using ICT to support the learning of

gifted geographers Using fieldwork to support the

learning of gifted geographers Consider the next steps to support

your gifted geographers

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Who are the Gifted and Talented? ‘Gifted' learners are those who

have abilities in one or more subjects in the statutory school curriculum other than art and design, music and PE

‘Talented' learners are those who have abilities in art and design, music, PE, or performing arts such as dance and drama.

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Adapted from Excellence in Cities

Characteristics of gifted Geographers

Think of a student in your school and describe his or her characteristics

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Characteristics of gifted Geographers

http://www.nc.uk.net/gt/geography/index.htm

Training materials for the foundation subjects. Module 9 ChallengeChris Durbin www.sln.org.uk/geography

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Increasing the challenge and making the challenge more accessible

Groups of 3/4/5Some groups work on increasing the challengeTRF concept mapDesign a citySome groups work on making the challenge more mainstreamThanks to geographyCartoon(s)

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How is G and T managed in the Geography Department?

A case study from Stanchester School, Somerset

Our set up..

3 Geographers2 classroomsBoth rooms data projectors

and laptopsOne IWBAll lessons on Ppt – interactive

startersLots of playdough!

Keeping G and T happy Our G and T AST surveyed all G and T students in our school ..Here’s some student thoughts…

I don’t feel comfortable when the teacher seats

me next to someone who

messes around

The more interesting the class is, the better the class is.

Making lessons fun and how the information is put across helps loads

Being involved – doing things – helps me

Personal talking time really helps – where you share your ideas before you write down

Being different, original and fun.

I liked having time to think in silence

Department ideas. Seating Plans – learning buddy (more able –

more able) Differentiation – must, should, could and

VAK / multi sensory tasks Fieldwork opportunities e.g. weather diary

winners to RNAS Yeovilton Coursework – differentiated guide booklets..

Hotlinks of data sources, updating website info Exemplar material…..an example of an A*….

Stepped level criteria ‘an A* response is….’ Shared peer learning – cross phase projects

(teaching volcanoes to Year 6) Weather club – geo clubs… let them run it

and update weather data / RND team

Creativity and G and T Make learning purposeful… Roving reporter Magic microphone for quiet types Hot seating… ‘ready steady chat’ Keep their attention…. Lyrics to a song..

Mamma Mia, here I blow again, I am an active volcano…

Call my bluff.. students create questions for homework….

Give us the question… we give you the answer

Create a rainforest … from scrap

What do you need? Boxes Tissue Paper Information from

textbooks Card Why not visit the Scrap

Store in Yeovil…

Using the resources available, build your own rainforest on the wall…cut out the trees…add the birds…wildlife…flowers….

It will be assessed for accuracy of its layers and their contents – labels should be clear and informative

You have

20 minutes to create your rainforest

The G and T students could be grouped together for this activity, then have an

extension to report back from the rainforest about the threats….

Could be a roving reporter…..

And so….

We manage G and T with department and school wide initiatives, which are enhanced by fun and engaging learning styles.

ICT: Case study

The use of ICT to offer challenge and a sense of mystery for your G&T students…

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“This is your life….” – Old Harry

Thanks to Daniel Raven Ellison – “Learning through Windows”

RGS-IBG Innovative Geography Teaching Grant

You were born…Your parents were…You had a wife, butseparated…

How will G&T use images ? Application: applying the same idea to

changed situations Analysis: questions that invite pupils to

explore causes, effects and relationships

Synthesis: hypothesising or generating ideas

Evaluation: assessing validity of conclusions reached

RGS-IBG Innovative Geography Teaching Grant 2003-4

Weblogs Set up a departmental weblog –

encourage students to post / comment Go beyond the themes in the classroom ‘Immediacy’ Students gain ‘ownership’… Read more in ‘Teaching Geography’

October 2004 FLICKR – photo cataloguing and tagging

& easy upload to weblog

Researching Starters Simon Renshaw of Roundhill

Community College, Leicester asks G&T students to research images for forthcoming lessons / starters

They research images which provoke questions…

http://www.debatabase.org300 topics

Location : Bawdsey Suffolk

http://www.ifever.org.uk/camera

Artist: Bettina Furnee

Produce a powerpoint with a sequence from the Archive of images.

http://www.picasa.com“Picture Pile”

Picture by Edwin Chew: courtesy SLN.ORG.UK/GEOGRAPHY

Picture Reveal Exercise

http://www.barcodeart.com/art/yourself/yourself.html

Copyright: Scott Blake

Please note that some parts of this presentation have been removed due to copyrighted material.

These included ideas for using video and images with G&T students.

For further information go to:

http://www.geographypages.co.uk/gandt.htm

Click the link below, and set an

Field Work for G and T

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Two stars and a wish

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Turn to the person next to you and:

• tell them two things that you are currently doing to support G and T in your lessons

• identify one thing that you are going to trial in your lessons

Good practice

The ability to think independently and in depth should be developed in all students.

Pupils need to reflect on the processes of their own thinking and learning so that they can build on their own skills and intellectual strengths

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Next steps: whole school

In your school, is there a G and T policy register co-ordinator separate funds special programme?

What is your department’s contribution?

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Next steps; department Do G and T students go beyond Level

Descriptions? Do G and T students progress best in sets? What teaching strategies are most

suitable? What learning activities best develop the

abilities of G and T students? How can you assess the achievement of G

and T students?