I truly just wish that "gifted" programs would quit calling themselves that and start calling it something more stigmatizing/less desirable somehow. The kids that actually need the differentiation might actually get some that way.
Actually, I wish that gifted programs would just go away and be replaced with teaching aimed at an appropriate level.
Note: this would require transparent standards so that teacher can't say, "Well, your five-year-old only got 93% on our end-of-first-grade math test and therefore she clearly isn't ready for second grade math."
How many gifted programs are even worthwhile? Last year, DS was in the gifted math program (15% of the class) and they spent a lot of time painting the basketball court. How many people here complain that the gifted "program" is a two-hour weekly pullout that's not available until fourth grade and that involves stuff that's relatively pointless compared to meaningful learning?
