http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,18360911%255E13881,00.html
SCHOOLS
Gifted children
forced to dumb down at school
Justine Ferrari, Education
writer
March 06, 2006
AS many as 250,000 gifted children across
The head of the gifted education centre at the
Half the gifted children aged 8 to 10 who were tested on Year 8
maths, English, science and reading scored better than the average 14-year-old
and similar results were found for children in years 7 and 9 who were tested on
Year 12 material, Professor Gross said. "If they
achieve at their full level, other kids don't particularly want to be friends
with them," she said.
"The other choice is to dumb down and work at a level much
lower than they can, ask silly questions in the classroom and make deliberate
mistakes in their work or tests so other kids will think they're like
them."
The centre tests about 2000 students every year who are identified
as advanced learners by their teachers but Professor Gross said the vast
majority of talented students left school unrecognised.
Professor Gross said schools were still poor at identifying their
gifted students and often reluctant to develop and accommodate their needs.
"We are only scratching the surface on the tip of the
iceberg," she said. "And eight-ninths of an iceberg is underwater, so
we are failing to identify a lot of kids.
"In every class of 30 there would be at least two or three
who could work about three years beyond their age."
The university's Gifted Education Resource Research and
Information Centre tests about 1500 students annually in years 4 to 6 (aged
between 10 and 12) with work designed for Year 8 students (about 14 years) in
maths, science, English and reading. About 500 students in years 7 to 9 sit
Year 12 tests.
Primary students Talia Jacobs, 11, and Jack Lo Russo, 10,
performed so well in the tests they were invited to one of the university's
residential programs that run for five days in January for students who score
in the 97th percentile for their age.
Jack started a new school this year that recognises his talent. He
has a large group of friends who are also bright students, but said that at his
previous school he was often bored because the work was too easy.
Talia has been more fortunate in having a teacher and a school who
recognised and stretched her academic talent, but she still appreciated the
chance to mix with other gifted students at the residential program.
"I just liked that there were other people of the same
ability as me, and that I could relate to them in the same sort of way,"
she said.
Professor Gross said many gifted students were ostracised or
quietly ignored by their age peers and it was imperative that schools started
actively identifying and catering for gifted students, in the same way as for
those gifted in music or sports.
"Gifted kids can feel they have to make a choice between
friendship and achievement," she said.
The Gifted Education Resource Research and Information Centre is
taking registrations for the talent search tests for primary and high school
students until March 31 through its website gerric.arts.unsw.edu.au
"The only barrier is attitude," said Professor Gross,
who was a teacher for 20 years.