The other bit of info I keep hearing from teachers and the principal is that the class is an 'intervention' of sorts.
This is "eduspeak." Gifted and talented education is addressed in the Colorado's Response to Intervention Document under Special considerations
Response to Intervention provides support systems for students with exceptional
ability or potential. Students who are gifted require special provisions because of their strengths and abovegrade instructional level or potential. In gifted education, strength-based interventions or strength-based programming, are used to describe tiered instruction.
RTI guide p. 35
http://www.cde.state.co.us/RtI/downloads/PDF/RtIGuide.pdfWhen I asked dd's kindergarten teacher last spring if we should apply for dd and she said that the GT class is for students who need a lot of emotional support. She made it sound as if it's a class for kids who have emotional and social problems....?!?!? The district website says nothing of the sort. But then the principal also called it an intervention. And then I heard from a friend (who doesn't know that I had dd tested and will be applying) who tried to get her dd in but she didn't qualify, who tells me that unless your child is a freak they don't get in. *sigh*. I truly think that none of them are right if I go by the description on the districts website. Not to mention I subbed for a G&T class (at a different school) last year and the kids were delightful... granted some of them were a bit more emotional when they got frustrated but heck, I can relate with dd being like that.
This tends to be a perception of traditional teachers/families who don't have a lot of exposure to gt classrooms. Yes, our kids do have different social/emotional needs than typical kids. Yes, there are some more intense kids in there. Yes, there are sometimes some kids with other exceptionalities, i.e. one ASD kid with behavioral issues can color people's perception of a whole class. These types of comments really reflects a lack of understanding of gt kids.
I've got to get the kids to school. Will elaborate later.
