Gifted and Talented News
by Lenora Barnes 10/16/15
THIS WEEK
This week we continued our unit on giftedness. We discussed the pressures that GT students often feel. GT students often feel the pressure to be perfect or great at everything. Some students put that pressure on themselves, but the pressure can also come from teachers, parents, and friends. The students shared their personal experiences related to that. We discussed that giftedness doesn't have anything to do with knowing everything or being perfect. It has to do with how a person thinks, feels, learns, and approaches things, as well as their potential for learning. We discussed strategies for dealing with the pressure. In addition, we discussed being an advocate for their own learning needs and the appropriate way to ask for what they need. We also continued to work on vocabulary and critical thinking with Halloween themed word puzzlers. The remainder of our time was spent working on the Global Cardboard Challenge projects.
UPCOMING
The students will present their cardboard projects by hosting a cardboard arcade to raise money for a student-selected charity. The events will take place November 2 - 5, from 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM. (on the regular GT day) Both GT classes will present together this year. I will post the specific dates and times in Bloomz. We hope that you will be able to join us.
The third and fourth grade students will begin their long-term independent studies project during the week of November 9th. I will post more information about this soon.
DID YOU KNOW?
High achievers respond with interest and opinions.
Gifted learners exhibit feelings and opinions from multiple perspectives.
Kingore, B. (2004)
MYTHBUSTERS
Myth # 8 - All children are gifted.
All children have strengths and positive attributes, but not all children are gifted in the educational sense of the word. The label “gifted” in a school setting means that when compared to others his or her age or grade, a child has an advanced capacity to learn and apply what is learned in one or more subject areas, or in the performing or fine arts. This advanced capacity requires modifications to the regular curriculum to ensure these children are challenged and learn new material. Gifted does not connote good or better; it is a term that allows students to be identified for services that meet their unique learning needs.
- National Association For Gifted Children
Myth #9 - If gifted students are grouped together, they will become snobbish and elitist.
"Some will, some won't. What's especially pernicious about this myth is that some adults use it to rationalize decisions about not allowing gifted students to work or study together or not providing them with opportunities that meet their learning needs. "
-Delisle, J. & Galbraith, J. (1996)