The Genius Kids Gifted Enrichment Program You can design and create, and build the most wonderful place in the world. But it takes people to make the dream a reality. -- Walt Disney -- Nurturing and Development Programs For Young Gifted Scholars All of us do not have equal talent, but all of us should have an equal opportunity to develop our talent. – John F. Kennedy Gifted learners prefer idea-mates rather than age-mates. They enjoy the company of peers when the peer group understands the shared ideas. Dear Parent, If you are reading this brochure, you are probably a parent who has already identified your child is gifted, or a child that needs the extra attention, time and support to be challenged beyond what they are receiving in their school. You may also be concerned with the current economic situation and budget cuts and wondering how your child will be challenged to develop their unique gift they have; OR Maybe you are a parent that would like to prepare your child for the competitive GATE testing; OR Maybe you are a parent who just wants to stimulate your child’s potential and develop their critical thinking and logic skills. According to The National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC), “a gifted person is someone who shows or has the potential for showing an exceptional level of performance in one or more areas of expression.” Our goal(s) at The Lil’ Genius Kid is to provide the supplemental assistance and support to develop the minds of every child to be a gifted child. We believe that every child is born with the same brain as everyone else, and it is up to us as parents and educators, to stimulate and develop the child to their maximum potential. Our unique program will stimulate your child to: 1. Acquire a solid foundation in the disciplines of communication arts (reading, comprehension, language and vocabulary), mathematics, social studies and science. 2. Acquire the knowledge and skills to gather, analyze, apply and solve problems. 3. Operate at advanced levels within these disciplines, whilst developing emotional and social stability and skills. 4. Apply this knowledge of disciplines to produce work that reflects individuality and creativity, more advanced in relation to children of the similar age and/or experience. With our program your child will learn and develop: 1. Affective thinking 2. Critical thinking 3. Logical thinking 5. Leadership development 4. Research Skills Our teaching style and methodology will: a. Enable students to apply their learning to real world issues and challenges. b. Provide alternative approaches to address student abilities, interests and learning styles. c. Promote high order thinking, decision making, with transfer of knowledge and skills. Our Philosophy is simple; “We believe that highly capable students have special needs, as a result of a wide range of abilities and talents. Our program is committed to providing the gifted student with a learning environment flexible enough to allow the student to meet their intellectual, social and creative potentials and growth. We strongly believe that successful learning occurs through a combination of support and effort from home and school. Our partners in this goal are the parents and the student. Some strategies we will use to develop the students’ creative and divergent thinking skills are: • Fluency - measured by number of responses to a theme • Flexibility - measured by the variety of changes or categories • Originality - measured by degree of unusual or uncommon responses • Elaboration - embellishment or expansion of the idea • Risk-taking - willingness to try different or difficult things • Curiosity - ability to seek many alternatives, depth of study • Complexity - capacity to explore or discover • Imagination - power to visualize, dream or conceive forms of action symbolically For example a question we may ask to develop the ability to evaluate a situation, and extrapolate from ideas or actions would be – “A new law has been passed which restricts all households to the use of three electrical appliances, apart from lighting. What three machines would you choose and why?” OR to develop vocabulary, grammar and thinking skills – “List all the synonyms/antonyms you can thing of for a certain word, OR Name all the objects you can think of that are white and edible, or mean and yet soft.” Our curriculum is designed to encourage the student to think out of the box and gain confidence to challenge themselves beyond their capabilities. There is no guarantee that every child can get selected for the GATE program, since the final result & selection process depends on statistics and several other factors. However, the student(s) will gain confidence and an attitude of “I CAN”, a wealth of information, the ability to answer complicated questions, learn to analyze and think through and solve problems in a logical manner. They will learn skills to use in the regular classroom, testing strategies and strive to excel in their daily lives and beyond. Schedule:  Saturday       10:00 am – 10:55 am Grades 2 - 3 11:15 am – 12:15 pm Grades 4 - 6 $75.00/class, purchased in 6 session packages of $450.00/6 classes. Registration: $25.00 No makeups for missed classes, no prorated fees. Checks payable to Education Unlimited. Classes are taught in groups of 10 students to encourage leadership and mentorship with one another, develop a competitive spirit and teamwork. Different problems and questions are presented, students work individually and in small groups to solve problems. Time management and logical problem solving is discussed. Simple assignments and projects are given to prepare for the next class. Participation in competitions and quizzes to build up speed and efficiency. 55 minutes Class Breakdown: 1. 5 minutes – socialize and meet up with class members. 2. 20 minutes – Thought of the Day/ Word Power – mastering 10 new words every week, the meaning, spelling and application in language. Assessment on prior week’s words. 3. 5 minute – break and socialize 4. 10 minutes –Critical Thinking Power – solving math problems and solutions. 5. 15 minutes – Challenge Activity for the Day (Various Subjects to include Science, Comprehension, Social Studies) Schedule of Classes 2011. Saturday - October 29; November 5, 12, 19; December 3, 10. (Preparing for GATE and motivating Gifted Children is an ongoing process. Begin now by developing an atmosphere of positive expectations and help your child identify interests, talents, strengths, weaknesses.) Early Bird Registration No registration fee if you sign up before October 25, 2011 Important FAQ’s to know: Is a student who is gifted always a straight “A” student? Not necessarily. There are gifted students whose academic achievement crosses all areas (language arts, mathematics, social studies, and science). There are many who may excel in only one or two areas. There are students that are gifted and have qualified outside of academic achievement that may not have any particular academic strength but use their intellectual ability in other ways. These students display exceptional ability(s) in the visual or performing arts or have critical thinking skills that they demonstrate through problem solving opportunities. Another type of student that may qualify for gifted services may also have a disability that interferes with their ability to perform well in certain curricular areas. What’s the difference between a high achiever and being gifted? Students who are high achievers are those who typically are good students, do what is expected of them, please teachers with their attention, and like school for what it is. Gifted students are often more of a challenge to teachers, by always asking questions, questioning what is being offered, and may be less inclined to do what is asked of them. Did you know?              Einstein was four years old before he could speak and seven before he could read. Isaac Newton did poorly in grade school. When Thomas Edison was a boy, his teachers told him he was too stupid to learn anything. F.W.Woolworth got a job in a dry goods store when he was 21. But his employers would not let him wait on a customer because he "Didn't have enough sense." A newspaper editor fired Walt Disney because he had "No good ideas" Caruso's music teacher told him "You can't sing, you have no voice at all." Leo Tolstoy flunked out of college. Verner Von Braun flunked 9th grade algebra. Admiral Richard E. Byrd had been retired from the navy, as, "Unfit for service" Until he flew over both poles. Louis Pasteur was rated as mediocre in chemistry when he attended the Royal College Abraham Lincoln entered The Black Hawk War as a captain and came out a private Fred Waring was once rejected from high school chorus. Winston Churchill failed the sixth grade. Gifted children's behavior differs from that of their age-mates in the following ways:  Many gifted children learn to read early, with better comprehension of the nuances of language. As much as half the gifted and talented population has learned to read before entering school.  Gifted children often read widely, quickly, and intensely and have large vocabularies.  Gifted children commonly learn basic skills better, more quickly, and with less practice.  They are better able to construct and handle abstractions.  They often pick up and interpret nonverbal cues and can draw inferences that other children need to have spelled out for them.  They take less for granted, seeking the "hows" and "whys."  They can work independently at an earlier age and can concentrate for longer periods.  Their interests are both wildly eclectic and intensely focused.  They often have seemingly boundless energy, which sometimes leads to a misdiagnosis of hyperactivity.  They usually respond and relate well to parents, teachers, and other adults. They may prefer the company of older children and adults to that of their peers.  They like to learn new things, are willing to examine the unusual, and are highly inquisitive.  They tackle tasks and problems in a well-organized, goal-directed, and efficient manner.  They exhibit an intrinsic motivation to learn, find out, or explore and are often very persistent. "I'd rather do it myself" is a common attitude. (Reference: http://www.ri.net/gifted_talented/character.html ) There are 3 types of gifted students – The High Achiever, The Gifted Learner or The Creative Thinker…All with a curious brain waiting to be stimulated beyond their potential A High Achiever... Remembers the answers. Is interested. A Gifted Learner... Poses unforeseen questions. Is curious. A Creative Thinker... Sees exceptions. Wonders. Is selectively mentally engaged. Daydreams; may seem off task. Generates advanced ideas. Generates complex, abstract ideas. Overflows with ideas, many of which will never be developed. Works hard to achieve. Knows without working hard. Plays with ideas and concepts. Is attentive. Answer the questions in detail. Performs at the top of the group. Responds with interest and opinions. Learns with ease. Needs 6 to 8 repetitions to master. Ponders with depth and multiple perspectives. Is beyond the group. Exhibits feelings and opinions from multiple perspectives. Already knows. Needs 1 to 3 repetitions to master. Injects new possibilities. Is in own group. Shares bizarre, sometimes conflicting opinions. Questions: What if... Questions the need for mastery. Comprehends at a high level. Comprehends in-depth, complex ideas. Overflows with ideas--many of which will never be developed. Enjoys the company of age peers. Prefers the company of intellectual peers. Prefers the company of creative peers but often works alone. Understands complex, abstract humor. Grasps the meaning. Completes assignments on time. Is receptive. Is accurate and complete. Creates complex, abstract humor. Relishes wild, off-the-wall humor. Infers and connects concepts. Makes mental leaps: Aha! Initiates projects and extensions of assignments. Is intense. Is original and continually developing. Enjoys school often. Enjoys self-directed learning. Absorbs information. Manipulates information. Is a technician with expertise in a field. Memorizes well. Is an expert who abstracts beyond the field. Guesses and infers well. Is highly alert and observant. Anticipates and relates observations. Is pleased with own learning. Is self-critical. Gets A's. Is able. May not be motivated by grades. Is intellectual. Initiates more projects that will ever be completed. Is independent and unconventional. Is original and continually developing. Enjoys creating. Improvises. Is an inventor and idea generator. Creates and brainstorms well. Is intuitive. Is never finished with possibilities. May not be motivated by grades. Is idiosyncratic. WHAT ARE THE CHARACTERISTICS OF STUDENTS WHO ARE GIFTED AND TALENTED? When asked this question, most teachers will respond by citing three observations. First, gifted youngsters tend to get their work done quickly and may seek further assignments or direction. Second, they ask probing questions that tend to differ from their classmates in depth of understanding and frequency. Finally, they have interests in areas that are unusual or more like the interests of older students. In fact, these observations define the characteristics that challenge regular classroom teachers the most as they attempt to bring full instructional service to gifted and talented students. These students potentially differ from their classmates on three key dimensions (Maker, 1982): (1) the pace at which they learn; (2) the depth of their understanding; and (3) the interests that they hold. In order to develop instructional programs that will meet the needs of gifted students in regular classroom settings, it is necessary to address and accommodate these defining characteristics. Truth(s) About Gifted Students • Gifted students are often perfectionistic and idealistic. They may equate achievement and grades with self-esteem and self-worth, which sometimes leads to fear of failure and interferes with achievement. • Gifted students may experience heightened sensitivity to their own expectations and those of others, resulting in guilt over achievements or grades perceived to be low. • Gifted students are asynchronous. Their chronological age, social, physical, emotional, and intellectual development may all be at different levels. For example, a 5-year-old may be able to read and comprehend a third-grade book but may not be able to write legibly. • Some gifted children are "mappers" (sequential learners), while others are "leapers" (spatial learners). Leapers may not know how they got a "right answer." Mappers may get lost in the steps leading to the right answer. • Gifted students may be so far ahead of their chronological age mates that they know more than half the curriculum before the school year begins! Their boredom can result in low achievement and grades. • Gifted children are problem solvers. They benefit from working on open-ended, interdisciplinary problems; for example, how to solve a shortage of community resources. Gifted students often refuse to work for grades alone. • Gifted students often think abstractly and with such complexity that they may need help with concrete study- and test-taking skills. They may not be able to select one answer in a multiple choice question because they see how all the answers might be correct. • Gifted students who do well in school may define success as getting an "A" and failure as any grade less than an "A." By early adolescence they may be unwilling to try anything where they are not certain of guaranteed success. Adapted from College Planning for Gifted Students, 2nd edition, by Sandra Berger. What do we know about the brain? 1. No two children are alike. No two children learn in identical ways. 2. Children should be taught to think for themselves. 3. The brain is a curious organ which can retain both isolated information as well as material that is chunked in categories. The brain learns better when it makes sense of the information it has understood. 4. Literacy changes the brain, and by reading and writing regularly, the brain functions can be altered to think better. 5. Intelligence is fluid and not fixed, therefore we need to provide students with rich experiences. 6. Learning not only depends on the structure of the brain but influences brain development. 7. Until 2 decades ago, giftedness was dominated by the single idea of IQ measurement. Today we look for multiple kinds of giftedness as reflected by high performance capability across all cultural and economic groups, when we screen and identify gifted students. 8. Gifted students exhibit potential and desire to learn complex material and feel connected to others who share similar interests. 9. To help gifted children, both teacher(s) and parents must team up to ensure success both intellectually and socially. Reference: Building Gifted Programs “Rennu is a visionary in education.” Carine Ek-Pokam, Fremont CA “The best decision I ever made was to place my child at Genius Kids. Your need a lamp to light a lamp, you need a genius to awaken a genius!” Sarosh Patel, Fremont CA “Rennu has dedicated her life to excellence in education.” Barbara Toribio, Fremont CA “Rennu knows how to bring out the best in every child with her innovative ideas that are truly amazing!” Nithya Vasudevan – Fremont “She strives to empower every single student, No Child Left Behind!” Balaji, Fremont The Lil’ Genius Kid Award winning curriculum featured on The Lil’ Genius Kid 1021 Market Place San Ramon CA 94583 Tel: 1-925-244-1080 or 510-364-4033 email: [email protected] www.thelilgeniuskid.com www.geniuskidsonline.com www.readwithrennu.com