Friday Feature: Caroline's GT Showcase

I'm behind on some of the family adventures - Caroline had a big week a couple of weeks ago, with a school choir program and then a district-wide showcase of the work by the Gifted and Talented (GT) classes.

Caroline is an excellent student, but hands down, GT is her favorite part of school. She looks forward to Wednesdays and Thursdays with enthusiasm unmatched by any other subject, and sings Ms. Murphy's praises on a regular basis. I share her excitement for the program; it challenges her, the curriculum includes subjects that would never be part of the common core, and she clearly feels more comfortable in that environment than in her regular classroom. If it weren't for GT, my 8 year old would not yet know her professional path in life; instead, thanks to a unit last year, she has already firmly established that she wants to be an ornithologist when she grows up. I'll contact Cornell in a couple of years about financial aid.

As for the here and now, this year has included an interesting unit on ancient civilizations. We headed over to the newest elementary school in town for the showcase, guided by the highly knowledgeable midgeroo:

Caroline learned to write her name in cuneiform; learned about the ancient Mesopotamians; and helped assemble a time capsule for future civilizations to know what life in NW Arkansas in 2014 was like.

Mesopotamian cylinder seal with Caroline's initials and a Greek pot with Greek letters

Drawing of an Egyptian with heiroglyphics

The Time Capsule for 2014 Arkansas

We've been happy with our local school district, and our kids have been fortunate to have good teachers. Ms. Murphy, though, really has made a difference for Caroline in school. I'm so grateful that she's helped her bloom and grow.