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G/T Instructional Seminars

Television Production

As members of the television production team, students create a daily, live television broadcast utilizing highly-developed skills in journalism and technology.

Scriptwriters employ advanced journalism and research skills in the selection and development of newsworthy pieces. Anchors emulate professional public speakers as they develop skills in clarity, enunciation, poise, eye contact, and vocal expression. Crew members utilize technology, such as cameras, mixers, sound boards, and computers, to maximize the effectiveness of the broadcast for a student audience. Producers and directors demonstrate leadership skills in the management of the team and the assessment of its needs. To ensure the highest quality production, the television production team incorporates feedback gathered via primary research.

Middle School Book Club

The Middle School Book Club, organized and led by advanced-level readers, is an intellectual collaboration where passionate readers engage in meaningful discussions of a literary work, strengthen critical reading and leadership skills, hear insightful peer perspectives, and have fun.

The Middle School Book Club is actually composed of two related activities: 1) The school-based Middle School Book Club and 2) the countywide Middle School Book Club. The school-based Book Club is organized by the G/T Resource Teacher and is open to avid readers in sixth, seventh, and eighth grades. Each middle school reads the same literary selection each month. The G/T Resource Teacher arranges at least one meeting of the Book Club’s members each month to discuss the selection.

The countywide Book Club meetings take place once a month at the Barnes and Noble store in Ellicott City. Two to three representatives from each school-based Middle School Book Club attend the meetings for high-level, in-depth discussions. Each month, one or two middle schools are responsible for leading the discussion of that month’s selection.

Debate

The Debate Instructional Seminar motivates a group of students to engage in meaningful, persuasive discourse about contemporary issues, thereby strengthening their leadership, critical thinking, and presentation skills. Students use research skills to develop logical arguments supported with evidence to be applied to debates following a prescribed format. Debate skills have many cross-curricular applications and extend many curricular objectives. Among the skills classroom debates can foster are:

• Abstract thinking
• Analytical thinking
• Citizenship/ethics/etiquette
• Cross-examination/questioning
• Point of view
• Distinguishing fact from opinion
• Identifying bias
• Language usage
• Organization
• Persuasion
• Public speaking
• Research
• Teamwork/cooperation

In addition, the Debate Instructional Seminar prepares participating students for high school, and potentially collegiate, Debate Teams in later years.

Click here to view video of middle school students sharing their thoughts on the skills they have learned while participating in the Debate Instructional Seminar. (Video may be viewed using either Firefox or Internet Explorer.)