Some simple changes can enhance learning — if schools would just consider them
In retrospect, my kids had it easy.
They attended a reasonably challenging public school in a suburb outside of Philadelphia. Racially and ethnically diverse, the school championed innovative education and equity-based policies. Dedicated and kind teachers were the norm.
But like many parents raising a gifted child, my children’s learning needs were often ignored.
And I say “learning needs” rather than achievement or abilities. Because it was not about accomplishments or awards or any of the other false assumptions presumed to lurk underneath a parent’s motivations and concerns.
First, a quick overview of giftedness
Cognitive giftedness is usually identified through an individualized IQ test administered by a psychologist or neuropsychologist. Typically, someone with an IQ of 130 or higher, which is statistically more than two standard deviations above the mean score of 100, is considered gifted. However, additional criteria have been proposed, including exceptional creativity, motivation, task commitment, environmental influences that can enhance or hamper capabilities, and asynchronous development…