Gifted program is threatened

Thu, 01 Nov 2007 13:18:00 GMT

By Nicole Lulinski

Teachers and parents at the meeting further discuss their feelings of the Gifted Program.

Gifted programs at Florida public schools may be at risk as some lawmakers consider cutting funding, according to researcher for the state legislature’s research division, Jane Fletcher. During a meeting earlier this month, approximately 50 Krop students, teachers and parents begged for the program’s survival. “Gifted students have a different depth of understanding and to remove the Gifted Program would be a great disservice to gifted students,” AP English Literature teacher Michael Kelly said. Fletcher and Chris Diaz of the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability (OPPAGA), who were directed by the Florida Legislature to report the costs and benefits of gifted programs, ran the meeting. “After discussions about the Gifted Program in the legislature, there were questions with no answers,” Fletcher said. “We are going to provide in-depth research about the program to the legislature to see if it still serves its purpose.” Gifted Education, a special section of ESE, includes 635 students and 24 teachers. Gifted students require flexible teaching strategies, differentiated curriculum, group activities, and open-ended class projects and questions. These students have different methods of learning, according to psychological tests which are required for entry into the program. Gifted students require specialized, endorsed teachers. At the research meeting, teachers, students and parents unanimously agreed that all Miami-Dade schools need the Gifted Program to cater to gifted students. Fourteen teachers sat at a U-shaped table with OPPAGA and explained why gifted classes are different than honors classes and how gifted students would suffer without a Gifted Program. Every teacher seemed to echo the same point: Do not remove the Gifted Program. “The way we teachers stimulate the gifted minds is very different because we can leave them to come up with their own answers,” science department head David Buncher said. “They teach themselves, basically.” When asked if the gifted teachers had different expectations for their gifted or honors students by OPPAGA, the teachers expressed that they absolutely did not have less or more expectations. They explained that the curriculum was a different path to get to the same destination. After discussing only the benefits of the program, the teachers let 15 gifted students argue for the program, as they know first-hand what it feels like to be in a gifted class. The students, ranging from freshmen to seniors, explained the benefits of the Gifted Program. Junior Sharona Sernik explained how English teacher Melissa Keller’s Socratic discussions broadened her horizons, made her question everything, and completely changed her method of learning. Senior Sara Egozi described how lost she felt when she was mistakenly placed in honors courses in the beginning of her freshman year. She recounted her story, explaining how alone and misunderstood she felt. The students elaborated on how far the academic gap is between gifted and honors and how lost they would be without the Gifted Program. However, they stressed more the social division between the two groups and why the program helped them feel at home with other gifted students. Finally, parents of the gifted students explained that it would be a great disservice to the school if the Gifted Program was removed, and many parents would take their students out of public school and put them into private schools. If the Florida Legislature decides to remove the program, gifted and honors classes will be mixed starting next year.

The Lightning Strike

Gifted program is threatened