Quote:
This debate can be formulated in terms of at least two rival views of what gifted education should lead to: self-actualization versus eminence....
has focused on developing the cognitive abilities of children; from her point of view, gifted education should be concerned with �the growth of the individual as well as his/her responsi- ble membership in the world community� (p. 18). These ideas are reflected in the mission and philosophy of the school (see
www.roeper.org/) Annamarie Roeper and her husband founded. The Roepers� primary concern about talent develop-
ment was not about contributions to science, philosophy, art; as Annamarie Roeper put it,
or
Is gifted education just effective teaching or does it involve strategies that work only for gifted learners.
These classes are not accelerated in that they are not being taught at the level of sophistication at which they would be offered in high school or college, although enrich- ment can lead to accelerated placement. �((about gifted enrichment pull-outs)).�
Response:
I'm not trying to say not to provide support services for 2e kids or not to try to help those kids who's parents won't. �I am saying there seems to be a lot of parents fighting for education for very trainable, highly able kids who are being told that the school "just can't do that" when all they want is their kids to be taught and not hindered or held back. �Yes, I'm still pouting that my kid couldn't enroll early in pre-k this year. �:p
In other words, sure, gifted education is just effective teaching (or great parenting!)�
sarcasm that would work for anybody, but only if you let everyone progress at different rates. �Meanwhile why begrudge the tailor made gifted enrichment pull-outs that the other kids could join in except that there's only so much time in the day and they need remedy in basic skills. �What else should the advanced kids do with their whole school day, tutor other kids? �Look for trouble? �Read and doodle? �I'm going to send homework to school with my son and tell him I'll grade it when he gets home. �No, this isn't for eminence, fame, or fortune. �It's because everybody has decided that childhood is when you should get yer book lernin'. � So, there's a third option. �It's not self/actualization or eminence. �It's normalcy. �It's what the other kids get is a sufficient education during their childhood, so why shouldn't mine? �How does everybody call that greedy? �Why should a bright kid get�
MORE education
Than EVERybody else? Because anyone who wants more should have it. �What a stupid thing to fight over. �Mom! �He's hogging the schoolwork!
