In the world of gifted education, I believe that there is a general consensus that teaching to a test keeps gifted students from receiving the best education possible. When a students are taught material that is going to be on a test, students who already have grasped the material are not focused on in the way that most parents would like. However, teaching to a test is not necessarily the worst case scenario. In the following post, I am going to outline what I see are some pros and cons of teaching to a test, then you can decide which way you like the best.

Cons

1. Testing is the Be-All-End-All: When teaching to a test, there is no other way to effectively measure how much a student has learned except by how he or she performs on the test. This applies more pressure onto students as well as teachers.

2. There is no Room for Creativity: Because tests are rigid in the topics of testing, teachers are limited to how far they can deviate from the curriculum. Where as learning about marine biology may be something that leaves a permanent impression on a student, marine biology is not likely to show up on a test unless it was a specific standard. Because test are so limited in the areas that are tested, areas of interest for the teacher and the students are often put aside.

3. What About Different Learning Styles?: Tests test one basic style of learning. Those that learn by memorizing information and are good at reciting ideas and concepts taught to them. However, if you are a student who learns best by looking at pictures of concepts or even if you perform best when listening to music, you are out of luck when it comes to testing. Because teaching to a test is singular in its goal, students are crammed into a single overshadowing group that does not allow the individual to perform in the way that best enables them to score well.

Pros

1. Keeps Teachers Accountable: Testing keeps teachers from becoming placid. When students are measured by standardized testing, one can see how teachers need to improve, as well as if there are any teachers who are slacking on the job. In a perfect world all teachers would teach their students the skills that they are going to need both in the rest of their school career and out in the real world. However, it is an unfortunate truth that not all teachers perform as well as many would like. By using a measuring stick such as testing, administration can make sure that their teaching staff is performing to the best of their ability.

2. Develops Real World Skills: Testing is not conducted in education alone. In the workplace employes are tested on a regular basis to make sure that they are performing well. By using testing to make sure that students know that they are expected to perform, teachers can prepare students for the real world and future employment.

3. Allows Students to Set Goals: When measuring system such as a test is used, students are more able to set goals for themselves. When students have something to strive for, they are much more likely to achieve place-marks that have been set by administration and teachers. Because testing offers a way for students to gauge their accomplishments throughout the school year, testing can be used to give the students a sense of accomplishment.

Even though testing may not be the favorite activity of students, and even teachers. If used in the correct way, testing can offer many benefits. However, if it is not used correctly it can make students resent school and learning as a whole. Testing can become a tool to help students achieve the most that they can, and hopefully that is how schools are using it.

The blogger Scott Young recently published a free eBook that is available for download from his blog. The title of the book is, Holistic Learning: How to Study Better, Understand More and Actually “Get” What You Want to Learn. Scott Young has posted before about his concept of holistic learning, both on his blog and in a guest post on the Riran Project. Both posts are highly informative, and go a long way towards explaining Holistic Learning. I think that many gifted students use holistic learning without realizing it, and it is one of the differences that separates gifted students, from high achieving students.

Scott says that most people learn by filing away small packets of information. They have separate files for science, English, history, and so on. When they take a test, these people look into their files, and hopefully find the packet of information that pertains to the test that they are taking. This style of learning has given rise to studying strategies such as cramming. However, Scott says that a holistic learner can go into the same test, with minimal preparation, and perform the same or better than a student who uses the filing method. How is this possible? Scott says that the Holistic Learner can perform better because they can understand how different concepts are interrelated. Where as a student who learns by filing keeps Math subjects separate from History and Science, a Holistic Learner understands that Math, Science, and History are all connected. The visual that Scott uses is a web. A Holistic Learner has a web of knowledge for History, Math, and Science. Withing these webs the individual concepts of the subjects are connected. For example, the Pythagorean Triangle is connected to rectangles. In turn, the Math web is connected to the History and Science webs. This means that the Pythagorean Triangle is connected to Pythagoras of Ancient Greece as well as the way the right triangle supports can make a building more sturdy. In this way, even if the Holistic Learner does not have a perfect grasp of the Pythagorean Theorem, they can still string together the individual ideas to complete a problem.

If the concept of holistic learning sounds interesting to you, make sure to get the eBook, and check back here for a future post that details Holistic Learning.

I have posted before about the importance of communication as well as how to approach a teacher. In this post I am going to outline phrases to avoid when speaking to teachers (or anyone else in education for that matter). These 7 phrases are almost guaranteed to make any teacher not listen to what you have to say. Just like with everyone else, teachers have a tendency to turn off if they feel that a conversation is not going anywhere. By avoiding these 7 phrases you can give yourself, and your ideas, a fighting chance to make a difference. Want to discover what not to say to a teacher. Read on to find out

1.”I never learn anything in this class”- Essentially you are insulting the teacher’s teaching ability. The teacher may feel threatened or defensive, and your ideas will not be heard. Instead try something like, “I feel that if the curriculum were differentiated then I could get much more out of the material.”

2. “Why did I get a B on this assignment, I deserved an A.”- I generally do not like arguing over grades, and from what I can see teachers do not enjoy it either. If there is an obvious error or mistake then arguing is acceptable, but on essays and other objective assignments, it does no good to argue with a teacher. Remember to look at the big picture, is that one grade really going to affect the rest of your performance in class?

3. Why do we have to learn this subject, it is soooo pointless!”- I believe that it is fully within your rights as a student to know how a subject or assignment can be applied in the real world. However, I think that are many more polite and respectful ways to voice your concern. Try saying something such as: “I am really interested in quadratic equations. What fields of work are there that use quadratics to help accomplish tasks?”

4. “Why do I always have to get the best grade in this class, you expect way too much of me.”- Though the following statement may be true for many gifted students, there are certainly more polite ways to phrase your concerns. If you feel that a teacher is expecting too much of you or they are constantly looking to you for answers, talk to them privately after class. You can say something such as, “This math class is a good challenge for me, and I cannot get the right answer all of the time. Would it be okay if you ease up on the pressure a little but?”

5. “Why is this class so slow, can’t you speed up the teaching a little more?”- Though you may be flying through the class material at a rapid pace, not everyone in your class is so lucky. Instead try, “I am completing the assigned work quickly and would like more challenge, are there any problems that go into more depth on this subject?”

6.”This grade is meaningless, why did I get an A!”- Even though it may seem counterintuitive to question a good grade, often a gifted student may receive an A on a paper when they do not think they deserved that grade. This can become even worse if a teacher does not write comments or critiques on A papers. If you want to know why you received a grade you can say, “I was wondering if you had any comments for my essay, I wanted to know if there was anything I could improve on. Also I would like to know what you enjoyed about my paper.”

7.”This class is booooooorrrrring”- Pretty much the ultimate insult, you are criticizing the teacher, curriculum, and the other students. In fact, avoid the use of the word “boring” at all times when talking with teachers. Instead opt for something such as “Are there any projects or special assignments I can use to supplement my learning experiences?”

In conclusion, respect your teachers. Teaching is a very difficult job, and teaching gifted students can be exceptionally difficult. Cut your teachers a little slack, and remember, they control your grades! When dealing with teachers it is best to be polite and calm, avoid insulting their teaching style or the curriculum; however, do not just let your cause drop. “Wishing is fine, asking is faster!”

I felt that it was time for a change, and so I have changed the theme to Cutline, a theme made by Chris Pearson. I hope that all of my readers enjoy the new look, and as always encourage comments on all aspects of this blog.

-Royce

When I think of one thing that could ultimately improve the educational experiences of gifted students, I think of communication. Communication between teachers and parents, parents and administrators, teachers and administrators, and most importantly between students and teachers as well as students and parents. Each of these four groups has their own agenda. Parents want their students to get a good education and have fun in school. Teachers want to get through to kids and provide them with a good education. Administrators like to see the success of a whole school as well as provide a nurturing environment for students. And the students want to get through school with out feeling bored and unmotivated. So how does one go about uniting these very different causes and pointing them towards a common goal of a students education. Well, communication is the key. Without it, teachers will feel hassled, parents will feel annoyed, administrators will feel drained, and students will feel confused and let down.

So how do you go about providing an environment that fosters communication? Here are some simple steps to help make the process as painless as possible. All of these steps have come from personal experience and observation.

1. Lose the Computer- Email is a great tool and a wonderful asset to our lives. But when you are trying to develop a plan to educate a student, email just falls short. A phone is okay, but meeting face to face is the best. This shows that all the parties involved care and are committed to the cause as well as makes the whole conversation much more personal.

2. Loose the Attitude- Anyone who has listened to someone speak will know that as soon as they start ranting and raving, people stop listening. By keeping calm and not loosing your cool, you can make sure that your opinions are heard.

3. Loose the Superiority Complex- Parents: The truth is that teachers and administrators have many other students to take care of, even though you put your child first does not mean that they are the be all end all, recognize that everyones needs need to be taken into account. Teachers: Recognize that parents are concerned about their students, and that you have a duty to provide the best education possible for all students. Administrators: Teachers and parents will be on your case, do not let them get you down, try and solve the problem fairly by hearing all sides of the problems.

Using these three steps, you can make communication much much easier. Remember the common goal and hopefully everyone can come to a solution. I wish you luck in your efforts to provide the best education for gifted students.

Some footnotes:

The idea for this post came from a post from I Help You Blog. If you look at his post, I used #48- Make a post simplifying a complex problem for your readers. Hopefully thats what this post accomplished.

Creativity is like life insurance. If you are creative, you are never afraid, because you can design yourself out of any situation

-Li Edelkoort

One of the traits that separates gifted students from the pack is the outstanding creativity that they posses. For this reason, gifted students can think themselves out of most situations and give answers to difficult problems.

via Hoagie’s Gifted Page

This is a site a stumbled upon while looking at Hoagie’s Page for the Gifted, giftedhaven.net is a site designed to give refuge to gifted students, by offering them a place to network with other gifted students. I have looked around the forums there and have liked what I have seen. The community there is amazing, and the level of discussion high. The topics range from emotional problems, to if gifted students need less sleep than others. It seems that the conversation is aimed toward high school and college students, however I am confident that they would welcome younger students if they came along. I urge you to check it out, if not only to read the wonderful posts in the forums. Once again the site is Giftedhaven.net and the juice of the site is found on The Gifted Haven Forums.

Sorry for the lapse in Quotes, have been having problems with my internet.

It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.

-Aristotle

This is the epitome of an open mind. If you can listen (and hear) someone else, even though you may not agree with them, you are a very skillful person.

In my last post I talked about why I believe gifted students should participate in sports programs. In this follow up post I will discuss some of the sports that I think might be well suited to gifted students, as well as give some first hand accounts of these sports.

Team Sports: The following sports are played with a team, and will help your gifted student build communication skills as well as make friends.

1. Soccer- One of my favorite sports, I think that it is most fun when it is played in a semi-competitive atmosphere. I believe that this sport can be very fun if played well, but your gifted student will be turned away if they are just stuck back on defense.

2. Baseball or Softball- This is one sport that I do not enjoy, however I can see the benefits that it gives to gifted students. It offers great opportunities for team building and communication skills, and it can be fun. However, I would avoid extremely competitive leagues because I believe that students do not grow in that kind of atmosphere.

3. Basketball- I have played basketball non competitively and enjoyed it, but as with every other sport it can get out of hand when parents try and take it to the next level. As with the other sports, try and keep fun before everything else.

4. Volleyball- My favorite team sport, I believe that volleyball offers the best opportunity for team building and communication of any of the team sports. In volleyball there is constant movement and if you do not communicate, you will not do nearly as well as you would if you do communicate. Some see volleyball as a sport for girls, however I believe that it is equally as enjoyable for males.

With all of the team sports, I would say that the key is finding a sport that your child loves and having them stick with it. They may not be the best, but having fun is more important. With all these sports, the less competitive the atmosphere the better as gifted students have a high tendency to shut down when exposed to negative environments.

Individual Sports: These sports offer a good oportunity for gifted students to challenge themselves and discover their own limits. Also these sports can add to self-confidence and self-esteem, which are sometimes very important factors in a gifted students life.

Tennis- I have heard of many gifted students participating in this. I myself played tennis for many years. I think that this truly is an individual sport, you can play by yourself and for yourself, and unless you are on a team, there is no need to rely on anyone but yourself. This can be both positive and negative, and the effect will vary from child to child.

Golf- I think that golf is not so much a sport, but more of a skill that is extremely useful in life. It is a sport that can be played until you are very old, and you would be amazed at the connections you can make on the golf course. I think that it is best to be introduced to this sport at a young age, and if you grow up playing it, you are at a great advantage. The most important thing is teaching good etiquette on the golf course, this can often make or brake a student and if they have good etiquette then they are more likely to be accepted by the adults they may play with.

Bowling- Though this may not be seen as a common sport, I have know people to participate in bowling leagues and have a great time. This has a mix of both team and individual sports because if you are in a league, then you are assigned to a team. However, I believe that bowling is truly an individual sport.

Cross Country- I ran cross country this fall. It was one of the hardest things that I have ever done. However, when the season was over, I felt a true sense of accomplishment and pride. I had tackled a challenge and persevered through all of the hardship. Also I met many wonderful individuals along the way. For some reason Cross Country draws a crowd of intellectuals, and I was running with (behind) some of the best students in the school. I think that cross country is a great sport for gifted students because of the sense of comradery that comes from tackling great challenges with others, also I believe that cross country will leave your gifted student with a true sense of accomplishment and pride.

These are some of the many sports that are available to gifted students. Even though they might not be the most gifted athletes, gifted students do benefit from participating in sports. My one caution is not to hype it up too much. The reason kids play sports is to have fun, if that fun disappears, then so does the sport.

I have seen and heard many stories where parents of gifted students are afraid to have their children participate in a physical activity or a sports team. There are a variety of reasons, from being afraid that they will get injured, to failure to see sports as a productive use of time. However, physical activity is a good idea for gifted students for a number of reasons, the least of which is exercise.

First, sports are good because they allow your gifted student to network with people outside of their normal peer group. The people that they will meet will be varied in their intellect and knowledge of the world, and the experience that your gifted student will receive by interacting with different people is valuable. Your gifted student will learn valuable communication skills that will serve them through out their life. Often communication is a weak point for gifted students, so the chance to practice with other kids of varying intellect is very valuable.

Second, sports help students cope with school. I know that the activity that I look forward to through out the day is my Volleyball practice. Even though school may not be going the way that I would like, I can get through the day because I know that I can have a great time for two hours during my Volleyball practice. By giving your gifted students something to look forward to outside of school, you are giving them an opportunity to clear their head and think of something other than their education for awhile.

Lastly, sports will give your gifted student the opportunity to get out and play. Similar to the last reason, this is very important because often times a gifted student is bogged down with responsibilities. They may feel that they have to live up to numerous expectations including their own. This is no mean feat, and the opportunity to act like a normal kid is very valuable. When a gifted student can go out and just have fun, they are able to perform their best in all the other areas of their life.

I hope that this post has given you a little perspective on why I think that sports are beneficial for gifted students. Because of the many demands that teachers, parents, and they themselves heap upon them, gifted students need the opportunity to vent and have fun.