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Meeting the Needs of Gifted Children in Vermont
Schools What Teachers & Parents Need to Know and Think
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Remember….All children, including gifted children,
have the right to a free, appropriate education. The most effective way to meet the
needs of the gifted children in Vermont is for parents and teachers to work
collaboratively. It is essential
for parents and teachers to establish trusting, cooperative relationships
each year, to share information about the particular child in need, and to
give each other support in the role each plays in the child’s life. For a parent, working as a volunteer in the child’s classroom may be a good way to get to know the teacher, the class, the routine, and the instructional strategies used by the teacher. A parent can also help by arranging for special resources for the child and others. Teachers can welcome parents in their classrooms, find ways to reassure parents that they are getting to know the child, and be willing to help by modifying instruction. Parents and teachers need to listen to each other with sincere interest, respect, and concern at conferences. It is always important, in the event of any problems, that
parents work within the educational chain of command: The child’s
classroom teacher.
The building
principal.
The district
curriculum coordinator and/or special educator.
The district
superintendent.
The local school
board.
The State
Department of Education.
The State Board
of Education.
If additional help is necessary with
figuring out what can be done to assure that a gifted child’s academic,
social, and/or emotional needs are being addressed, the school’s educational
support team can be called upon to help formulate a plan for a gifted
child. Testing may or may
not be necessary to provide evidence of the intensity of the child’s need for
further services or additional instructional modifications in the classroom Some people have the attitude that
gifted children don’t need special services or curriculum modification
because “they can take care of themselves.” Much in the research suggests that this is very often not
true, that gifted children need support and assistance for full growth and
development. All of us need to be educated about
the characteristics and needs of gifted children, about Vermont’s education laws, and Vermont’s
Framework of Standards and Learning Opportunities. Teachers and parents alike should be
prepared to educate a wider audience about why the schools have a
responsibility to all children, including gifted children, and why special
services or modifications for gifted children are not elitist. Vermont’s Framework of Standards and
Learning Opportunities states that making effective changes in our schools
“requires that communities set high standards and hold themselves accountable
for first-rate educational results for all
students...” (Vermont
Department of Education, Fall 2000, Appendix A3). This includes gifted children. John F. Kennedy wrote: “Not every child has an equal talent or an equal ability
or equal motivation, but children have the equal right to develop their
talent, their ability, and their motivation.” Fairness in the classroom does not mean the same
instruction for everyone; it means appropriate opportunities for growth for
each student. Parents and teachers of gifted
children need to become politically aware. We need to write letters to our state senators and
representatives to reinforce the importance of progress in the area of gifted
education. The National
Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) has a “Legislative Update” section
on their website to keep us informed of current legislation progress. Back to Meeting the Needs of Gifted Children in Vermont Schools Table of Contents E-mail questions, comments, and suggestions
for improvement to rjensen at myrealbox.com |
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