ALP Expectations

In Cobb County, the gifted program is differentiated.  This means that students are involved in activities which are more advanced, more mature, more sophisticated, and more complex in three areas:  content, process, and expectations.  The content is often multi-disciplinary, designed not only to broaden a child's base of general knowledge but also to enhance the child's ability to think productively and creatively.  Our curriculum is process based, not content based.  That means that the primary emphasis is placed on how the student works out the problem or finds the answer rather than on the answer itself.  Because both content and processes are more advanced and complex, the expectations of performance are higher.  ALP students are expected to perform in a more sophisticated, advanced, and complex manner.  Their products should be more elaborate, better conceived and executed, more creative, more detailed and intricate, and in general, superior to those produces in the regular classroom.  Many years ago, Ozzie Smith, shortstop for the St. Louis Cardinals, was quoted after losing a play-off game as saying, "Good isn't good enough when better is expected."  With ALP students, "good" isn't sufficient.  When gifted students are measured by different standards or by different yardsticks of excellence, expectations are higher and "better" is expected.

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