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Lesson Plans


more gifted

[ Thread ][ Subject ][ Author ][ Date ]
Ellyn Wenk (ellyn)
Wed, 21 Oct 1998 20:17:50 -0500

I think it's important to realize that GT education is not about
*creating* Einsteins. It is about meeting the needs of children
who arrive in the classroom with a much faster natural pace of
learning. Because they seem to absorb information as fast as it
is presented, they may already *know* much of what is scheduled
to be taught to their age peers, and not because they have
"flashcard" parents, but because they decided to find out out of
their own curiosity. (I *hate* flashcards. But my daughter loves
them, and begs for me to play with her. I hated memorizing the
multiplication tables. She doesn't have to learn them until next
year. But how do I say no when she asks so sweetly?)

These kids tend not to forget what they learn, so the hours
devoted to the repetition the rest of the class needs to cement
the concept are essentially wasted, except perhaps as
handwriting practice.

Because they are not learning during the hours in which stuff
they already understand is being presented, they frequently
become troublemakers, or shut down entirely, or lose themselves
in their own dream worlds, or sneak that book under their desks.
Teachers frequently demand the attention of the entire class,
which can turn school into endless hours of practicing that
"pretending to pay attention" gaze which we all still use in dull
meetings.

Most parents think that this skill is useful, but not one which
is so valuable as to comprise the majority of a child's school
time.

So gifted education is about giving *all* kids the chance to
*learn* at school. Nothing more, nothing less.

Valerie C. Bock