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Project Gotcha
Academic Excellence
Program
Title of project/program: Project Galaxies of
Thinking and Creative Heights of Achievements (GOTCHA)
Currently, dissemination activities have been
assumed by the coordinator and trainers of the GOTCHA Program
under International Educational Consultants, Inc.
Target Group: Gifted, creative and/or talented
English language learners and culturally diverse students.
Project Goals:
The overall goals of the program are to achieve
the following: (1) To disseminate the program to school systems
who are concerned about identifying their language minority
potentially gifted students. (2) To identifying the
underrepresented population with instruments that are sensitive
to issues of language acquisition and cultural diversity.
(3) To provide educators with professional
development using Project GOTCHA’s © Best Practices, strategies
and techniques. (4) To provide educators with GOTCHA Curriculum
Guide and Activity Cards containing performance based lessons
that further enhance the academic environment and creative
abilities of students.
Program Goals:
To develop skills appropriate to higher level
thinking processes, i.e., analysis, synthesis, and evaluation.
To provide a learning environment unique to
the needs of the individual that will foster self-motivation,
initiative, responsibility, and independence.
To provide a multimedia and multidisciplinary
approach to encourage creativity.
To provide opportunities for students to
interact and work cooperatively, promoting a better
understanding of the unique talents and abilities of people
with different cultural and experiential backgrounds.
To provide a learning climate conducive to the
development of awareness and evaluation of self.
To develop unique student-directed products
for the purpose of
dissemination to varying groups of staff and
student populations.
To guide the students in the development of
leadership skills.
To provide opportunities for growth and
development in languages other than the native tongue.
To develop research skills.
To expose a hierarchy of techniques for
development of problem solving.
Instructional Component
The program serves identified students for five
hours a week at the elementary level. At the middle school
level, instruction is provided through daily Language Arts
classes. The program features, which differentiate the GOTCHA
Program from others are: (1) the emphasis on the unique creative
abilities of each child, (2) the use of curriculum which was
designed, and field tested to promote language acquisition at a
faster pace,
(3) the infusion of higher level cognitive
skills, cultural awareness, creativity, Sheltered Language
Instruction and Cognitive Academic Language Learning Acquisition
(CALLA). The lessons are designed to include the following: (a)
multiple levels of achievement, (b) variety of learning styles,
(c) language proficiency levels, (d) degree of cognitive
challenge, (e) creative strands, (f) process and product based,
(g) alternative assessment, (h) critical thinking (Bloom’s
Taxonomy), and (i) self-evaluation.
The delivery is a priority for the success of
the program. Teachers are trained in the delivery as well as the
content of the curriculum. The focus is to empower teachers to
extend the existing curriculum by training them to apply the
techniques used in the GOTCHA Curriculum. The teachers are
trained to view the curriculum as a springboard from where they
can expand, create and elaborate.
Resource Guides and Curriculums
Elementary
The GOTCHA ESL gifted/creative and talented
elementary resource guide is a resource guide used in grades
K-5. The units incorporate ESL techniques, creative thinking,
cultural awareness, higher level thinking skills, and
independent activities. Topics covered in the unit include:
Culture, Self-Study, Language Arts, Travel, Plants, Astronomy,
Human Body, Weather, Archeology, Future Worlds, Website
Building, Digital Photography, Literature, Performing Arts,
Visual Arts, Future World, Media Production, Communications,
Computers, Poetry and many more. Bibliographies and reproducible
worksheets are included for teacher use. Websites are linked so
that students can access them on the spot!
Secondary
The GOTCHA ESL gifted/creative and talented
secondary curriculum guide is used in grades 6-8. The units
incorporate ESL techniques, creative thinking, cultural
awareness, higher level thinking skills, and independent
activities. Topics covered in the units include: Letter Writing,
Composition, Origin and History of the English Language, Speech,
Poetry, Mythology, Folklore, and Tall Tales, Newspaper, Media
Production and many more.
Technology has been integrated throughout lesson
plans.
Identification Component
The identification of student is multi facet.
Consideration therefore has been given to their experiential
background; home, community, and school values; and other
cultural factors. There are three stages in the identification
process:
1. Nomination - teachers nominate students
for the program based on supportive information (such as,
informal observations, samples of students’ work, peer
nomination, community/parent nomination).
2. Identification - during this stage more
information is collected about the nominated students.
Results are entered on the Student Identification Matrix.
Scores are obtained from (a) Aguirre-Hernandez
Characteristics Checklist, (b) Non-Verbal Intelligence Test
(UNITS), and/or Torrance Test of Creative Thinking, (d)
additional information from achievement tests and/or report
cards.
3. Placement - Team meetings are then held
to determine the best ways of serving the needs of
individual students. Based on the team decisions, students
are placed in the program. Student and teacher draw up a
contract, which delineates the goals and expectations for
the year. This contract can be modified as needed. Parents
are invited to participate and are given a copy. The
instruction in these classes responds to the fact that many
of these students came from poverty - level families and may
have academic limitations in their backgrounds. Therefore,
the curriculum used is aimed at enriching these students
educational background as well as providing them with skills
to function and/or compete.
Parent Component
Parental involvement is an important aspect of
the GOTCHA program. The goals of the program are explained to
the parents. Activities to motivate creativity at home are
included, and parent responsibilities are listed. Parents are
provided with a Parent Manual that contains information with
regard to raising gifted children and suggestions and activities
to make the home a learning and loving environment. The goal of
this is to establish a valuable link between home and school.
Staff Development Component
This component is essential to the success of
the program implementation.
Specialized training is provided for
administration, guidance counselor, teachers, teacher aides and
all involved in the implementation of the program. A Program
Implementation Guide is provided to each teacher. This
Guide is a valuable tool for the GOTCHA teacher.
Step-by-step instructions detail how to identify students for
the GOTCHA Programs, how to implement the program, and how to
evaluate student progress. A section is included that contains a
sample of the forms necessary to the operation of the program.
Replication Process
Project GOTCHA provides teachers and school
district with the necessary training and materials to replicate
the model at their site. The Project’s Consultants recommend
that all requests for adoption of the program is discussed
independently.
Curriculum Guide and Implementation Guide are on
a CD for easy access. The Activity Cards come is a Plastic Box
ready for teachers to use. The Parent Manual is also on a CD.
Materials are provided with training to ensure quality and
reliability of implementation.
Replication Package
GOTCHA Implementation Package: (2-year minimum
for a school of 400 students and 25-30 teachers) includes:
Needs Assessment Analysis
Faculty Awareness
Teachers implementing GOTCHA
Administration/guidance counselors/support
staff/other
(1) CD with Instructional Materials and
Implementation Guide (per teacher)
Parent Training
Evaluation Report at the end of the 2nd year
of implementation (optional)
Unlimited support via GOTCHA Forum
Replication Fee:
Phase I
Two-day Intensive training session for teachers
Three hour Training with Support Staff
Two Hour training with Administration
Two hour evening session with Parents
Instructional materials for all the teachers who
are being training
Five copies for Administrators
Phase II
Access for two years to the GOTCHA Forum
(posting of concerns, issues, etc)
Phase III
Follow-up Visit with one of the trainers (end of
first year)
Phase IV (year 2)
Two-day Intensive training session for teachers
Three hour Training with Support Staff
Two Hour training with Administration
Two hour evening session with Parents
Year One
Initial Set-up Fee $ 500.00
Phase I (two trainers) $ 20,000.00
Travel (depends on available rates)
Phase II $ N/C
Phase III $ 1,500
Travel (depends on available rates)
Year Two
Phase IV (two trainers) $ 15,000.00
Travel (depends on available rates)
Phase II $ N/C
Phase III $ 1,500
Travel (depends on available rates)
Total Implementation with Staff Development (2
years)
Materials, Instructional Curriculum, Activity
Cards,
Parent Manuals, Site-Visits, Internet Access to
GOTCHA Forum,
$ 38,500.00 + Travel Expenses
Contact Information
International Educational Consultants, Inc
1870 College Drive
Baton Rouge, LA 70808 USA
Toll Free (USA only) 1-888-ENTHUSE
1-88-To-Gifted
225-923-2136
Fax 225-926-8598
Website
http://www.ieconsultants.org
Nilda M. Aguirre, M.Ed. | Norma E. Hernández, Ph.D
naguirre@ieconsultants.org
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nehdez@ieconsultants.org
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