Mairehau School: Case Study
Policy – gifted and talented students
Rationale
Mairehau School recognises that students with exceptional ability are present in our school population. We acknowledge that gifted students possess, to an outstanding degree, demonstrated ability or potential in one or more of the following areas:
- general intelligence
- specific academic areas
- visual and performing arts
- psychomotor ability
- leadership
- creative thinking
- interpersonal and intrapersonal skills
Gifted students require supportive teachers and learning environments in order that their potential may be translated into demonstrable ability and talent.
Gifted students can underachieve in relation to their potential and may not be seen as productive or successful in class.
Gifted students can have learning disabilities with which they may require help and support.
Mairehau School is committed to identifying our gifted students so that their individual needs may be more appropriately met.
A language barrier does not preclude a child from being gifted, or from requiring extension work.
Children from other cultures have gifts and talents which are valued and which should be recognised.
Policy statement
The Ministry of Education document (2000) Gifted and Talented Students: Meeting their Needs in New Zealand Schools forms the basis of our school's policy to ensure our gifted students are identified and receive specific educational attention.
Implementation
- Identification of students
- Students are identified as early as possible in order that they may develop successful learning patterns and so minimise situations leading to under-achievement. We recognise that lack of motivation, under-achievement, and behavioural difficulties can negatively influence the identification of a student's exceptional potential.
- Teacher observation of emerging potential is an ongoing process because of the fluid and developing nature of intelligence.
- A range of objective and subjective criteria are used to identify both the achieving and under-achieving gifted students.
- teacher observation
- student products
- parent information
- information from outside agencies
- teacher checklist
- student interest inventory – (GATE Database)
- student self-evaluation
- School provisions
Identified students are provided for in the following ways:- Opportunities to interact with intellectual peers through clustering within the classroom and subject or year level acceleration, depending on the degree of giftedness.
- Accelerated students will be monitored over a 5–6 week period to assist with gaps in their learning and to maintain self-confidence using an IEP (Individual Education Plan).
- Competitions, for example maths, science, computer, English, young writers' workshops, sports tournaments, website production, and Future Problem Solving.
- Clubs, for example stamps, computer, and chess.
- Out of or in-school classes, for example keyboard, violin, and choir. A database of local arts providers is available on the staff pool.
- Mini-courses or withdrawal groups with mentors, for example, philosophical thinking, and science. A database of possible mentors is available on the staff pool.
- Class Provisions
Teachers will use a range of strategies designed to meet the needs of gifted students including:- open-ended tasks and questioning
- opportunities for topic research
- loom's levels of thinking
- Gardner's Multiple Intelligence principles
- high order thinking skills
- in-class extension
- negotiated learning
- flexible ability and interest groups.
Role of teachers
Teachers will:
- provide a classroom environment, which encourages the development of student potential;
- integrate methods of improving learning for gifted students within their existing programmes;
- collaborate with appropriate personnel to develop programmes to realise our outcomes;
- contribute to the collection of data for identification purposes and for the recording of student learning experiences on the IEP;
- monitor student progress.
Role of the principal
The Principal will:
- assist staff with opportunities for ongoing training and development in methodologies and practices aimed at enhancing learning outcomes for their students;
- ensure students are clustered in the most appropriate year levels available at the time;
- provide composite year levels where possible to enable compacted learning opportunities and the smooth process of acceleration;
- facilitate flexible movement of students through their schooling years, including entry into successive year levels and onto high school;
- actively support all staff and ensure appropriate resources are available;
- ensure a key person is responsible for, and supported in, the management and maintenance of the gifted policy; and
- ensure parents are informed and involved in the learning opportunities for students.
Role of the board of trustees
The board of trustees will:
- support the principal by providing budgetary requirements, which will take into account staff training needs and provision of resources.
Conclusion
All children deserve an equal opportunity to receive the best education it is possible to give them. For those with special abilities and interests provisions need to be made so they can achieve their potential.