Well, my principal just announced his budget for the new year. We don't have a gifted program and I've been the squeaky wheel advocating for one. They used to have an after-school one, but it fell by the wayside. Anyway, looks like next year the "gifted program" will be another after school club.
I'm emailing him a bulleted list of reasons that this isn't acceptable. So far, I have:
- One of the biggest problems in gifted education is finding and providing services for gifted children from lower SES backgrounds. I have often found, as a teacher, that many of my lower SES students have obligations at home after school. Having a gifted program outside of school hours will mean that these children will not be attending.
- The intent of gifted programs is to provide the necessary curricular enhancements for children whose needs are not being met with the curriculum delivered as it is. An after-school gifted program is a club—it is extra-curricular, not curricular.
- An extra-curricular club is not covered by any specific guidelines or oversight in terms of content.
I'm thinking of including that it will interfere with athletics (it's a K-8 school, so kids do have sports in the older grades) and other true extra-curricular activities.
Help--anything else to include?
Oh, and I'm from NJ and am including the piece from the state's FAQ that says that it's a mandate for all districts and not a club. (
http://www.state.nj.us/education/genfo/faq/faq_gandt.htm)
