Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Learning Environments What to look for in a school?

We are in the process, again, of looking for a school for Pud (7.5, skipped to 3rd) for next year. This may very well entail moving to a different district. I'm looking for ideaas on what to look for and questions to ask as I visit schools and classrooms.

Any ideas would be helpful, thanks.

Hey, we are doing this right now, too! In fact we have a meeting with the gifted coordinator in a district that is known for having a great gifted program and has a magnet program for the top students.

Here's my list of questions for when we meet:
1. What's the general philosophy and educational approach to GT kids and programming? How are teachers trained and supported in their teaching of GT kids? What is the parent involvement (is there a parent group for GT program)?

2. Testing: How are the children identified - what tests are used and how do they determine cutoff? Are there exceptions or considerations for children who don't "test well" but have other evidence? ( I have found that some of that info is actually right on the school website/GT page)

3. What curriculum is used for each subject area?

4. Differentiation: How do the teachers accommodate students, what types of instruction do they use, what materials beyond the standard curriculum?

5. How many students enrolled are working two grade levels above or higher? Do they allow for individually paced instruction for those few that might be even further along?

6. What extracurriculars are offered? Does the school participate in academic programs outside the district?

When we observe the classes I plan on looking for teacher/child interaction, general feeling of the classroom, set up of the room, peer interaction between kids, materials available to the kids. I guess I'm looking for a "gut feeling" that MrWiggly would fit it in.

I'm kind of nervous about choosing another district especially since it means moving the whole family. Others have suggested that we rent in the new district to test it out before actually buying a house. I found out that in IL you can petition for out of district enrollment but need to pay the tuition and provide the transportation - not sure that would be more financially feasible than a private school!

I just took a new job that means a long commute unless we move. So we are using this as our catalyst for movement on behalf of MrWiggly. We have decided to look at the districts based on the state school report cards combined with areas we'd like to live. We have a couple of places that look like possibilities. Not sure if any will work out. And I'm cautious based on BTDT's from others who made moves and then were sadly disappointed by the outcome at the new school! I guess sometimes you just have to take the chance and hope for the best. You do the best you can with what you've got at the moment - that's the lesson I've learned.

I'm eager to hear what questions others would ask.

These are some great suggestions. Number 6 on Debbie's list is very important for us now that the kids are in middle and high school.

Additionally, if I knew then (when ds was in early elementary), what I know now, I would;

1. Look for high percentile averages on national comparison tests such as ITBS or TerraNova. I wouldn�t even give state testing high proficiency percentages a minute of consideration, especially in a state like IL which has nearly won the �race to the bottom� for educational benchmark standards. I know many of the better public schools publicize results from both measures. I would be very wary of a district that does not.

2. Ask the administration if they do or would offer full grade subject acceleration. If you keep this question very simple you should get strong insight into their educational philosophies.

3. Consider whether the administration comes across as a parental partner in education or the end all / know all authoritarian autocrat.

Good questions. Thanks. I'm going to observe a classroom tomorrow. It is the GT classroom. In this particular school district, there are 2 90-minute pullouts each day (math and LA) so that's 3 hours a week with gifted kids and a gifted teacher. The rest of the day is in a typical classroom (recess, science, pe, music, art, etc). I talked to the GT coordinator already and she is very much in favor of acceleration. We didn't talk about subject acceleration, but they do two years of curriculum every year, so maybe that wouldn't be necessary. The teachers I'm seeing tomorrow helped write the curriculum the district uses for grades 3-5. The coordinator and one of the teachers shared that they are looking to go to an all day GT program with multi-age classrooms. That's probably a few years out, which wouldn't help us, but it does give me an idea of their philosophies. The coordinator looked at his WISC and WIAT scores and said he would qualify for both programs and wouldn't have to retest (they use the Naglieri and the ITBS) so that's good. They have a good parent group and a lot of extracurriculars, even at elementary. A couple of downsides: it is a very money-oriented district and, being a public school, comes with the states mandates (TAKS testing, attendence and tardy rules, stupid bureacracy).

I don't know for sure that this school is where we'd be, but there are only 3 elemetaries and they all use the same curriculum. I'll let you know after I visit tomorrow. The question above about "2+ levels up" scares me - what if it's not enough? Aagh. Thanks for the responses.

Others?

Squirt - that sounds awesome! I wouldn't ask a single question, just observe the teachers to see if they seem like kind people. If they cover two years of curriculum per year - that is a real program, very rare!

By contrast, the most acceleration that is done in our district is that the do one year and a third in 'only' one year's time!

Just the fact that they don't want to retest your kid means that they read and understood your Wisc and Wiat! That is amazing!

I would say, don't ask anymore questions, just look and see how the kids interact, and how the teachers interact with the kids. Also see what happens to the kids when they get around their agemates in the lunchroom and on the playground. Do they smoothly re-integrate, or do they carry their 'label' around all day? ((Not that is a deal-breaker for me, just a possible con to keep in mind.))

Now I must excuse myself to get a towel, I've been drooling so much that I'm shorting out the keyboard. (DOK)

OK, I did think of one question, perhaps I would ask about what happens to a child who has 'age appropriate' handwriting but is intellectually ready for much more...

Smiles,
Grinity

Our meeting went very well today. We spoke with the gifted coordinator of the district and observed in the 4th/5th grade magnet class as well as spoke briefly with that teacher.

I got all my questions answered and we had a chance to watch the kids working on some independent projects. They were actually making podcasts - something that would NEVER be a project at our school! And the teacher said that the magnet program works about 2 grade levels above regular curriculum with differentiation for those students who are even further. They emphasized that the gifted programming is both accelerated and compacted as well as still offering differentiation within that programming. Hopefully they weren't just telling us what we wanted to hear!

I made a point of asking whether they differentiate further within the gifted programs - be sure to ask that, Squirt!!

I was quite impressed with the overall school district aside from the gifted programming. I think the coordinator was very upfront about the testing procedure for a new student in the district. They would do all their own testing as soon as possible when a previously identified gifted student enters the district but also allow a short time for teacher observations before making placement changes from a regular classroom. She said while they consider previous testing they prefer to have all their students take the same tests - apples to apples comparisons for placements.

The kids all looked so happy, on task, motivated and self directed. I could totally imagine MrWiggly in the classroom and loving it. It was so much like his CTD classes in terms of structure and learning/teaching styles.

Now if Obama could get the housing market fixed a little sooner rather than later......<sigh>

Good luck with your observations, Squirt.

doodlebug-
That sounds like a great classroom/school program. - Yeah!

Awesome and More Awesome! Best Wishes!
Grinity