The other big issue is that it's not clear to me that early, rapid learning necessarily implies what people seem to be arguing that it implies. Simply going faster doesn't necessarily imply going farther. If this were the case, then we would now all likely be working for Asian companies, where students progress very rapidly along regimented, academic curricula. My own experience is that products of these educational systems think differently, yes, but there are costs as well.
Development is not a simple, linear race but a number of interacting processes that proceed at their own rates in different people.
As an adult who was identified PG as a child and whose parents chose the faster isn't better route, I do hear what you are saying. My parents didn't allow me to enter the program that would have put me in college at 12. They wanted me to be well-rounded, creative and "grow" into myself.
Was that the right option? Who knows. It's not like I can go back and try the other way! I know that I grew up feeling like a freak, an oddity who knew the answers quite often better than the teacher, who had few friends until I learned to hide my intelligence and who was shocked to find that I had to study in college to get an A. Did their plan take me farther? Again, who knows. I have a teaching credential and work as a school administrator. My life dream? No, but it makes me happy.
The term gifted makes some people bristle. I understand that, as do most people here. We've heard "all children are gifted" or "all children have gifts but open their packages at different times."
However, none of that addresses the immediate problem many of our children face. My son is sitting in a class with curriculum he mastered 2-3 years ago. Today he will learn place value of 1,000. Three weeks ago he was graphing functions at home.
I think you'll find if you read enough here and do your research that nearly ALL of us would advocate for education that is student-focused and targets individuals, no matter their level. The most damaging assumption is that NO children need anything different from the group. That lessons delivered because that's what's next in the book are required instruction.
If I have to stick a label on my son so that someone will pay attention, I'm happy to do so. A rising tide floats all boats and I can only hope that attention given to him changes the face of education in his entire classroom, perhaps even his school.
