Gifted and talented students thrive in Oak Park

By Sylvie Belmond belmond@theacorn.com

There’s a lot more to "The Three Little Pigs" fairy tale than meets the eye, said an Oak Hills Elementary schoolteacher at the Oak Park Unified School District Gifted And Talented Education (GATE) Information Night and Parent Forum last week.

At the forum, parents of gifted children had the opportunity to find out how the OPUSD motivates its brightest students resourcefully. They use a parallel curriculum designed to help high achievers succeed in the regular classroom.

"There’s nothing worse then seeing a kid at school who’s bored," said Joy Reints, a third-grade teacher. Teachers encourage gifted children to look at things in greater depth and with more complexity, and they use a specific process to do this. In 2001, the state attempted to standardize GATE programs in California. Up to that time they had been loosely operated, and each school offered different programs, said OPUSD Superintendent Anthony Knight.

Now school districts must adhere to standards if they want to receive GATE money. GATE programs must take place during regular school hours and the curriculum must meet state requirements. OPUSD meets the criteria, Knight said.

Knight explained that while they work in the classroom, students are grouped with other children who have similar abilities. However, the grouping process is fluid, allowing children to switch from one group to another if their skills require it.

By the time they reach high school, students are placed in Honors and Advanced Placement classes based on their abilities, not necessarily on GATE identification.

OPUSD uses a broad approach to identify its gifted students. Teachers are trained to look for unusual strengths such as rapid English language acquisition, mathematical ability, or advanced critical thinking and problem-solving skills relative to peers.

Teachers are also trained to recognize the characteristics of underachieving GATE students. These kids are academically gifted but may not always do well in school. Some even have needs that encompass both special education and GATE. High-achieving students may also have more difficulties on a social level, said the superintendent.

To identify gifted kids, the district also uses a portfolio identification process that fits the unique needs of high achievers. "The process ensures that evidence from multiple sources is used to determine eligibility," said Knight.

Each school site has a GATE identification team, but parents may refer their child if they feel he or she is a GATE candidate. Students at the middle and high school level may refer themselves.

"It’s important to create opportunities to stimulate students who may be ahead of the general curriculum," said Knight.

But labeling the students isn’t as important in Oak Park as it is in other districts, said Knight. "Even gifted students aren’t gifted in all topics all the time."

After a general introduction to the district’s GATE policies, about 200 parents were separated into small groups representing each school in Oak Park.

At that time parents had the opportunity to give feedback and ask questions about GATE programs.

The Oak Hills Elementary parent group revisited a couple of fairy tales—with a twist. Although the stories are simple on the surface, teachers Reints and Debby West demonstrated how GATE students are encouraged to look beyond the obvious.

"GATE students are exciting and entertaining," said West, as she explained how teachers encourage their curiosity by giving them open-ended questions. The hardest part for the teacher is to individualize the homework.

OPUSD is home to about 400 students who take part in GATE programs, and more may qualify who have not been identified.