Myths Surrounding The Education Of Gifted Students

Middle school is a period of transition for adolescents. Students are no longer the children were once were in elementary school; they are beginning to mature into the adults they will need to become. Gifted learners at the middle-school level face the same developmental and tasks tasks and challenges that their peers do. Yet, gifted learners also possess traits that are different from their peers, which often make them misunderstood or ignored. The need for teachers to identify these students and differentiate instruction in a way that addresses the needs of the gifted students in the classroom is becoming more crucial than ever.

In 2015, I wrote about my personal philosophy of the gifted learner. I stated in my paper that, “Giftedness is not a one, set definition. The definition of gifted must encompass intellect, ability, creative talent as well as emotional awareness. It cannot be micro-managed and be a “one size fits all” definition” (Dauber, 2015). People, who are gifted, need differentiation and opportunity to express, demonstrate and show their giftedness. Educators must be able to provide opportunities for the gifted learner to express his/her abilities and/or talents. Gifted students learn differently and require special educational experiences in order to grow academically and achieve their highest potential. Therefore, the education field must be able to understand not only the cognitive side of a gifted learner but the affective or social/emotional aspects too.

2 & 3. Use the most current versions of standardized tests that are going to be used to make a decision about admission into a gifted program and that norms are up-to-date and a good representation of

Principle 1: High-Quality Curriculum for Gifted Learners Uses a Conceptual Approach to Organize or Explore Content that is Discipline Based and Integrative

One of the difficulties in identifying the needs of low-income students is the profound cultural barriers which exist that prevent their strengths and deficits from being identified. Children from low-income homes frequently have poorer vocabularies and a weaker basis of the type of knowledge that is frequently considered 'intelligence' on most forms of assessment. A low-income child's IQ may be high, even though he lacks a framework of accepted middle-class knowledge. "In January 2003, the National Academy of Sciences released a report on the seeming overrepresentation of minorities in special education and underrepresentation of those students in gifted education. The NRC reported that, nationwide, 7.47 percent of all white students and 9.9 percent of Asian students are placed in gifted programs. Meanwhile, 3.04 percent of African-American students, 3.57 percent of Hispanic students, and 4.86 percent of American Indian students are classified as gifted" (GT-minority identification, 2003, ERIC Clearinghouse). The discrepancy, the NAS believed, could not be solely explained by talent alone but was at least partially rooted in the methods of identifying students labeled as gifted. Biases in standardized and other tests identifying student strengths, combined with prejudices, however unintentional, amongst educators and administrators lead to under-identification of the gifted

Public education in America aims to benefit communities by teaching the democratic principles and common values of society through equal opportunities for learning. The education system in the United Sates has created unbiased processes which are open to all individuals and give them a chance (Dai, 2013): equal opportunities do not create equal outcomes. Conflict theory views education in capitalist society as a means of maintaining social inequality and preserving the economic, and political power for the dominant population; the underlying hidden curriculum serves to indoctrinate the accession of working classes into the lower positions in society (Turner, 1975). The struggle for power, wealth, and excellence has been built into the public institutions of capitalist society, and continue to maintain disparity between the classes (Collins, 1971).

I agree with Worrell’s (2013) statement. We should be asking and assessing not only if the student is gifted, but how are they gifted? As Worrell point out “most gifted and talented programs in elementary and middle school involved a broad range of enrichment activities, which may have no relationship to the talents of the students in the program” (Worrell, p. 140). Many students are placed in a “one size fits all” G & T program, and are not gaining the special instruction and

Ohio now requires school district to test students to see how gifted they are, and to notify parents that there students are talented and gifted, but does not require that school districts do anything to enhance or accelerate that child’s education. The state would never consider doing this to a child in special education, but it is well accepted in gifted education.

The public school system in urban districts is in need of a great reform (Moon 2016). The teachers in collaboration with the school administration are struggling to identify strategies to use in increasing student achievement. In order to meet the needs of all of their students, the schools have been examining their classroom instructional practices to identify opportunities to implement gifted educational strategies. In my school district, there is only one program benefiting from the gifted education program. The program currently focuses on grades 2-8. However, there is a need to expand the program in other elementary schools as well as the high schools.

Though there were many interviews ranging from elementary to high school teachers who teach gifted children, I chose to reflect on the elementary teacher. I thought this information was the most beneficial to me since I am in an elementary school. The elementary gifted teacher gave me a lot of insight about many of my students and what to expect in their future. The gifted program in the elementary school is from first through fifth grades. Many students are not tested in kindergarten because they want to make sure the giftedness is truly there not just high achieving tendencies. Some students may test at the end of their kindergarten year, but they do not start being served in the gifted program until first grade.

This study is important because it looks first hand at what is causing gifted underachievers to not meet their potential and it also focuses on a group that is often left out from gifted underachievement studies: college students. Underachievement is a colossal issue because it is attributed to students not receiving the assistance and having the motivation they require to succeed. Two of the

To respect every individual’s values and beliefs, growing by achieving their potentials in an inclusive environment is the key to children’s success. Every child is born differently; I believe each child has the potential to achieve irrespective of their abilities. As Dewey argued (Nodding 1998, p.9) education has to be tailored to the needs and interests of individual children. Current educational settings have classrooms with children of various abilities. However, children are differentiated according to their ability groups in schools. Alternatively by grouping children in mixed abilities will enhance social interaction by stimulating and motivating self-esteem. In addition, social constructivists approach states if children are scaffold by more knowledgeable other the progressive learning outcomes are witnessed (Jarvis 2003, p.37). Eventually, motivating children with low abilities to interact with higher ability will gain an opportunity to learn from peer group with a sense self belongings. As supported by Mc Namara and Moreton (1998 cited Adami 2004, p.93) higher ability children peer tutoring and acting as More Knowledgeable Other to the lower ability might benefit learning for both groups. Much of my philosophy supports philosophers like Aristotle, Plato and Dewey as they supported social interaction, constructivism and creativity to shape a better citizen. As Plato’s (Nodding 1998, p.13) thought of education, that educators are capable of producing people, having

A student who gets good grades, behaves well, and excels above the academic average has in the past been considered gifted. The student who does not perform at this level is less likely to be identified and less likely to receive assistance. The term gifted was limited to academic achievement. In today’s society this definition has changed because giftedness spans to more than one area of development and achievement (Turnbull, Turnbull, Wehmeyer, & Shogren, 2013).

Mentoring is an excellent way to teach students about any subject. Whether it’s math, science, social studies, art, or literature, being a mentor is a satisfying feeling. For a mentee who struggles with particular subjects, they might want to consider getting a mentor. The biggest challenge is having a student that is gifted can be a frustrating and counterproductive use of time. Science and psychologists have studied effective ways to teach gifted students through tailored mentoring programs. They have shown to be successful, but there are a lot of questions why it is so successful. Finding the answers is beneficial to both the mentor and the mentee, so they’re on the same page.

Exceptional Education is a profession that requires a village to operate. Educators who work with exceptional children cannot do this job on their own. They need the help of parents, general educators, aides, and Para-professionals to help meet the academic and personal needs of a student. Exceptional children deserve the same respect and resources as their peers who are in a general classroom setting. Thankfully there are individuals who are willing to go above and beyond to help exceptional educators teach students who need assistance reaching their academic needs that can eventually help them become successful, independent individuals. In the education world, a unique group of individuals known as Para-professionals, help provide an equal opportunity for learning for all students.