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​​​OLR Gifted and Talented Education Program - IGNITE 

               

"Our responsibility is to INSPIRE hope, SPARK the imagination, IGNITE the passion and FUEL a love of learning".

At Our Lady of the Rosary the school community is responsive to the educational needs of all students, including our gifted and talented students, and places a high value on student engagement and student improvement.  This growth is directed to social and emotional development as much as it is directed at student academic development.  OLR has highly capable students, with a genuine thirst for academic and persona development.  Following Fancoys Gagne's (2008) Differentiated Model of Giftedness and Talent, we see our students as having the potential to transform their gifts and strengths across a variety of domains into life-long talents.  We see that the IGNITE program can play a key role at sparking the interest and passion that makes it possible.

Research of successful leaders has shown that many attribute their success to people that took an interest in them and gave them the spark that IGNITED their interest and supported their strengths.  The goal of the OLR IGNITE programs' and 'deliberate individualised extension opportunities' to allow students to:

  • Develop skills and knowledge in a specific field that is even broader than the school's core curriculum - a level of challenge which matches the needs of the students
  • Maintain an excitement in school and learning - high order thinking skills and problem solving strategies that are explicitly taught
  • Foster a school climate that accepts and supports academic persuits - including differentiated year level learning
  • Develop positive social groups based around the additional interests that are provided
  • Experience success and recognition of success in a school-related program.

 

IGNITE Selection

The selection process for IGNITE involves collating and reviewing:

  • Standardised assessment data
  • Curriculum assessment data
  • Subjective assessments
  • Teacher nomination based on observation and classroom data

This is a data-informed process supported by a 'flexibility' philosophy.  Groups of students involved in the 'small group withdrawal' IGNITE program will change and adjust throughout the year dependent on the curriculum focus and student needs.

 

The IGNITE Program offers:

  • A level of challenge that matches the needs of the student
  • Reduction of repetition​
  • Working with supportive intellectually campatible peers
  • Focus on critical, creative and ethical thinking
  • Developing the skills to become more open-minded, responsible risk-takes
  • Higher Order Thinking Skills explicitly taught
  • Flexibility in student learning
  • Range of enrichment programs
  • Support for social and emotional needs
  • Differentiated and cross year level learning
  • Support Teacher: Gifted Education and teaching staff who have received relevant training to cater for the needs of gifted and talented students and deliver differentiated and relevant programs

Our Programs across the whole school, Prep - Year 6, provide enriched learning experiences and extension opportunities that include the following:

IGNITE programs.pdfIGNITE programs.pdf​

OLR students were asked to comment on their experiences in the IGNITE program:

IGNITE Student Responses.pdfIGNITE Student Responses.pdf