The value of educational acceleration.
Yesterday, an article I wrote on the value of educational acceleration was published in The Star newspaper, Malaysia. The article, "Adding value to learning ascent" (the paper's title for it), is self-explanatory. I would, however, welcome any thoughts about it below.
Here it is:
http://thestar.com.my/education/story.asp?file=/2012/9/23/education/12045481&sec=education
For those of you who have access to the physical newspaper, the article is listed under Opinion, in the Star Education pull out section.
Please have a read.
Thanks
Posted by Valentine Cawley
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Labels: accelerated education, assessing the gifted, experience of the gifted, gifted education, how to raise a gifted child, press article, radical acceleration, The Star newspaper
4 Comments:
Noticed that DYS (a program for profoundly gifted youth) linked your article in a recent newsletter.
I'm also a supporter of academic acceleration given the appropriate circumstance. There are certain skills that cannot be taught: how quickly a student learns, curiosity, memory and processing, rage to master.... To deny acceleration, in some instances, remay be to deny a child his or her fundamental right to education. I hope you continue to lobby for reform. Wishing your family all the best!!
Hi Shannon,
Thanks for letting me know re. the link by DYS. Could you direct my attention to where I could see the newsletter...or do you have a copy you could send me to read it for myself? Thanks in advance.
Yes. Sometimes acceleration is the only reasonable response to a child's needs...but often, in many places, it is just not available. That is very detrimental.
Thank you for encouraging words re. lobbying for educational reform. I think it is an important thing to do, and I do seem to be making headway in Malaysia.
Kind regards
Your article highlights the very important distinction between the high achiever and the intellectually gifted, and no, they are not automatically the same thing. I was the poster child for gifted underachievement: I wasn't anywhere near top of the class, and was in the bottom set or near the bottom for many subjects, having become ossified from many years of being understimulated and underestimated.
Unfortunately for those gifted underachievers, society tends to place people careerwise according to their educational accomplishment, so while the person with a modest intellect and a university degree might enjoy a top tier career, the highly or profoundly gifted individual with no qualifications is seen as burger-flipping material.
While any attempt to stop our brightest students falling through the cracks is extremely welcome, I think the educators who design these programmes ought to be required first to meet and talk to highly and profoundly gifted individuals of all ages first. It might just open their eyes to some of the issues.
I am sorry to hear of your childhood "ossification". I believe, however, that you are making up for it now, as an adult, through proving to people the merits of your mind, through personal acquaintance. That, in time, will still lead you to your destination, I trust.
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