Making a difference for gifted students in secondary schools - how
it can, and must, be done!
Anne Flood
There are multiple problems
and obstacles in catering for the needs of gifted students in secondary schools.
Let’s be positive. Teachers often fail to cater for gifted students, not out of
apathy, but as a result of lack of education and empowerment. There is little
leadership at all levels in school systems that places a focus on the needs of
gifted students, and little reward, acknowledgement and affirmation to the
average teacher who takes seriously the needs of her students of whom she may
see 30 students every 40 minutes. Solutions to the problems lie in the areas
of:
·
Education of school personnel
at all levels
·
Empowerment of teachers and
administrators
·
Equity – for gifted students
who constitute, not a small percentage, but through adoption of a broad
definition – up to 20% of a school population. No we don’t expect you to change
timetables for 0.2%, but not to address the needs of 20% is educational
suicide.
·
Extension of existing
strategies. Big people need to be affirmed – and that includes teachers. When
their existing strategies – and they are numerous – are affirmed, teachers and
faculties own the program and will work to extend it.
Anne Flood
has been a teacher in comprehensive schools for 32 years. She is presently
working as a Science consultant for the NSW Department of Education and
Training in NSW rural schools. Her prime passion and vision is to change
mindsets that gifted students do not have specific cognitive and affective
needs and to make a difference for gifted students in schools. She conducts a
consultancy for gifted students, parents and teachers called “Tall Poppies” which
is the only (known) consultancy which offers assessment, curriculum advice and
counselling for gifted students outside metropolitan areas. She has been known
to comment that “gifted students are the most disadvantaged of all
exceptionalities, due to the lack of acknowledgement of their needs. Not to
cater for any other exceptionality would be deemed discrimination”. She has
been working in schools with gifted programs for ten years and completed a
doctorate under the supervision of Eddie Braggett at Charles Sturt University
in 1999. She is very passionate about
her vision and is committed to improve the plight of gifted students,
particularly in comprehensive schools.
The W.E.M. (Wagga Enrichment
Model): A Practical Way to Cater for Gifted Students in a Comprehensive
Secondary School
The W.E.M. (Wagga Enrichment Model) is a tried and tested model for provision for gifted students in comprehensive secondary schools. It can work in your school. The W.E.M. involves:
1.
A broad differentiated Gagné and Gardiner definition that focuses on
giftedness in diverse areas that parallel the faculties in a secondary school.
It is a matter of “different but equal”. Because it encompasses over 20%
of the school population, it places importance of catering for a sizeable
percentage of students.
2.
Identification of students at a faculty level through development and
modification of checklists produced by the faculty based on each faculty’s
definition of the outcomes that might relate to giftedness in that faculty.
3.
Provision through recognition of existing strategies and through
further development of differentiated curricula in the classrooms, extension
and enrichment between classes and schools and use of acceleration.
Participants will work in faculty groups to develop definitions and
checklists and to identify existing and further strategies for enrichment,
extension and acceleration within their own schools. They will take away viable
and productive products that could form the basis of their school’s program.
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