Special Education
Gifted Education - A Resource Guide for Teachers
Programming for Gifted Students
| In what ways do our decisions for our gifted students ensure that they are in the most enabling environment? |
Developing and maintaining meaningful programs for exceptionally talented and gifted students is one of the most intriguing challenges we face as teachers. Part of what makes our job easier or more difficult, frustrating or satisfying, is the match we achieve between the expectations of the system and what we, as practitioners, can realistically do.
The Ministry of Education's mission statement promotes an education system which enables "all learners to develop their individual potential." For gifted students this requires opportunities to develop in ways which may far exceed expected learning outcomes for their age.
All students are entitled to equal access to learning and achievement. We provide this access by placing exceptional students in the most enabling learning environment possible. We must consider this same principle when programming for gifted students.
This is an interesting time to be teaching gifted students. New initiatives are giving educators greater freedom to individualize programs and to make the learning environment dynamic and relevant. Among the initiatives that have positive implications for gifted and talented students are:
- personal planning at all levels,
- work experience and career development at the graduation level,
- increased use of computer technology,
- opportunities to challenge courses at the graduation level, and
- opportunities to take independent-directed studies.
