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Los Altos School District
Gifted Learners
Meeting the Needs of Gifted Learners
In Los Altos School District we strive to recognize and nurture the gifts and talents of all students in the regular classroom. Our approach to meeting the needs of gifted learners includes the use of the Theory of Multiple Intelligences, differentiated teaching strategies, and a 21st Century classroom environment that fosters students’ skill development in the 4Cs: Collaboration, Communication, Critical Thinking, and Creativity. The ultimate goal of the district includes meeting the needs of all learners, including gifted learners.
Gifted Opportunities in LASD
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In elementary and junior high school, all students receive differentiated instruction within the mainstream classroom. Teachers enrich and extend the core curriculum for gifted students by differentiating instruction, content, and/or process. Through differentiated assignments developed to meet their academic and intellectual needs, students are able to explore and expand to their maximum potentials. These differentiated opportunities are available to all students, not just those who are formally identified as gifted.
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We encourage K-6 students to participate in the LASD STEM Expo at their school site each year in March. Students can create a project in one of six areas of interest, including reverse engineering, invention, Rube Goldberg, wearable design/wearable technology, robotics, and scientific inquiry/research.
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Advanced math courses are available in 6th grade and continue through 8th grade. In high school, students are able to take advanced, honors, and advanced placement courses in a wide variety of subjects.
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Students with a particular passion or area of interest in junior high school are encouraged to find an advisor and form a club that meets weekly on campus at lunch.
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We encourage students in grades 4-8 with an interest in science and engineering to form a group and participate in the Tech Challenge through the Tech Museum. Teams use the engineering design process to solve a real-world problem. Participants spend months collaborating and becoming deeply engaged in the challenge while documenting their progress and designs. The program culminates in an exciting two-day showcase in March when teams put their solutions to the test in front of judges.
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We encourage students in grades 6-8 to participate in the Synopsis Science and Technology Fair. Students work independently or in teams on a project-based research project in the fields of Computer Science, Environmental Science, Medicine & Health, Chemistry, Biology, and a half dozen other categories.
Strategies for Gifted Learners
Differentiation
Differentiation strategies focus on appropriately challenging students in the classroom according to the way they learn best, their interest, and readiness levels for a given area of study. A teacher may use learning centers, flexible grouping, choices on assignments, literature circles, writer’s workshop, or other strategies appropriate for their grade level or subject area to differentiate the curriculum.
The Multiple Intelligences
Our goal is to teach children to use their innate abilities and talents to solve problems. Students may use linguistic skills to describe a process, mathematical skills to write an equation, kinesthetic skills to act it out, artistic skills to draw a picture, social skills to work with a group or creative skills to synthesize a solution.
Critical Thinking
Meeting the needs of gifted learners includes an emphasis on higher level thinking skills; analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. These higher level skills enable students to take known information and to use it in new ways to reach independent conclusions.
Creativity
By using problems which are open-ended, or have multiple solutions, students learn to generate ideas, develop alternate solutions, look for original answers and elaborate upon a solution.
Problem Solving
Instead of asking students to apply a specific process to answer a specific type of question, GATE teaches students strategies which can be applied to many types of problems. Problem solving strategies include identifying the problem, generating questions, choosing appropriate strategies, and evaluating solutions. Students are engaged through inquiry teaching strategies.
Resources for parents
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4/3/25 10:51 PM