Heights AEP and PACE

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Visit the TeacherWeb® videos to learn about the features, modifications, and customizations available on your website. Click here to learn more. Announcements small medium large January Newsletter Main Article Several years ago, I overheard a conversation between two students. The first student asked, “What does AEP stand for?” The second student replied, “Add Extra Papers.” After I finished chuckling, I started thinking. What does enrichment and acceleration work really constitute? I thought about the success of gifted programs I have experienced in the past and what the research says about appropriate gifted education. I came to the conclusion that I wanted both AEP and PACE to emphasize quality over quantity and depth over breadth. Simply assigning more work and lots of papers is not a motivator for engagement in learning for elementary school children. However, working on tasks that require deeper thinking, a little effort, creativity, and creating a product are very motivating to children. Some examples of work that require depth of thinking include… The 4th grade project called IRP required students to read a novel, but they did much more than just a book report. They had to look at the book from several different angles and worked on studying the book for several weeks. The third grade math homework in December and January has comprised story problems that are not about basic computation. They are about logic and analysis. I have seen students spend 20-30 minutes on one problem. They beam with pride upon successful completion. The PACE program emphasizes thinking, non-verbal reasoning and creativity. I have seen some students playing a game called Freeze Frame, where they will spend several minutes analyzing a set of images and playing out tactical moves in their head. These examples illustrate that the best “extra work” involves a mental challenge and some fun, not just papers. Or, would you like to view and optionally restore one of these previous versions? Password: Forgot your password?

Heights AEP and PACE

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