WGES Gifted and Talented Education (GATE)

GATE coordinators:  Julie Harris & Lisa Grant

The purpose of GATE services in the Poway Unified School District is to identify and motivate highly able students to realize their full potential. Gifted students are higher level thinkers who demonstrate depth, originality, and creativity in their thoughts.  GATE students have common characteristics, but often unique needs.  In order to meet the needs of GATE students in the classroom, teachers differentiate the curriculum and their instruction, as appropriate.

 Willow Grove GATE teachers are committed to meeting the cognitive, social, and emotional needs of their GATE students.  In order to meet this commitment, WG teachers use strategies that are responsive to the varying needs, interests, and abilities of their GATE students.  These strategies provide for the development of our GATE students’ skills in critical and creative thinking and problem solving, ensuring that gifted students meet or exceed state core curriculum standards.

Teachers utilize on-going formal and informal assessments to determine GATE students’ needs for differentiating curriculum and instruction.  This includes a focus on depth and complexity, novelty, and acceleration, when appropriate.

 Willow Grove GATE teachers receive professional development in Gifted and Talented Education, learning how to differentiate instruction to address the varied cognitive needs and the social/emotional needs of their GATE students. 

 The following chart lists some of the ways that Willow Grove GATE teachers differentiate curriculum and instruction to support GATE students in reaching their highest potential.

GATE Program

Content:
Academic Standards

Knowledge/Skills
of Teachers
to Implement Content

Student Engagement/
Instructional Tasks
  • Language Arts Curriculum
    • Reading
    • Writing
    • Word Study
  • Math Curriculum
  • Science Curriculum
  • Social Studies Curriculum
  • Interdisciplinary learning
  • Computer programs
  • consider learning styles
  • focus on open-ended and problem-solving tasks
  • allow for opportunities for meaningful research
  • teach students skills to share what they have learned
  • engage in flexible grouping
  • incorporate depth and complexity in lesson planning
  • construct tiered assignments
  • encourage students to use a variety of resources, ideas, tasks, and methods as they pursue learning goals
  • use accelerated pacing
  • devise learning contracts
  • use more advanced, complex texts and resource materials
  • “compact” curriculum
  • utilize higher-level questioning
  • engage in independent investigative learning
  • engage in group (homogeneous or heterogeneous) investigations
  • prepare presentations to the class or other students, using technology, performance skills, or visual aids
  • learn to locate and use exciting and unusual resources
  • reflect in goal setting
  • use rubrics to assess personal performance

 

To request GATE testing for your child, complete a GATE Parent Questionnaire/Test Consent form online through the PUSD GATE webpage (http://www.powayusd.com/Depts/LSS/GATE/), or in your child’s school office. Requests for GATE Testing will only be taken during the request submission window dates.

Grizzly Odyssey 2011-12