TAG (Talented and Gifted)
Hyattsville Elementary School is pleased to have an innovative and tailored Talented and Gifted (TAG) program to meet the needs unique needs of all our TAG students in their community school. At Hyattsville Elementary School; we employ a TAG pull-out and TAG within the classroom hybrid design based on the Total School Cluster Grouping with Differentiation model. At its foundations, this means TAG and TAG like students are grouped together and with other similarly grouped students who, through research, are shown to effectively work well together for academic success and growth. Within this holistic model, students have the opportunity for both acceleration and enrichment in the following opportunities:
1.Cluster Grouped Classrooms: Cluster grouping at its core is when TAG and other high Achieving students are grouped together in a classroom with an educator competent is teaching high achieving and TAG students through differentiated instruction. Yet, through this method of classroom grouping, students are still exposed to diverse populations of peers in ability, socioeconomic status, culture, and ethnicity. This allows the educator to plan learning opportunities more effectively for whole class instruction and for small group direction. TAG and TAG-like students are grouped together so they can work cooperatively and challenge each other in their learning. They can also be given independent learning and/or self-paced assignments while the teacher works with other students. This also ensures that our TAG students have small group time dedicated to their individual learning needs.
2.TAG in the Classroom: The classroom teachers who work with our TAG students receive special training and opportunities to ensure they have the knowledge and skills to appropriately challenge and educate high achieving and TAG students. The general education teacher designs differentiated lessons that both enrich (expand upon the current content and dive deeper into problem solving and application) and accelerate (Curriculum compacting and advancement) students within the curriculum.
3.Enrichment through Pull-out Services: The TAG coordinator will pull TAG students for a minimum of two hours a week. During this time, students are excused from their classes to participate in the sessions with the TAG coordinator designed for enrichment activities. These may include group projects, activities, and advanced group/independent learning projects.
4.Acceleration through Pull-out/push-in services: The TAG Coordinator, Reading, and Math ILT will either pull-out students or push-in with students (co-teaching model) twice a week for a minimum of 30 minutes to provide students accelerated curriculum if appropriate. Key to acceleration success is understanding the limits in grade/age appropriate understanding and context. For example; a student may be able to read at a 7th grade level in 2nd grade but they will not understand the complexities and themes with most books written on that level.
Here at Hyattsville Elementary School, we take our commitment to educating each and every student based on their unique needs very seriously. As such, we are confident that we are providing an advanced approach to TAG education that will help our students excel and exceed academic expectations to be the educational innovators, environmental protectors, artists, social activists, and academics of the future.
Special Education
English Language Learners (ESOL)