Five Myths of GT Learners
FIve Myths about 'gifted or talented' students
What are these five myths?
1. All students are gifted
2. Students with learning disabilities cannot be considered gifted and talented.
3. Gifted and talented students usually develop socially and emotionally faster than their children their age.
4. Gifted students provide a good role model or other students and can provide challenge for them in a regular classroom.
5. Gifted students are so smart that they can do fine on their own in school and don't need help. And they always get good grades.
News to me!
After reading this article, there are three things that stood out to me at an instance. Realizing that gifted and talented students in the classroom are not always looked at as role models was something I never thought about. It never occurred to me they could often be bullied or put down by their peers because of their ability in the subject. Also, when thinking about my co-taught classroom and all of my special education learners, I will now look at each of them differently foreseeing that they could be gifted and talented in my subject or in any other subject. Their disability does not hold them back from achieving at great lengths. Lastly, it is important to me to never label a gifted and talented learner. Although they may have these abilities, they may not have these abilities in every subject.
Questions....?
What is the best way and the most efficient way to identify a learner that needs to be in the gifted and talented program?
What would happen for the learner if the gifted and talented program was still not enough for them? They continued to strive far beyond others and they are still increasingly becoming bored?
What can I do NOW.
As of tomorrow, I will be looking at each learner as if they are able to succeed beyond their capabilities. I want each learner to think of themselves as a master of mathematics and that they have something new to tell each one of their peers. I will identify strong students and put them together to work in order to establish if I have any gifted and talented learners that are becoming weakened by the class pace and material.