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Most teachers are eager to meet the needs of all learners in their classrooms. They seek to provide meaningful and challenging learning experiences every day. However, the reality is that meeting the needs of learners who may span up to five or more grade levels in a single classroom is difficult, if not impossible. Research from institute for Education Policy, Johns Hopkins School of Education, authors Matthew C, Makel, Michael S. Matthews, Scott J. Peters, Karen Rambo-Hernandez, and Jonathan A. Plucker (Data from NWEA and NAEP in CA, FL, WI) gives some insight into this “state of the classroom” with this data, which highlights the importance of recognizing the existence of advanced learners in our schools:
In an even more recent study, NWEA found that in a typical 5th grade classroom, the spread of readiness could be even wider, up to 9 levels, with 32.7%of students at the 3rd grade level, 32.9% at the 4th grade level, 23.9% at the 5th grade level, 1.2% at the 6th grade level, 4.4% at the 7th grade level, 3.1% at the 8th grade level, and 1.8% at the high school level. Knowing this information, it is no wonder that meeting the needs of all learners is difficult. So what is a teacher to do? Though there are many tools that can be used with advanced learners, one of the most promising is problem-based learning, or PBL. PBL has been around for many, many years in many forms. Over my teaching career, I have seen it labeled problem-based learning, project-based learning, personalized learning, challenge-based learning, genius hour, etc. Each iteration has provided new ideas and insights into how students learn, how to craft the ideal learning situation, and how to help students master skills necessary to be successful - skills such as creative thinking, critical thinking, problem-solving, decision-making, analysis, synthesis, evaluation, product creation, presentation, research and methodology, giving and receiving feedback, and self-critique. Problem-based learning allows students to identify a real-world problem, and to solve it using information or data that they research. In PBL, the teacher acts more as a “guide on the side” than a “sage on the stage”. Students are actively involved, sometimes alone, or sometimes in collaborative groups, in solving their problem. In a recent article in Forbes magazine entitled New, Strong Evidence for Problem-Based Learning, author Michael T. Nietzel, Professor of Education, shared this study. Economists Rosangela Bando, Emma Naslund-Hadley and Paul Gertler conducted ten field experiments in four countries (Argentina, Belize, Paraguay, and Peru) covering more than 17,000 students, and used randomized experimental trials, which are the gold standard in this type of research. Students in preschool, 3rd and 4th grade were randomly assigned to receive either PBL or traditional instructional methods in math and science. Researchers randomly assigned preschool, 3rd, and 4th grade classes to receive either problem-based instruction or traditional instructional methods in these areas, and seven months later compared the standardized test scores of the students in both groups. The results were amazing: “The researchers found that after seven months of receiving problem-based instruction, students improved by .18 standard deviation (SD) in math and .14 standard deviations in science relative to the standard-instruction students. Those gains increased to .39 and .23 SDs, respectively, after four years. Boys benefitted in particular, improving by .22 SD in math (girls improved .15 SD) and .18 SD in science (girls improved .10 SD). Standard deviation is a quantity calculated to indicate the extent of deviation for a group as a whole. More evidence for the efficacy of PBL was gathered by Gallup Poll in this study, Creativity in Learning. A complete PDF of the results of this poll is available in 16 different languages. It makes for very interesting reading. Some of the most important findings were these:
What if students could show proficiency in their required coursework, and then move on to a PBL topic of their choice? What if teachers were trained to facilitate this kind of learning? What if all students could reap the benefits of PBL? What if PBL (in conjunction with teaching traditional skills) provided a new love of learning in our students? The possibilities are endless, and the potential payoff is great. If you are an educator, please consider incorporating PBL into your toolkit if you haven’t already done so. If you are a parent or caregiver, consider posing PBL activities to your children. For more information on PBL, check out information here and here and here. Articles and ideas abound on the internet. Good luck on your journey toward exciting learning! As always I welcome your comments and suggestions. Together we grow! Jackie Drummer, Past President, WATG (WATG would like to extend a huge thank you to Dr. Martha Aracely Lopez of Milwaukee Public Schools for translating this article into Spanish for our Spanish-speaking families and educators. The translation can also be found in our website blogs.)
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The STEM acronym was introduced in 2001 by scientific administrators, most specifically Judith Ramelay, of the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF). The organization previously used the acronym SMET when referring to the career fields in those disciplines or a curriculum that integrated knowledge and skills from the field of science, mathematics, engineering, and technology, but the acronym SMET apparently did not have “the sound that was appealing,” and was therefore changed to STEM.
In searching the Education Week archives, it is apparent that educators were beginning to combine the terms long before 2001. For example, a piece from January 30, 1985 indicated that a policy forum would address “whether recent initiatives to improve education in mathematics, science, engineering and other technology-related subjects are likely to meet the country’s needs.” Other congressional caucus and initiatives followed, and by 2008, STEM had become a common educational term. It was later modified to STEAM, to recognize the contribution of the arts. Throughout the years, however, one thing has not changed, and that is the ratio of males to females in STEM/STEAM careers. In 2019, it was noted that though women represent nearly half of the workforce, they only represent 27% of the STEM workforce. (US Government Census Report). Though this is an increase from 8% in 1970, it still is a woeful representation. According to US Census Bureau reports, STEM/STEAM careers include these major occupations: “computer related professionals (including computer and information systems managers), mathematicians, engineers (including architectural and engineering managers and sales engineers), life science, physical science and social science (including natural sciences managers, but excluding occupational health and safety specialists and technicians.) Other STEM/STEAM-related careers include architects (except naval), and health care and technical practitioners (including medical and health services managers).” Over the last few decades, I have been watching this lack of women in STEM/STEAM careers with great concern, and this concern was magnified by a recent article in The Journal: Transforming Education Through Technology. In this article, author Kristal Kuykendall reported that “A new study of YouScience aptitude assessments completed by 116,372 female high school juniors and seniors across the nation shows that female students had 10 times more aptitude than interest in careers in architecture and engineering, and nearly four times more aptitude than interest for careers in computers and mathematics.” This does not portend well for both girls and our nation. The low level of interest expressed in STEM careers is especially concerning given the projected growth in STEM-related jobs; the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts STEM jobs will grow by at least 8% annually through 2029, as the number of non-STEM jobs grows at less than half that pace. So, why are women less attracted to STEM/STEAM careers, and what can be done about this? To find out more, I contacted a number of my friends and family (males and females) who are employed in STEM/STEAM careers for their insights and advice, and I thank them for their willingness to engage in discussion. First of all, this report, Why Women Leave Engineering, from the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee emerged. Nadya Fouad, a UWM distinguished professor of educational psychology, has dedicated her career to exploring how individuals decide on their careers, as well as the broader impact those decisions have. She has been instrumental in studying why certain populations are underrepresented in the workforce, especially in STEM fields. In 2007, she published a study that researched what barriers deterred middle and high school females from pursuing science and math. Among her findings was the importance of instilling confidence in girls early on. So how do we do this? My contacts suggested the following ideas:
As always, I welcome your thoughts. Together we grow. Jackie Drummer, Past President and Board Advisor WI Association for Talented and Gifted (WATG would like to extend a huge thank you to Dr. Martha Aracely Lopez of Milwaukee Public Schools for translating this article into Spanish for our Spanish-speaking families and educators. The translation can also be found in our website blogs.) The news has been scary. It is scary for adults as well as children, and it has also been relentless. For some of us, especially gifted children and adults who may be especially sensitive to the problems of the world, these have been some incredibly difficult times.
Polish psychiatrist, psychologist, and physician, Kazimierz Dąbrowski, (best known for his theory of positive disintegration), noticed that some people possess overexcitabilities which predispose them to heightened sensitivities to their world. He defined these overexcitabilities as psychomotor, sensual, emotional, intellectual, and imaginational. While not everyone agrees with Dabrowski’s work, parents/caregivers and educators of gifted children often observe these intensities in the children they know and love. According to Dabrowski, psychomotor overexcitability manifests itself in a capacity for being active and energetic, a love of movement, a surplus of energy, and an actual need for physical action. Many parents/caregivers of gifted children report this in their children (and it is sometimes mistaken for Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder). Sensual overexcitability manifests itself in a heightened ability to experience sensory/ aesthetic pleasure. These are children who may hate labels in their clothing, refuse to eat foods with objectionable textures, or be bothered by stimuli that most people ignore or do not even notice, for example. Additionally, they may display a great need to touch and be touched, and respond with great joy or disgust to sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and textures. Emotional overexcitability is often recognized by parents of gifted children and others as well because those who have it often display intense emotions and responses to events and experiences in their lives. Comments about people with emotional hypersensitivity often include the word “too…” (e.g., too bossy, too loud, too opinionated, too sensitive). Children who possess intellectual overexcitabilities may persist in asking probing questions, have an unquenchable thirst for knowledge/novelty, possess keen observational skills and concentration in areas of interest, persevere in asking probing questions, possess a proclivity or reverence for logic or theoretical thinking, or possess a deep precision for understanding and can be intolerant of imprecision or errors. Like R2D2 in Star Wars, they demand INPUT! Finally, children with imaginational overexcitabilities view the world in a variety of powerful ways. They often have very strong attachments to persons, living things, or places. They may be timid or shy, or conversely, extremely boisterous and outgoing, sometimes explosively so. They may possess strong affective memories. They may live their lives “inside their heads.”They may worry excessively about the pain of the world “Weltschmerz,” or the pain of others, and obsess over their inability to effect change. While truly “gifts,” all of these sensitivities can also be liabilities during times when the news is scary, as it is now. Clearly, many of us have been worried about how to reassure our sensitive children during these times. In late February, I listened to a short podcast prepared by Anya Kamenetz and Cory Turner on National Public Radio entitled, What to Say to Kids When the News is Scary. My takeaways included things I already knew, and also caused me to think about some new ideas. Here are the main takeaways (in italics/bold), and my thoughts, following:
Though I am not a psychologist, psychiatrist, or counselor, I hope that these ideas have comforted you, and have given you some tools to help your children and your students cope during these trying times. As always, I look forward to your thoughts. Together we grow. Take care. Jackie Drummer, Past President and Current Board Advisor WI Association for Talented and Gifted (WATG would like to extend a huge thank you to Dr. Martha Aracely Lopez of Milwaukee Public Schools for translating this article into Spanish for our Spanish-speaking families and educators. The translation can be found in our website blogs.) In last month’s newsletter, I wrote about the benefits of bibliotherapy and videotherapy when working with gifted children and adolescents; this month I had a chance to put my insights into practice, as I viewed and thoroughly enjoyed Disney’s movie Encanto with members of my family. As I viewed the movie, I thought about the messages for all of us, from the youngest to the oldest. Encanto is a prime example of a movie with deep themes and rich topics, perfect for discussion. Though I won’t retell the movie (you definitely should pop some popcorn and enjoy it with your loved ones), I will offer up some questions for discussion when viewing it.
Set in the magical casita of the Madrigal family in Colombia, Encanto transports us to a world that is both imaginative and thought-provoking. I believe that it is especially relevant for the gifted population because so much of the movie centers around gifts and talents. Some themes that emerge include perfectionism, stress, honesty, jealousy, envy, fear, disappointment, loss, high expectations, illusions, loneliness, self-belief and self-doubt, responsibility for “gifts,” and the mysteries of possibilities, among others. Some questions for discussion before and after viewing the movie could include these:
Clearly, the possibilities for exploring Encanto are both limitless and enchanting. In viewing it with my family, I was interested in the takeaways from everyone - from a three -year-old to a septuagenarian. The three year old summed it up perfectly…”we all have dreams in our brain; we just need to let them out.” This was truly perceptive, in my estimation. In the near future, I hope that you will find time to view Encanto. The animation is fabulous, the music ultimately memorable, and the themes timeless and provocative. Above all, allow yourself time to ponder the meanings in your life, the lives of your family members, and the lives of your students. Allow videotherapy to expand your thinking. As always, I welcome your thoughts. Together we grow. Jackie Drummer, Past President and current Board Advisor WI Association for Talented and Gifted (WATG would like to extend a huge thank you to Dr. Martha Aracely Lopez of Milwaukee Public Schools for translating this article into Spanish for our Spanish-speaking families and educators. The translation can also be found in our website blogs.) As a coach and consultant in gifted education, I often find myself speaking with gifted adults about their gifted children and their gifted students. So often during these conversations, there are true moments of epiphany. The adults often burst into tears of disbelief, belief, and relief (and we keep the kleenex handy). As they share stories about children that they know and love, they realize tendencies in themselves that are similar. It is no surprise that gifted children grow up into gifted adults; their passions, intensities, and quirkiness do not just magically disappear. For some, this revelation is surprising and for others it is a confirmation of long-held suspicions.
Therapists such as Paula Prober, author of Your Rainforest Mind, Lynne Azpeitia, gifted adult coach and author of Gifted, Talented, and Creative Adults, Dr. Ellen Fieldler, past president of the Michigan Association for Gifted Children, and author of Bright Adults: Uniqueness and Belonging Across the Lifespan, as well as many, many other authors write about gifted children and adults, and their joys and challenges. Many of them wonderfully trace the trajectory of giftedness throughout the lifespan. They offer hope and suggestions. Like gifted children, gifted adults may share many commonalities. They often have a wide range of interests, read widely, and display unending curiosity. They may be independent thinkers and may struggle with deep friendships. Some change jobs often, as their curiosity and talent (and boredom) lead them to explore. They may be intense; they may feel things deeply, and wonder why. They may have been told that they are “too much” - too bossy, too emotional, too questioning, too sensitive, too... They may ask a lot of questions, and not be satisfied with perfunctory answers or shallow thought. They may be perfectionistic, setting high standards for themselves (and sometimes others). They may possess a deep worry for the pain of the world, “weltschmerz,” or rage against the injustices of life, and feel hopeless to effect change. They may love to argue, sometimes for the sheer “sport” of it. They may also possess astonishing senses of humor and delightful insights. They may frustrate, amuse, or annoy others, and are sometimes blissfully unaware of their impact. They may create works of beauty and share them with the world or keep them private. They may question the meaning of their lives and life in general. Though this series of characteristics is in no way complete, it may provide some of you with an AHA! moment, or two…or three... Perhaps many of these characteristics describe you. What now? Above all, know that you are not alone. Webinars, articles, conferences (for example, WATG conferences, and SENG Supporting the Emotional Needs of Gifted conferences offer information and networking opportunities. Following gifted education specialists’ blogs, especially those who deal with social and emotional issues, such as Dr. Gail Post. or viewing videos and articles by Dr. Dan Peters, or Dr. Matt Zakrewski can be eye-opening, uplifting, and comforting. Know also, that being with others who share your own brand of “quirkiness” can be very validating. Many gifted adults share that “the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree,” and that their family members, spouses, and friends are also “delightfully quirky.” There is a sense of camaraderie and safety with others who understand you. Celebrate it. Bask in it. Share it. Find comfort in it. Finally, if the challenges of being a gifted adult seem overwhelming, it may be time to seek professional help. Please care for yourself so that you can optimize your potential, and care for others. As we enter yet another difficult year, let’s help each other maximize our gifts and talents. This is important for both children and adults. Together we can do this. As always, I welcome your thoughts. Jackie Drummer, Past President and Board Advisor WATG As we enter the new year, gifts have been exchanged and unwrapped. We’ve celebrated and enjoyed the holidays and are now settling in for the rest of a long Wisconsin winter. For some of us, this season brings a welcome time of quietude. For others, it is a difficult time of year. The festivities are over, the days are short, the nights are long, and our weather and the pandemic limit socializing. It is easy to become moody and introspective. Yet there are so many things to be thankful for, and one of the greatest of them is the gift of awe, a gift that can be enjoyed all year long.
Awe is defined as a feeling of reverential respect mixed with fear or wonder. Other words that describe this phenomenon are wonder, wonderment, amazement, astonishment, admiration, reverence, or veneration. Our youngest children best exemplify the joy that comes from experiencing awe. To see the world through a child’s eyes is to become young again. And yet, somewhere along the way, many of us lose our sense of awe and wonder. Have you ever gotten goosebumps listening to spectacular pieces of music? Have you ever felt tears running down your cheeks while appreciating a sunrise or sunset? Have you ever smelled bread baking, or soup simmering, or caught a whiff of lavender, and found yourself flooded with awesome memories? Have you ever been awed by the beauty and precision of thought or language in someone’s writing or speech? Have you ever tasted that first swallow of ice-cold water when you’re parched? All these experiences fill us with astonishment and can leave us with a loss for words. This is AWE! While thinking about awe (after being wonderfully awed by some splendid winter sunrises, sunsets, and celestial night skies), I serendipitously came across this article, Awe Might Be Our Most Undervalued Emotion: Here's How to Help Children Find It In this article, author Deborah Farmer Kris cites the research of Psychologist Dacher Keltner, the founding director of the Greater Good Science Center at the University of California at Berkeley. Dr. Keltner has spent years studying the beneficial effects of awe on our physical, mental, and emotional well-being. He states that, “Awe makes us curious rather than judgmental. It makes us collaborative. It makes us humble, sharing, and altruistic. It quiets the ego so that you’re not thinking about yourself as much.” These past two years have been extremely difficult for all of us. Many psychologists, psychiatrists, and educators have sounded the alarm about mental health issues in all of us, and particularly in children and adolescents. So, what are some things we can do? Promoting awe might be a very important key. Though we might not be able to conjure up awe at will, it may find us -- if we are open to experience, and if we set aside time and place to allow it to work its magic. Keltner explains it like this, “How do you find awe? You slow things down. You allow for mystery and open questions rather than test-driven answers. You allow people to engage in the humanities of dance and visual art and music.” Awe may foster other benefits as well. In another study of more than 400 high school adolescents, researchers found that “the more awe that students felt, the more curiosity they expressed and the better they performed at school.” It seems possible then that awe, curiosity, and openness to experience promote performance. These seem to be gifts that keep on giving! In yet another study, Big Smile, Small Self: Awe walks promote prosocial positive emotions in older adults healthy older adults took weekly 15-minute outdoor walks for 8 weeks. Known as “awe walks,” this activity was intended to provide both exercise and a deliberate focus on awe. The findings… ”Compared with participants who took control walks, those who took awe walks experienced greater awe during their walks and exhibited an increasingly “small self” in their photographs (taken during their walks) over time. They reported greater joy and prosocial positive emotions during their walks and displayed increasing smile intensity over the study.” Again, awe provides a gift that keeps on giving. If you are interested in this transcendent experience of awe, here is another article that may interest you: The Science of Awe from the John Templeton Foundation. Truly awe is emerging as one of the most profound human brain experiences, and since many gifted individuals report that they often experience heightened levels of emotional sensitivity, the research on awe is especially thought-provoking. Though much of the research on awe and wonder centers on the natural world, Keltner also makes the case for experiencing a sense of awe and wonder at the goodness of others. He cites the words of Fred Rogers, “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me: ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’” Awe is finding goodness emerging in scary situations; it is that astonishment at the kindness and helpfulness and courage of people facing horrific events. Keltner says, “It’s kindness and courage. We have this capacity to be moved by other people.” Indeed, we do, and we need to share this awe with others. This research gave me much to think about; I hope it does the same for you. As a parting thought, may I suggest that you pair your awe with a sense of gratitude? Find time every day to count your blessings and your moments of awe; savor them and allow them to enrich your life. Happy New Year! Jackie Drummer, Past President and Board Advisor WATG (WATG would like to extend a huge thank you to Dr. Martha Aracely Lopez of Milwaukee Public Schools for translating this article into Spanish for our Spanish-speaking families and educators. The translation can be found in our website blogs.) It is easy to be myopic, seeing distinctly at a short distance. In our busy world, it is possible to be so wrapped up in our small worlds that we forget to look up and around and to see how our work connects to the work of others. When this happens, we can lose sight of the “big picture,” and those working to create and sustain it. This is as true in gifted education as it is in other professions.
Coming off of our annual fall conference of The Wisconsin Association for Talented and Gifted, many of us were made increasingly aware of how our work locally and as a state is part of gifted education nationally and globally. The issues and concerns that we have in our schools and districts are the very same issues that we, as a field, are grappling with nationally and internationally. We need to look up and around to see the issues, to understand the scope of the problem, and the solutions that are being tried. As I peruse the websites of other state gifted and talented organizations and take note of their keynote speakers and themes of their conferences, it is apparent that we are all focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion issues. A prime example of this was the 68th annual convention of the National Association for Gifted Children in Denver, Colorado November 11-14. It featured over 40 workshops devoted to examining the underrepresentation of diverse students in gifted and talented programming, with many workshops devoted to ways to reduce this disparity. Another way that all organizations are focusing on improving gifted education for all students who need advanced learning opportunities is to improve professional development in our field. Recently the World Council for Gifted and Talented Children published a document entitled, Global Principles for Professional Learning in Gifted Education. The World Council for Gifted and Talented Children (WCGTC) is an organization that “provides advocacy and support for gifted children. It is a diverse organization networking the globe with an active membership of educators, scholars, researchers, parents, and others interested in the development and education of gifted and talented children of all ages.” In the document Global Principles for Professional Learning in Gifted Education, educators, researchers, and scholars from around the world collaborated to produce some guidelines/principles to aid those of us in gifted education globally to help educate others about the needs of gifted students. Dr. Julia Link Roberts, president of WCGTC from 2017-2021 expresses the hopes of her team with these words, “Please share this document with educators, policymakers, professional learning providers, and leaders in teacher preparation programs who are interested in preparing all teachers to appropriately educate gifted and talented children across the globe. Our world will be a better place as we develop children and young people’s talents and potential to the highest levels.” Briefly, the WCGTC document delves into these principles necessary for excellent professional learning in gifted education:
In our current era, gifted education is increasingly under fire. Dr. Jonathan Plucker, president of NAGC, postulates that this happens about once in a generation, and the scrutiny is deserved and necessary. For this reason, and for so many other reasons, we have a lot of work to do to educate our communities and our world about the needs of our students. We need to look up and around for ideas that are working, and then we need to look down - and focus on implementing concrete and specific actions in our own corners of the world. Focusing simultaneously on the “big picture” and the details of our own situations is imperative, and the time to act is now. A generation of children is counting on us. Jackie Drummer, Past President and Current Board Advisor WI Association for Talented and Gifted (WATG would like to extend a huge thank you to Dr. Martha Aracely Lopez of Milwaukee Public Schools for translating this article into Spanish for our Spanish-speaking families and educators. The translation can be found in our website blogs.) Now that the 2021 WATG Fall Annual Conference is “in the books,” so many thoughts have been circling around in my brain. I suspect, too, that I am not alone.
With about five decades in the field of gifted education, many of these thoughts have been circling in my brain for a long, long time. As our field has evolved, many of my understandings have evolved, and, because of our recent conference and my incessant curiosity and research, new and challenging ideas have emerged. One persistent topic has occupied my thoughts over the years, and that is how to best get quality gifted and talented programming to more students, especially those from diverse backgrounds, diverse socioeconomic groups, and those for whom English is a second language. Our recent conference provided much food for thought on this topic. The first-person testimonies from speakers such as Dr. Gloria Ladson-Billings, Dr. Donna Ford, and Alonzo Kelly highlighted their journeys, the depth of the problem, and the stark reminder that we have not made enough progress for our diverse students. The research of Dr. Jonathan Plucker and Dr. Scott Peters is giving us much food for thought about the instruments and norms that we use to prospect for talent, and the “boots on the ground” work of our colleagues in Milwaukee Public Schools, using the talent development model in their SEE US! and SURGE grants continues to inspire us. Additional ideas shared at the conference suggested that there is much, much more that can be done to find traditionally underserved students. Some of the most promising include these:
Once diverse students have been identified for services, it is important to fully support them. Some ideas to accomplish this (and many of these ideas come from the students and families themselves) are:
In my recent reading, I also came across several articles that gave me additional food for thought. One of them, in an August 2021 NAGC blog by Dr. Jonathan Plucker entitled, Automatic Enrollment is a Promising Equity Strategy for Advanced Education was especially thought-provoking. Dr. Plucker describes automatic enrollment like this: “At its core, auto-enrollment is a simple idea: Students who show evidence of advanced achievement are automatically placed in advanced coursework (in contrast to strategies that put all students in advanced courses regardless of readiness evidence, such as requiring all students to take algebra in 8th grade). No referrals, no additional testing, no mandatory info sessions for parents and caregivers – you’re in the advanced course, period. Such a practice removes requirements, such as the need for a teacher recommendation, that often act as barriers to advanced learning.” Though not a panacea for many reasons (e.g., few studies have provided convincing evidence about its efficacy yet, it doesn’t necessarily find students who are currently “at potential” but not yet achieving, and it may not, by itself, close achievement gaps), automatic enrollment has merit as a promising practice in conjunction with other practices. Above all, it ensures that students who score well in pre-requisite knowledge and coursework are not overlooked, especially by educators who believe they don’t have gifted students in their school population. Once students begin in an advanced lineup of courses, the age-old criticisms of tracking are likely to emerge. These articles, Does Detracking Promote Educational Equity? and Can Tracking Raise the Test Scores of High-Ability Minority Students? may help you think through this decades-long debate. With recent attacks on gifted educational services, for example in New York City and California, as well as in some districts here in Wisconsin, those of us in gifted education must remain vigilant in removing barriers to learning for all students. We must be cognizant of the ongoing research, be willing to implement strategies that work, and discard those that are outdated, ineffective, or restrict access to vast groups of diverse learners. Only then can we provide defensible gifted education. For a great read on this topic, check out Colin Seale, founder of thinkLaw, in his opinion piece, Stop Eliminating Gifted Programs and Calling It 'Equity'. The WATG Fall conference, Leading the World into the Future, gave us all much to think about. Now begins the action. How will you lead the world into the future? As always, I welcome your thoughts. Together we grow. Jackie Drummer, Past President and Board Advisor WI Association for Talented and Gifted |
Gifted in PerspectiveA column designed to link the gifted perspective to other perspectives, and to make you think.
Jackie Drummer
Past WATG President,
SENG Certified Trainer
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