I recently wrote my philosophy of gifted education for my college class. I thought I would share it on this wall. It is in 3rd person because that is what the school required. I got 100% on it.
In a world of education that places its main focus on school
scores, data, standardized testing, and teaching to the test. The shift in
education has been heading on a downhill spiral for many years. The main focus
has been on making sure all students “pass the test” so the school will score
well. The echo of many administrators is “how well did your school score?” “Did
the kids do well on the tests?” “We better make sure all students are
proficient.” Words that are rarely echoed anymore are “are the kids learning,
are they gaining new knowledge, are we preparing them for their life as
adults?” Education has been on the road
to dumbing down for years. In this type of educational world the gifted and
higher achieving students are being left behind. Their needs are not being met.
They are not leaving school with new knowledge. It is important that education maximize
advanced students potential. It is important for every educator provides gifted
students with advanced materials and told they need to progress successfully (New Mexico Department of Education
[NMPED], 2011).
Gifted and talented students are our future leaders, philosophers
and entrepreneurs. It is up to all educators to nurture, not hider those
special skills so they are able to reach their full potential. To better meet
the need of gifted students many schools hire highly qualified educators to
work with the gifted and advanced students. These teachers study to understand
the needs of these unique individuals. As a teacher of gifted students Ms.
Miller’s philosophy of gifted education is to promote and enrich each student’s
critical thinking and problem solving skills along with focusing on projects
that progress their special talents. They must be provided with enriching and
creative projects along with the tools they need to explore and enhance the
world around them.
Since the regular education classroom is not prepared to meet the
needs of gifted students it important that schools provide accommodations for
gifted students and high achievers. The purpose of gifted education for gifted
students is to provide them with programs and services that focus on their
individual talents. It is to serve as a stepping stone for future success.
Students who receive services have proven to advance to secondary level
degrees. Gifted education also helps student achievement and interest level while
in elementary and secondary school by promoting student interest. Gifted
education provides the students with a variety of projects and objectives so
they are not learning subjects they have already mastered over and over again.
This keeps them interested in school which serves as another stepping stone to
success (National Association for
Gifted Children. Society benefits if gifted students receive the nurturing and
services they need which prepares them to become future leaders and productive
members of society [NAGC]).
An appropriate instructional environment for gifted students is
one in which their individual needs can be addressed. Class size should be
relatively small so the teacher is better able to provide individualized instruction
and projects. The smaller classroom also gives the students more room to move
around and explore the classroom while engaging in a variety of activities and
tasks. The teacher is there to guide, not instruct. She creates engaging
projects and opportunities based on each student’s area of giftedness. This way
the students can create and discover. The classroom environment must be safe
and comfortable to meet social and emotional needs (Sandha, 2017).
Cross disciplinary education influences the productivity of
students as adults because through this type of education they are able to make
meaningful connections across different subject areas. This provides them with
a better understanding of ideas and concepts. This ability follows them into
adulthood benefiting their future endeavors ("NCAG,”).
Ms. Miller will prepare her students for a career in a
multicultural society by providing them with projects and lessons that
incorporate other cultures. Multicultural projects connect students to each
other because they gain an understanding of one another’s beliefs, traditions
and culture. The projects help build a community of learners. Through the
projects students learn to take pride in their own culture while embracing
others (Davis, Rimm, & Siegle,
2010).
Ms. Miller’s goals for her students are that they leave her class
enriched. They know how to think, not what to think. She wants her students to be able to use
their creative thinking and problem solving skills to the best of their
advantage. These goals correspond with her philosophy by promoting and
enriching their problem solving and critical thinking skills and placing focus
on their special talents.
Ms. Miller’s philosophy is evident in the classroom through the
set up and style of her projects. Ms. Miller introduces a project, provides
students with a list of expectations through a rubric and then provides them
with the tools they need to explore their topic. This allows them to drive
their own education. They know clearly what is expected of them and reach
toward those goals. The students are offered different ways to reach the end
goal which meets with their different learning styles. She is not telling them
what to learn. She is teaching them how to think and how to learn.
The thinker whose theory most supports Ms. Millers stance is Gardner’s
theory of multiple intelligence. Gardner’s theory is that not all students
learn in the same way. They are not all the same and have different styles and
ways of learning. The tasks should be presented in different ways to each
student. Ms. Miller presents her students with an idea and allows them to find
their own way to explore that idea. Each student will use a different way and
in the end will become enriched through the experience ("American Institute for Learning
and Human Development,")
Ms. Miller has high expectations and great plans for her students.
Focusing on each students special talents by allowing them to create,
experience and explore will promote critical thinking and problem solving
skills students will keep with them thorough their school career and into adult
life.
References
Sandha, I. (2017). Learning Environment for Gifted
Children. Retrieved from
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