MADISON, Ala. — We've heard about gifted students, and for this teacher, it's more than 'acing' tests and advancing classes.
The students in her class get hands-on and learn about what it means to be diligent.
Meet this week's top teacher from Heritage Elementary School, Amber Merrill!
In Merrill’s gifted class, one day here is not like the other. “We teach a lot of skills,” said Merrill.
“No day is ever the same, especially in here,” she added.
Take for example this project her class is working on: “This is one of I think that the fifth graders look forward to the most. “They have to create an arcade game from scratch.”
The students use a cardboard box to do it. Part of this project includes more than using math.
“Instead of just adding and subtracting decimals with this project that they’re working on, they have to keep track of their budget. We do the whole engineering design process. Our customers are first-grade students and first-grade teachers,” said Merrill.
Here’s another project where students like Anisiia Stremska like to use their art skills.
“So this is the Wonka Chocolate Factory game. So it is about math. Today Charlie wants to win a golden ticket, but he has to do math problems." ” explained Stremska.
While we’re on the topic of boxes, Merrill’s principal, Dr. Georgina Nelson, has some input too. “She is extremely creative and thinks outside the box and is hardworking, and she really stretches our kids,” said Nelson.
“A lot of these kids I’ve had since third grade which I love, because I get to establish a relationship with them and their families.”
Merrill wants us to know her kids learn as gifted students, but it’s the values they earn in the long run.
“A lot of people think when they hear gifted students, they hear ‘Straight-A students’, or just high achievers and that’s not always the case.” We have to teach them resilience, because when they’re used to things coming easy all the time, then when something becomes hard they might not have that resilience to keep trying,” said Merrill.
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