I am a former parent of two gifted children. I am an endorsed teacher of the gifted and I am now on a committee to develop a scope and sequence for the gifted in our district. None of the other teachers on the committee have a gifted endorsement but some of them are former gifted students themselves. We are discussing and researching different gifted models for our district. They all have opinions and none of them agree with me. I know I am not always right but I feel very strongly in this area. Even the research supports my opinion. However, they don't want the gifted children to be placed in self-contained classes because it will lower their scores in the regular class on the standardized tests.
However, most research shows that gifted students come with more problems and variations that they realize. I guess a pull-out program would work but I am not sure that I want to teach one. Yet, I am the only teacher in the entire district at this point that is endorsed in teaching the gifted. Having had 2 gifted children, I remember the problems and teasing that went with it. It doesn't change just because they are included in a regular classroom. In fact, these kids will dummy down their work so they fit in better. It bothers me that we spend so much time and attention on other special needs students and don't realize that gifted are special needs students too. Where is our money? Where is our support? Where are our parents fighting for the rights of their children?
When is the federal government going to get it right and realize that No Child Left Behind leaves the gifted children behind just by the fact that teachers are fighting to get the low students up to standard and are thinking that the brighter or gifted students will get it on their own?
This is a shame and a travesty. Why don't politicians let educators do the educating and stick to their politics? I don't tell them how to run the government even though they waste my money. At least let us do our job and get down to the business of educating kids.