At present, I am sick with a cold, and plowing through the referrals that I receive from schools.
I have just figured out the group for The Built Environment Challenge Centre Program being offered in December, and did I ever have a large amount of referrals! I have a huge wait-list for this program, and I always struggle with letting the schools and eventually the parents know that the student, their child, did not get in. Basically, the answer they did not get in is because there are so many referrals and so many students need to be serviced, and some have been applying for two years and haven't been able to get in, and others are in grade 6 or 7 and need to get in, and well there are just not enough spots! I receive a lot of emails from parents, asking about options for their children. If they can only get into a program, maybe once or twice during their elementary schooling, what else is there for them? I try not to make it a complicated answer, but eventually it is....I lay out the options from other public schools with special programs (French Immersion, Montessori, Fine Arts), to district services (challenge centres, mentorships, the multi-age cluster class), and finally, special targeted schools for gifted students, that usually come with a tuition fee...(now this is complicated because I work for the public school system and I believe and support a publicly funded system, but sometimes, parents need to find what is right for their child). So it is complicated...and frustrating.Sometimes we have too many options....and these options paralyze us. Although times have changed, I remember my parents picking my school because it was up the street and we could walk there. Going to another school was not even an issue - you supported your local school, come what may. And, the same went for high school. But, that was in the 1970's, and the world is a very different place. Our students' needs are different. Our society is different.So, there are many options for students, just keep exploring them and asking questions and being mindful of what your child or student needs. I will try my best to get them a place in a program!
At present, I am sick with a cold, and plowing through the referrals that I receive from schools.
I have just figured out the group for The Built Environment Challenge Centre Program being offered in December, and did I ever have a large amount of referrals! I have a huge wait-list for this program, and I always struggle with letting the schools and eventually the parents know that the student, their child, did not get in. Basically, the answer they did not get in is because there are so many referrals and so many students need to be serviced, and some have been applying for two years and haven't been able to get in, and others are in grade 6 or 7 and need to get in, and well there are just not enough spots!
I receive a lot of emails from parents, asking about options for their children. If they can only get into a program, maybe once or twice during their elementary schooling, what else is there for them?
I try not to make it a complicated answer, but eventually it is....I lay out the options from other public schools with special programs (French Immersion, Montessori, Fine Arts), to district services (challenge centres, mentorships, the multi-age cluster class), and finally, special targeted schools for gifted students, that usually come with a tuition fee...(now this is complicated because I work for the public school system and I believe and support a publicly funded system, but sometimes, parents need to find what is right for their child). So it is complicated...and frustrating.
Sometimes we have too many options....and these options paralyze us. Although times have changed, I remember my parents picking my school because it was up the street and we could walk there. Going to another school was not even an issue - you supported your local school, come what may. And, the same went for high school. But, that was in the 1970's, and the world is a very different place. Our students' needs are different. Our society is different.
So, there are many options for students, just keep exploring them and asking questions and being mindful of what your child or student needs. I will try my best to get them a place in a program!
I always try to keep up with what is going on the United States in terms of gifted education and talent development. I find it hard to keep abreast of everything, as there are so many talented educators and researchers in gifted education south of the border. Today, I was reading about the Talent Act on the website The National Associaton for Gifted Children. I think this is very interesting that there is a focus on new federal policy that looks at the needs of gifted students. I find the statement below, in the introduction of the Talent Act, an interesting comment on what has been happening in education: "Unfortunately, a lack of federal investment in this population means that availability and access to these services depends solely on state and local funds, which is highly variable and unpredictable. This underinvestment in excellence is exacerbated by the singular focus on low-performing students under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, and has resulted in a new achievement gap—the gap between minority and economically disadvantaged students who are gifted and talented and their more advantaged, high-ability peers."
Similarly in Canada, we have underinvestment in gifted education. My fear is that if we do not provide publicly funded programs for gifted students, they will leave for the private system if they can afford to pay for it...creating a two tier education system in our province. But what if you are a parent and can't afford a private school education? And, attending a private school doesn't ensure that the needs of the gifted are being addressed!
Since education is a provincial jurisdiction in Canada, each province has policy concerning the gifted. Do you know what policies your province or jurisdiction has with regards to gifted students? Are you aware of how this funding is allocated in your district?
I always try to keep up with what is going on the United States in terms of gifted education and talent development. I find it hard to keep abreast of everything, as there are so many talented educators and researchers in gifted education south of the border. Today, I was reading about the Talent Act on the website The National Associaton for Gifted Children. I think this is very interesting that there is a focus on new federal policy that looks at the needs of gifted students.
I find the statement below, in the introduction of the Talent Act, an interesting comment on what has been happening in education: "Unfortunately, a lack of federal investment in this population means that availability and access to these services depends solely on state and local funds, which is highly variable and unpredictable. This underinvestment in excellence is exacerbated by the singular focus on low-performing students under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, and has resulted in a new achievement gap—the gap between minority and economically disadvantaged students who are gifted and talented and their more advantaged, high-ability peers."
Similarly in Canada, we have underinvestment in gifted education. My fear is that if we do not provide publicly funded programs for gifted students, they will leave for the private system if they can afford to pay for it...creating a two tier education system in our province.
But what if you are a parent and can't afford a private school education? And, attending a private school doesn't ensure that the needs of the gifted are being addressed!
Since education is a provincial jurisdiction in Canada, each province has policy concerning the gifted. Do you know what policies your province or jurisdiction has with regards to gifted students? Are you aware of how this funding is allocated in your district?
