Differentiation is a vital part of quality instruction and is the key to my efficacy in the classroom. Hanover County promotes a full collaborative model, requiring Gifted Resource teachers to co-plan and co-teach in gifted cluster classrooms. I am tasked with reaching 56 identified gifted students across six grade levels in nine different classrooms. Although that is my mandate, I choose to reach out to the many more students that need differentiation who are not identified. My service time is spent working with 138 students throughout my week, some two to three times a week. I work closely with nine teachers to help them plan and provide resources so that gifted students and high ability students are taught at their instructional level and challenged. Many average and struggling students benefit from the strategies we implement and as teachers we become stronger and more effective as we learn from one another.
I am blessed with the privilege of following students throughout their elementary career. I met William as a sensitive and insecure second grader who consistently performed well on math pre-assessments. He qualified for the Compacted Math 4/5 class in fourth grade and his ability and confidence has grown. Academically, his instructional needs were being met but in fourth and fifth grade I got to know William as a performer. I helped him prepare for the Talent Show which was a life changing event. In 2014, I directed a musical with William in mind. William auditioned and got a main role, Jojo. All of his hard work and dedication paid off in another phenomenal performance. William is now a strong and confident student who aspires to be a singer. Because of the confidence he built through performance, he now finds success on a daily basis in above level reading and math instruction. Serving the whole child inside and outside of the classroom is how I make an impact and foster student success.
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Author“Challenge me! Inspire me! Listen to me!” This is the message in their eyes. I see myself in so many of the students I serve, because I was not easily inspired as a young learner. Now, as an inspired educator, I hope to motivate students to find joy in learning and to take pride in being part of a community of learners. Archives
March 2018
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