G.A.T.E. opens doors for pupils

      The Clark County School District's Gifted and Talented Education program has opened a gate for advanced learning. The program serves about 6,000 pupils in grades three through six, who rank in the top two to eight percent of national education standards.
      "Lots of times people feel that gifted kids are the ones that get straight A's, when in actuality, if a student does get straight A's, basically they are getting those grades on the basis of things that they've already learned, understood and now can reproduce back to you," said Ellen Sloan, Clark County School District coordinator for the program. "What we're looking for is an innate intelligence of abilities that are not necessarily taught, but children can problem-solve their ways through and truly understand.
      "That's a different kind of achievement. What we're looking at is not necessarily the students that know all the answers, but ask the right kinds of questions."
      In order to qualify, pupils must score at or above the 98th percentile in a state-standardized individual ability test. Sloan said there are alternate ways of qualifying as well. The test measures not only verbal and experiential qualities, but also nonverbal abilities in a child.
      Sloan said the testing process allows program administrators to identify gifted pupils who may not have the experiences others have had, or who may not speak English as a first language, creating a more balanced assessment for children of all economic backgrounds and cultures.
      The program, which is celebrating its 25th birthday this year, is funded through special education in Clark County. But because it is not a federally funded program, it does not fall under the mandates that special education does.
      "We are looking for legislation for categorical funding for gifted education," Sloan said.
      If that happens, the department hopes to expand the program to include seventh- and eighth-graders.
      Classes are held during the regular instructional day, and although a set framework of objectives and outcomes are required, the subject matter is determined by individual teachers. The district employs 95 full-time gifted and talented education educators.
      "The G.A.T.E. teacher's job is very challenging. She or he can't possibly know all the things there is to know because of the wide range of interests with all those kids. So basically what the G.A.T.E. specialist does is facilitate and help that student get as much information as he can, but he can't be an expert in nuclear fission and sign language," Sloan said.
      Kathie Beal, a gifted and talented education teacher at Guy Elementary School, said the teachers in the program act as a network, sharing ideas and resources, since most have special talents in fields such as theatrics, photography or science.
      "If I have a child who is interested in something I really have no knowledge about, I know I can call one of those teachers and they will supply me with ideas and materials to help that child's interest," Beal said.
      This year, pupils in Beal's class will be learning about astronomy and archaeology. She said all the academic skills are incorporated into the activities, but are taken to the application level.
      "They had to learn how to do almost a logo type of syntax in order to write down where they want their starship to go using how many forwards and how many degrees; so they are using some math skills, some mapping skills, they are doing planning, they are having to do communication skills," Beal said.
      Sloan said she is inspired when she sees the expression on children's faces after they have learned something new.
      "There's something in gifted education called the `Aha.' It's like they get it and they sparkle and their whole face lights up. Once they get it, they don't have to hear it over and over again. It's on to the next thing because it's building to the next step," she said.