The Past Foretells the Future

It is an often repeated statement that the past foretells the future; this statement is true in gifted education as well. For decades, gifted education has moved from the past into the future by asserting that  “a program’s focus must be on recognizing and accepting individual differences,” and the twenty-first century has proved that there are so many layers to this assertion.

I’ll preface this final entry with credit to Professors Emeritus Dr. Robert E. Clasen and Dr. Donna Rae Clasen for their wise persistence, intelligence, wisdom, and generosity of time, talent, and expertise to the field of gifted education. The article below was originally published by the Department of Public Instruction in Education Forward in February of 1985 - nearly 40 years ago. Better yet, it’s based on activity sparked by the Marland report of 1972 - now 50 years old! Stay strong, my friends; progress takes time!

“The surge of interest in education of gifted, talented, and creative students was fomented by a 1972 Office of Education report to Congress, and has caused many Wisconsin school districts to consider developing a gifted program. Large and medium-sized districts have, generally, been able to proceed with developing one or more such programs. Small school districts, on the other hand, have greater trouble finding the human and fiscal resources to implement gifted programs. Yet, the need will continue to exist.

Because resources are scarce, small districts must be both efficient and effective in deploying those resources that are available.The following guidelines may help small districts assure that available resources are utilized to their fullest:

• Investigation: The view is always better from another’s shoulders. There are small school districts in Wisconsin (e.g., Athens, Augusta, Deforest, Siren, Waterloo, to name a few) that have developed very successful programs. Contact them; the mail and telephone offer inexpensive ways to collect  information. (This was obviously pre- Wi-Fi!) Most districts are proud to have someone show interest.
• Interpolation: Study what is being done elsewhere, and translate that in terms of your own district. (Bob often told us we’d only be able to do “whatever will play in Peoria” as he taught the graduate courses in educational psychology, gifted emphasis). Ask questions such as these: How can another district’s approach be modified or elaborated to fit your district’s needs? Which models will best meet your district’s goals for gifted and talented programming? Which models best utilize your available resources?
• Involvement: The more people you can involve, the better. While this suggests staff, it also includes community members. In smaller districts, the community can often be a valuable resource both for planning and operating a gifted program. They can also be invaluable in gaining operational and political support.
• Inservice: All teachers and staff can afford to learn more about issues in gifted education: philosophy, definition, identification, program development, implementation, and interpretation. And they should learn more. The Department of Public Instruction has assisted in developing and disseminating three mixed media courses dealing with these issues. (See the expanded list at the end of the article.) 
• Inclusiveness: Gifted children exist in every district at every grade level. Inclusive definitions (those allowing for a wide range of gifted and talented criteria) suggest that as many as 20 percent of the students can benefit from qualitatively different educational experiences. Many of these teaching techniques will provide excellent educational experiences for a majority of other students as well.
• Identification: It is possible to spend years identifying students without ever providing services. On the other hand, it is important to remember that once identification criteria have been announced, they must be followed. Deviation can create educational and political problems.
• Implementation: Get on with it! (my emphasis) Most programs are imperfect in one or more ways, and it is only by profiting from experience that a program can grow and develop. Waiting for perfection assures a long wait - especially for those who need a qualitatively different program now.
• Internal support: Help those who are committed to creating a gifted program as they build a support system. These individuals need opportunities to exchange ideas, confront issues, and consider how to involve others. They need to know they are not alone, and they especially need encouragement and mutual support in the early stages of program development.
• Information: In some school districts, the gifted program is one of the best kept secrets; it shouldn’t be. A gifted committee needs to recognize that nearly one third of its efforts need to be focused on keeping the community, school board, administration,and staff aware of the program and its results.
• Interpretation and evaluation: How are we doing? This is a critical question that needs to be asked and answered. The program must be evaluated, and evaluation findings should be interpreted in terms of future program directions. It is a good idea to use an outside evaluator to help with the evaluation. One way to accomplish this is to exchange services with another district in the area; having each coordinator evaluate the other’s program is a reasonable approach.​

These guidelines will not guarantee a successful program, but they will help small districts profit from other districts’ experiences in gifted education.These indicate that a program’s focus must be on recognizing and accepting individual differences, in children, in resources, in community needs, and in programming.  It requires a careful mix of time, talent, and effort, all of which are well worth it!”
 
The following mixed media gifted and talented education resources are available through the University of Wisconsin (UW) Extension-Education:

● Clasen, Donna Rae. Teaching for Thinking: Creativity in the Classroom. Madison: UW Extension, 1985
● Clasen, Robert E., etal. Programming for the Gifted, Talented & Creative. Madison: UW Extension 1981
● Clasen, Robert E., et. al. Simple Gifts. Madison: UW Extension, 1981

Note that these books of readings, study guides, and instructor’s manuals, some with multiple publication dates, are being preserved in the University of Wisconsin-Madison Memorial Library Archive. We hope the video programs will be preserved there in some form also.

The past does indeed inform the future. As we continue to evolve as an important and necessary part of education, we in gifted education can and must use ideas from the past to guide our future. We stand on the shoulders of knowledgeable giants!

Ruth Robinson, WATG Past President 2003-04

The WATG Board would like to thank Ruth Robinson, President of WATG from 2003-2004 for her generous gift of time and talent in compiling these Gifted Meanderings, and archiving all of WATG’s important history. Thank you, Ruth, for your outstanding contributions! You are one of our giants!