How can you tell the difference between a bright child and a gifted child?
This would be one of the questions that are most commonly asked of our staff. Because people can be gifted in so many areas and many gifted people are not performing to potential, it’s a tricky one to answer. The most useful tool I’ve found is this chart which describes behaviours of bright children and gifted children. I’ve often shared this with teachers and they have found it really useful to give them confidence in their ability to see the difference.
(Answer provided by Joanne Young, March 2007)
For a start, I’m pleased that you’re allowing them to learn at their own pace and that you recognize that they need something different, rather than more of the same. I have a couple of strategies that might be useful for you.
The first
is an Anchor Project. This
is an ongoing project that a student can come and go
from, when they have “spare” time. It works
best if the topic and content of the project is student-chosen
and when the teacher touches base with the student regularly
to check their progress and to help with any problems.
A parent or teacher aid can help by finding resources,
etc. Make sure that the project has clear parameters
and intended outcomes and that the audience for any
products is agreed at the outset of the project.
The second
is a Side-bar Investigation. This is a project that is related to your topic, but also has a student self-chosen element to it too. For example, if your topic study is The Ocean, a student can have a side-bar investigation underway about their favourite water sport, another eco-system, or a sea-creature that really interests them. The side-bar investigation functions in a similar way to an Anchor Project in that it’s negotiated between the teacher and student but general requires self-management from the student.
Another option
is Choice Chart. This is particularly useful for younger clever kids who can’t sustain or self-manage an ongoing project. This is a choice of smaller activities that a student can come and go from. A tic-tac-toe (3 X 3 grid) or a hopscotch layout are fun ways to chart the options and to guide students in their choices. Make sure that the choices on the chart are of interest to the student and require them to work at an advanced level.(Answer provided by Joanne Young, March 2007)
Definitely! My belief is that teacher aids should work with teachers and students to improve learning and teaching. If their time can be best spent with able students, go for it! Too often gifted students are left to “teach themselves” while teachers work more closely with less able students. If you believe that all students have the right to learn more than they already know, we should also be giving gifted students learning opportunities that take them beyond the known – and this requires teacher input! Ways that teacher aides can support gifted students include: supporting students with “independent learning projects”, finding and/or making resources that will challenge gifted students, finding suitable audiences for student’s to share their learning, helping with tiered assessment so that you can really find out what your gifted kids are capable of, helping with the management of multiple ability groups, working with other students to free you up to work with your gifted kids … the list goes on!
(Answer provided by Joanne Young, March 2007)
The Gifted Kids Programme was co-founded by Christine Fernyhough and Craig Anderson in September 2000 to provide a-day-a-week programme of excellence in gifted education. GKP now has seven day schools catering for over 525 children from more than 106 contributing schools throughout the North Island. We also have GiftNet, our comprehensive professional development programme too. To find out more about GKP in general and the day schools, go to www.giftedkids.co.nz. To find out more about GiftNet, keep exploring this site! (Answer provided by Michelle Parsons-Sim, January 2007)
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