Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums GT Research Bring the curriculum to the kid

I had posted that I was planning to organize a conference at the AGATE NY 2009 conference.

I had an outline approved and met with the head of the Gifted Center at the Hunter College of Education today. He also teaches at Hunter Elementary.

We had a great conversation on gifted education and mentioned an article in Gifted Child quarterly, Spring 2008, written by Renzoulli. Someone mentioned here that Renzoulli was more about bringing the style of gifted education to the masses. But this guy says that Renzoulli writes and talks differently. And in this article he writes about bringing the curriculum to the child. Which is something that we all talk about.

So I thought there would be interest. He also mentioned Dona Matthews and her work on Mystery/Mastery model. I am sure many are familiar, but I was not, hence the post.

It was really interesting to hear what he is teaching 5th graders. I do not know how any one homeschools. I would not be capable to teach gifted kids. It is an art.

Ren

Is it the AGATE 2008 conference in Buffalo or are you working on next year's conference already?

Can you elaborate on "bringing the style of gifted education to the masses" as well as on "bringing the curriculum to the child?" Also what is the Mystery/Mastery model? Sorry for so many questions. If there is a website that will explain it, just point me in that direction.

thanks!
Dazey (less dazed and confused)

AGATE 2009, at CW Post. So we are just in the beginning stages. I am not an expert to elaborate.

These are phrases he used and he showed me the article and asked me to read it. Apparently Renzoulli is often criticized for diminishing the need for specific education for the gifted. But actually he says that you need to taylor gifted style education for any child and customize it for their level or need.

Mystery/mastery is Dona Matthews theory and he asked me to research that. Dona Matthews started the gifted center at Hunter College and is now in Toronto. I am in touch with her so I will follow up. He would like her and Renzoulli on my panel.

I am on the beginning of the learning curve, so please don't expect answers from me. I too must find out.

Ren

LOL OK! I ordered Matthews book from the library so I look forward to reading it.

Homeschooling my son who would be in 4th grade by age is easy. All I have to do is let him watch shows like Who Wants to Be a Millionaire while he eats lunch. If he doesn't know the answer to something, he has this need to know that causes him to look it up. Today, for example, he wanted to look up T. S. Eliot's The Wasteland after hearing it mentioned on the show. After he read it, I asked him what he thought about it and he said he thought it was a good example of circumlocution. He says he prefers Japanese Haiku. I let him spend lots of time learning about what he wants to learn. He is interested in things that most kids his age are not and at home nobody tells him that he is weird for being interested in these things.

He was reading the dictionary for fun this morning. He loves learning new words and is still thinking about trying out for the spelling bee next year so he spends more time on that than math and I know I should make him do more math but I don't. He has no trouble working from an 8th grade math book but he does not have the passion for math that he does for other things.

He loves history and watches a lot of History Channel shows and also likes historical fiction, but he says science is really is favorite subject.

I am curious about what an experienced educator of gifted children would do differently. I am always looking for better ways to facilitate my son's learning.

One thing he brought up was philosophy. You have a room full of HG kids and he has them read certain philosophers and they discuss concepts. So you have an interaction between the kids. You had a room full of super bright kids discussing, interacting. That opens the mind a lot.

Not only are they thinking, and hearing, but they get the experience of expressing themselves and debating. Sorry, Friday afternoon and I decided to have a glass of wine.

But the excitement of learning was was struck me. And that is what we hope for the most. When I saw that documentary on the founding of Microsoft, it was the energy between Paul Allen and Bill Gates that started it. These were two geeky kids starting out in high school and both interest in computers. So they became best friends and spent all their time figuring out this mainframe system of IBM and became the global experts for IBM by grade 11. It was just a hobby for 2 high school kids. But it that energy I saw there.

I know that option is not always available. And we do the best we can. I hope that DD ends up there for K in 2009.

Ren

I hope so, too!

Wren, He sounds like an awesome teacher! That's such valuable learning. I see my kids get a little of this (discussing/debating issues/philosophies) and they get so excited. Sounds like a great spot for your DD.