Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Learning Environments Middle School Gifted Programs

Even if the presentation speed of curriculum is unchanged, the other students lose the benefit of contributions to discussion by the top-level students if they are not there any more.

This presumes that the lower level students can understand what the top-level students are talking about.

It also engenders a sense of inherent superiority in the top-level students.

I suspect it engenders a sense of resentment among the kids who can't understand what the gifted kid is talking about. As in, "He's always showing off and thinks he's so big," whereas the gifted kid may have no idea why some kids get so annoyed with him.

Probably depends on the kid.

And the kid does sometimes think that they are big and enjoys the experience.

True...

but that always brings me back around to--

are those students there to SERVE other students' learning needs? Or are they there to get their OWN needs met?

I mean, I don't mind if both things can be accomplished. But I object pretty strenuously to my child's cognitive ability being used as an educational TOOL for the other children.

Hmph. If that makes me elitist, so be it.

There is that.

On the original question:
DD's district has an optional full time program for gifted kids in middle school. Once identified students are eligible to attend a designated middle school with gifted core classes (math, social studies, science and english) and general population electives (foreign language, PE, music, art, drama....). Students are tested and placed for math. Since the district has a high cut off ( about 2-4% of kids in this socio/econ advantaged group) the district increases student numbers by concentrating the kids in one school. Out of district students can also test in on a space available basis. They are expanding to a second middle school. This works well since the gifted kids make up about 15% of the school population and thus provides a solid peer group. I think this option works well for gifted kids; I'm not sure how well it works for mid to upper level kids. In high school there seems to be more differentiation available for every level.

Exactly! My gifted d has complained (rather bitterly) that she is there to learn also. She does not feel it is her responsibility to teach other kids and that being told that she can be a "leader" means that she gets to learn little while she is helping the other kids maximize their learning. She feels that she has the right to learn also and that she should not be forced to teach other kids.