Lets Not Enslave A Beautiful Mind
Supporting Gifted Students
A common misconception...
The Seeds Are Planted
Lets Foster Growth
Each child has their own unique pattern of learning. Therefore it is our job to plan for such diversity. In order to support our gifted students we need to respect their abilities by providing them with tasks that respect and push their zones of proximal development.
What this does NOT mean:
* Letting students move ahead through the curriculum, fast tracking course work.
Students might benefit from fast tracking certain concepts, however in order to support the growth of a students mind, we must identify and continually assess their strengths and needs in order to understand how we can modify our teaching based on our curriculum to challenge them in a way that allows them to think abstractly, and critically about their tasks.
Rather than having students speed through work effortlessly, which they in return tend to value less, lets encourage students our students to work with information, to work with tasks.I'm talking about cultivating creativity! Something that many students don't have an opportunity to incorporate into their educational journeys because of limitations they face with absorbing and processing basic information. Gifted students need a tailored curriculum that challenges them to not just learn information, but to process, interpret, and critically think and evaluate information. As students do so, they become more engaged , enlightened, and value their education as it meets their demands.
For The Potential Is Great In An Environment Which Supports Synaptic Miracles!
SUPPORTING OUR GIFTED STUDENTS!
Imperfectly Perfect!
- Gifted students, like all of us can struggle with organization, motivation, and respecting the thoughts, opinions, perspectives of those around them. As teachers we can work hard to develop skills that support any needs by keeping our gifted students integrated in a classroom where they can learn from a diversity of perspectives.
- Additionally, we can go through an education plan with our students, listen to feed back and respect their voices! In order to assist in organizational skills, especially in a tailored program we must be organized as teachers! We can develop logs, checklists, and offer suggestions, and carve out time for conferencing in order to support these students throughout their educational journeys.
- In order to support students with time management skills, throughout such tailored and demanding planning, we must recognize that all students are not the same and despite their advanced abilities they are NOT immune to disabilities, emotional stressors, or beyond! Students can be subject to many things, commonly intellectual disabilities that can make self regulating behaviour, time management, and social interactions difficult tasks (Understanding Giftedness). In order to support such students we need to develop learning plans/ contracts with the student that outline what is expected of a student, what their routines might be, and where they can turn for help/ support when facing a problem that feels beyond their self regulation. While working with any student, Ped Doc, can be extremely beneficial beyond just documenting learning. It becomes especially valuable when tracking stressors, behaviour patterns, and coping skills to ensure a safe and supportive environment for learning.