Teaching Gifted Students
Giftedness is asynchronous development in which advanced cognitive abilities and heightened intensity combine to create inner experiences and awareness that are qualitatively different from the norm. This asynchrony increases with higher intellectual capacity. The uniqueness of the gifted renders them particularly vulnerable and requires modifications in parenting, teaching, and counseling in order for them to develop optimally. In observing a resource room teacher gifted learner at the elementary and middle school level I found in the classroom bulletin boards, computers, visual aids, posters and many different kinds of books.
In observing the gifted students there were six teaching strategies that were used to work with the students. Investigative techniques where the students explore appropriate investigate techniques which include hypothesis selection, determination of research method, exploration, organization and analysis of data, and verification and evaluation of conclusions. Information gathering where the students are exposed to the use of information gathering techniques such as observation, surveys, multimedia research, interviews, experiments, and stimulations. They are taught what sources are available and appropriate for investigations, and use specific sources for a variety of data. They develop understanding of how and why sources of information are organized and practice retrieval of relevant information. Another strategy was community resources where students have access to a wide variety of community resources. This includes field trips, guest presentations, mentors, and career internships. Problem solving is another strategy which the students are taught to apply a structured, sequential method of problem-solving in an imaginative way. Students strive to utilize both divergent and convergent thinking skills as they seek to balance random idea generation with logical and analytical thinking. Imagination development where...
Please login to view the full essay...