Gifted & Talented
Mission
The mission of the Commerce ISD Gifted Program is to provide a challenging learning environment where students can advance in a setting that addresses their academic potential and social-emotional needs. Commerce ISD’s Gifted & Talented Program will prepare students to be productive citizens contributing in ways commensurate with their abilities.
Program Goals
The goals of the Commerce ISD Gifted & Talented Program are to provide opportunities to:
- Develop student skills in critical thinking, creative thinking, and logical reasoning
- Encourage student understanding of self and others
- Experience in-depth and accelerated learning
- Demonstrate advanced skills in creative and critical thinking, self-directed learning, and development of innovative products and performances showing depth and complexity across the four core areas.
- Foster collaborative relationships between students, families, staff, and our community.
- Further students’ ability to succeed in a global era.
Rationale
Why do gifted students need a special program and curriculum? How does their curriculum differ from the regular program? The answers to these questions form the rationale for Commerce ISD’s Gifted and Talented/Advanced Academics program.
All students, including gifted students, have the right to educational programs that meet their learning needs. Research shows that gifted students must be educated in a system that recognizes their strengths and needs and provides them opportunities to develop academically and socially. Typically, gifted students differ from their age-peers in three very important ways. First, they absorb information at a faster rate and process it more efficiently. Second, they are often able to comprehend information with greater depth than their classmates, showing surprising insight and understanding. Third, they often have interests that are more typical of older children or even adults. These three learning differences are frequently enhanced by other complementary characteristics: independence, persistence, nonconformity, and motivation.
All students, including gifted students, have the right to educational programs that meet their learning needs. Research shows that gifted students must be educated in a system that recognizes their strengths and needs and provides them opportunities to develop academically and socially. Typically, gifted students differ from their age-peers in three very important ways. First, they absorb information at a faster rate and process it more efficiently. Second, they are often able to comprehend information with greater depth than their classmates, showing surprising insight and understanding. Third, they often have interests that are more typical of older children or even adults. These three learning differences are frequently enhanced by other complementary characteristics: independence, persistence, nonconformity, and motivation.
