Writing Wheel

Last year I worked with fourth grade during activity (8:10 - 8:50) period working on FCAT WRITES. I was quite vocal that meeting once every seven days was not working. Not once did a teacher observe what I was doing or seemed interested.

I am not please with our score, we are better. I have done "By the Numbers" at the beginning of the school year, and I knew that just from switching 4square to a modified Power Writing outline would help students, but we needed to push writing further than we did.

I feel writing should be an important part of the ability grouped reading time. This way each child can be moved to reach their full potential. Teachers were not receptive to this strategy. I have gone into sixth grade and had great success by spending two weeks in each class one at a time.

Primary

We have in the past offered a full time primary program. For the last three years we switched to a part time model. This has been mostly positive. While we do not achieve all that I would like, the primary students do need more time in the regular class. The Regular class teachers and guidance express concerns on the split skills many students tend to demonstrate. For example, one may be very verbal, but lacks math skills. Another may be very gifted subject wise, but is very socially immature and deals with class separation badly. Again we offer our primary students an afternoon class to address these concerns. I would recommend we keep a part time program. We do not offer FEEPS until Fourth grade.

Intermediate

I strongly want to keep a full time program for 4th through 6th grades. This is a full day less activity.

FEEPS

I started the FEEP back when I was the sponsor of our Student Government. I worked with many children whom I felt should be in gifted but did not qualify. I wrote the first plan in the county to allow the non gifted to be served in gifted. That was back when I had over seventy students staffed GS. Over the years the pre qualifications have been raised so high most students do not reach the screening phase. Students must have full 10 points on screening.
Must have a 124 not 120 on Otis Lennon.
Part scores not considered.

All over the county the GS have diminished. I want to keep our FEEP strong.

Returning FEEPS start off year with signed permission slip stating they are on a probation status. New FEEPs are considered after first grading period.

Sound Setups

Over the years the responsibility for sound set ups for school wide events have been shifted towards me. I enjoy this work. When possible I include my students, but due to FCAT and the need for students to be in class this is often my responsibility alone.

There has been a policy that when setting up for a school wide event, I set up after lunch the day before this event. This is to make sure that if there is a problem and there has been in the past, I have time to solve it. This does mean that I have to cancel classes. Many times I am asked to do the sound for music, drama, celebrations, etc. This means classes can be canceled as well. We need a policy about this.

Duty

Some teachers think because I did not do lunch duty they feel that they are being treated unfair. I have done lunch duty. I also cover more classes and spend more time after school with students, coming back at night for events, and working Saturdays for OM. I want you to know this.

Morning Duty is served doing morning announcements 7:00 - 8:10

Afternoons - I work with OM or TV from 2:00 - 4:00
I often start the year doing bus duty until I start OM! I also come back for all night events to do the sound. This is many nights. I do not take comp time.

TV Production

Our morning shows name is picked by the incoming team. This school year the shows name will be the "Indian Pride." To start the year I hand pick a team of sixth graders. I know their work and know their character. As the year moves on, new members join by producing segments.(you will see examples later)While only 6th graders are responsible for the show, we do have representatives from any grade level that can be regulars on the show.

Why only sixth grade? Having the same members provides a continuity and forward motion throughout the school year. In addition these students also need TV as a prerequisite to go on and continue production in middle school. All members produce features outside the morning show. TV production is part of the gifted curriculum. Students not in GSP work on segments after school or during recess. Our morning show is NOT for gifted only!!!

Video Production

All GSP/FEEP from primary to sixth grade participate in video production as part of class projects.

Special projects are also done for any teacher or students that requests this service!!!