Whitmore Lake Public Schools
Administrative Guidelines
 

2464A - PROGRAMS FOR ACADEMICALLY GIFTED/TALENTED STUDENTS

In order for the District to provide an appropriate program for academically gifted or talented students, it is important to be clear about the type of student being referred. The following explanations can provide a basis for an effective program for these students.

The terms "gifted" and/or "talented"* are appropriately used to refer to:

"Persons exhibiting an extraordinarily sophisticated level of a certain understanding and/or skill which manifested itself without having been "learned," in the usual sense, or which was learned, but learned significantly earlier or faster than that of others of the same age or experience."

* While some make a distinction between "giftedness" and "talent" by linking talent only to skills or by saying that "talent" is potential skill and "giftedness" is demonstrated skill, the distinction does not seem to be particularly useful. Regardless of the label that is used, what is being referred to is behavior which implies extraordinarily sophisticated understanding and/or skill.

 A.Giftedness is Given, Not Learned
  Based on the above definition, the literal meaning of "giftedness" (or "talented") is directly linked to the meaning of its root, "gift." The gifted student through his/her behavior, indicates that s/he, without any expenditure of effort on his/her part, has been given, outright, a sophisticated level of certain kinds of understanding and/or skill more quickly than others like himself/herself.
 B.Giftedness is Particular, Not General
  The term "giftedness" (or "talent"), according to the definition above, refers to a level of certain understanding and/or skill, not to a level of general understanding and/or skill. This suggests that a student may be gifted in one (1) or more areas of understanding or skill but is not likely to be gifted in all.
 C.Giftedness is Relative, Not Absolute
  In the absence of established, generally-accepted standards which specify for all people, all times, and all situations how sophisticated the level of understanding or skill has to be or how early or fast it has to have developed to be considered an indicator of giftedness, one must assume that giftedness is a level of understanding and/or skill which a particular group of people has decided to accept as being "significantly sophisticated" relative to that of similar others in situations specified by the group. This means that a student who would be considered "gifted" by some people, at some time, or in some situation might not be considered so by others, at a different time, or in a different situation.

Categorizing "Academically" Gifted and/or Talented Students

As indicated earlier, giftedness is particular, not general, in the sense that it is a level of understanding and/or skill in one or more particular areas. The following is one way of categorizing areas of understanding and/or skill and provides a way of distinguishing "academic" from the others.

 A.Academic/Scholastic
  Extraordinary understanding in one (1) or more of the scholarly disciplines, e.g. science, mathematics, art, history, linguistics, etc. and/or extraordinary skill in performing investigative or study tasks.
  NOTE: ACADEMIC/SCHOLASTIC is not synonymous with INTELLECTUAL. Since "intellectual" suggests use of the intellect, or mind, and since all understanding and skill involves the use of the mind, it makes sense to assume that intellectual ability is an essential element in every area of understanding and/or skill.
 B.Artistic/Expressive
  Extraordinary understanding and/or skill in communicating information, ideas, and/or emotions, e.g. writing, dance, sculpture, etc.
 C.Physical/Athletic
  Extraordinary understanding and/or skill in bodily coordination and movement, e.g. tennis, football, acrobatics, etc.
 D.Haptic/Mechanical
  Extraordinary understanding and/or skill in manipulating objects, e.g. crafts, drafting, carpentry, machine repair, typing, etc.
 E.Social/Interactive
  Extraordinary understanding and/or skill in interacting with people, e.g. negotiating, coordinating, teaching, persuading, etc.
 F.Psychic/Extrasensory
  Extraordinary understanding and/or skill in intuitive or extrasensory perception, e.g. thought communication, visualizing objects and events, etc.

To be "educationally useful", a definition of academically gifted/talented students should describe such students in terms of their particular educational setting and should imply their educational needs.

"Compared with students of the same age or experience who are involved in the same educational program, 'academically gifted/talented' students are those who exhibit a significantly higher level achievement of the program goals and objectives in one or more subject areas and achieve them much more quickly and easily than most of their age or classmates. As a result, such students have extra time for additional educational opportunities."

An effective program should provide appropriate answers to the following questions:

 A.What are the educational needs of academically gifted/talented students that should be met through the school program?
 B.What other needs of academically gifted/talented students should be met through the school program?
 C.What needs of other students should be considered in providing an educational program for academically gifted/talented students?

What are the educational needs of academically gifted/talented students that should be met through the school program?
 A.Productive Use of Time
  Since the academically gifted/talented students in a given school setting are those who perform school tasks and achieve the regular program objectives more quickly and easily than their classmates, they obviously have time left over.
  An appropriate program for academically gifted/talented students should make it possible for those students to make use of all their time in school in ways that produce for them demonstrated educational benefits.
 B.Ample Opportunity to Achieve the Goals and Objectives of the Regular School Program
  As indicated earlier, giftedness is particular, not general. While some students may have achieved all of the goals and objectives of a particular program for their level, those same students may need any time they have left over in that program to work on accomplishing objectives in other programs in which they may not be achieving at a significantly high level. They should not be allowed to become deficient in other important areas of learning just so they can pursue an area in which they are already proficient. As a general rule, therefore, if a student meets the standards for giftedness in one (1) area of the school program but is deficient in one (1) or more other areas, the first (1st) priority for any extra time that student has should be on reducing or eliminating any deficiencies.


As was also indicated earlier, giftedness is relative, not absolute. Often, students are identified as gifted or talented solely on the basis of their performance on standardized tests rather than on their performance of school tasks or on their achievement of the goals and objectives of a school program. Such students may or may not have extra time in their particular situation. Conversely, students who do not score well on standardized tests for any number of reasons may well be achieving the goals and objectives of their particular school program significantly better and faster than their classmates. These students may well have extra time in their particular situation. The key consideration, then, in providing a program for the academically gifted/talented student is to be certain - before considering any use of extra time - that the student, in his/her particular situation, is given every opportunity to achieve the goals and objectives of his/her regular school program.

 C.Opportunity to Extend and Refine Understanding and Skill in Identified Area(s) of Giftedness
  Assuming the gifted/talented student does have some extra time in his/her particular situation, one productive focus could be nurturing and further developing current areas of special interest or ability. The reason is that there is convincing evidence that understandings and skills which emerge early but which are ignored, often do not develop further. The "gift" is a head start, evidently, but it does not necessarily guarantee or predict future extraordinary ability unless it is built upon. If their "gifts" are not to be wasted, therefore, students need to focus on expanding and refining their special understanding and skill, the earlier and more consistently, the better.
 D.Opportunity to Explore and Develop Understanding and Skill in NEW Areas of Special Interest or Ability
  Another productive focus for extra time would be on new areas of special interest or ability. If an academically gifted/talented student has special interest or ability in one (1) area, s/he may also find s/he can quite easily extend that interest or ability to a different, but related area. Students gifted in mathematics, for example, often find music an area of special interest or ability as well; those deeply involved in literature often discover an equal passion for the history, art, or religion of the same period. An effective program for academically gifted/talented students, therefore, should provide opportunities for such students to explore new areas and develop new understanding and skills.
  One caution in this regard, however. Many programs attempt to provide the students new or novel experiences but the designers have not given consideration to developing or extending the particular special abilities and interests of the students who will be involved. Someone decides that all such students should try to solve the energy crisis, should visit "such and such" place, should write and perform in a play, etc., etc., etc. Such programs can be just as much a waste of the students' time - perhaps more - than no program at all. The reason is that the program has made no attempt to meet the particular educational needs of the particular student for whom it is purportedly intended.
 E.Opportunity to Learn How to Make Effective, Responsible Use of Knowledge and/or Skills
  It is this focus that is, perhaps, most important yet most often neglected in programs for academically gifted/talented students. If such students do not develop skills for using their high degree of knowledge and/or skill effectively (so that they achieve desired goals) and responsibly (so that they benefit themselves and others), their gifts and talents can prove to be a detriment to themselves and society rather than an advantage. There is sufficient evidence to suggest that bright people who do not learn how to make good use of their special ability can end up being very unhappy, unproductive, even dangerous people. It would, therefore, make sense for any program for such students to include the effective, responsible use of knowledge and skill as an important focus.

What other needs of academically gifted/talented students should be met through the school program?
 A.To Accept Self Realistically
  Bright students, like others, need to know their strengths and weaknesses and learn to be comfortable with who and what they are. Too often, the bright student is seen (or sees himself/herself) as "different" and learns to be ashamed of his/her "difference." Less academically oriented or able students and even teachers see the more academically able as a threat and mistake their eagerness to respond, their sometimes devastating questions as showing off or being smart-alecky. Such students can become the object of ridicule or can even be penalized for their sometimes "unconventional" ideas and comments. In response, some bright students either learn to hide their ability and "play dumb" while others tend to become aggressive, hostile, or aloof.
  The other side of the coin is that sometimes academically gifted students are so catered to that they develop an inflated ego, an "elitist" attitude, thinking that because they are bright and learn easily, they are somehow entitled to privileges which others do not deserve. A situation which permits this sort of attitude to develop is as destructive to bright students as one which forces them to be ashamed of their abilities. For one thing, it leads them to believe that they do not need to exert effort to earn privileges. It means they get them on the basis of something they can do with little effort. It also suggests that they need do nothing to develop what they have, that they will always be "better" than others - something which is not necessarily so - and that in another situation, they would compare as well - also not necessarily so.
  Any educational program of the District, but especially the one for academically gifted students, should help students understand and accept their special abilities - realistically and with a view toward developing those abilities and making responsible use of them.
 B.To Develop Satisfying, Productive Relationships with Others Like and Different from Self
  Like all students, the academically gifted need to learn how to interact and learn with students of both similar and different backgrounds, interests, and abilities. The opportunity to be with students of similar interests and ability makes it possible for the gifted student to share and test ideas with people who are likely to understand them easily and who can provide helpful critique and suggestions. The opportunity to be with students of different backgrounds, interests, and abilities helps such students find out that they have much to learn from others and vice versa. A classmate from a different background, for example, can help the gifted student learn how to communicate more effectively with people of that particular background or may spark the student's interest in certain problems about which s/he would not otherwise be aware. A classmate who may not make good grades may have artistic talent or may have a good memory for details. These abilities could make him/her a good partner for a gifted student who is not particularly artistic or who tends to skip over details. Another benefit from heterogeneous grouping can be that the gifted student finds s/he is more like others than different and, in the best kind of situation, that everyone's "differences" can benefit all.
  A good educational program for academically gifted students should provide a good balance of opportunities to interact and learn with students like and different from themselves. This would include students who are considered academically gifted in the same subject area; students who are considered academically gifted but in different subject areas; and students who are not considered academically gifted. For the same reasons as noted above, the program should, ideally, not only provide opportunities to mix with those of like and different background, interest, and ability but also with those of like and different age and gender.

What needs of other students should be considered in providing an educational program for academically gifted/talented students?
 A.Uninhibited Opportunity to Achieve Goals and Objectives of the Regular School Program
  No program for academically gifted - or any other designated type of student - is justified if it inhibits other students' opportunity to achieve the goals and objectives of the regular school program.
  Where students are heterogeneously grouped for all instruction, the teacher is understandably hard-pressed to modify the regular program sufficiently to adequately meet the educational needs of all the types of students that are likely to be represented. Of necessity, priority must be given to those who have learning problems. One could not justify focusing on the needs of the academically gifted in such a class if doing so denies those who need extra help receiving it.
  In situations where gifted/talented students are grouped for part of the time for special instruction, care needs to be taken that the arrangement does not penalize other students.
  As with special programs for other students with particular needs, an educational program for academically gifted students should meet those students' special needs without inhibiting the opportunities of others.
 B.Opportunity to Interact and Learn with Academically Gifted/Talented Students
  For the reasons indicated earlier, all students can benefit when they have opportunities to interact and learn with one another in ways that are satisfying and productive. Just as academically gifted students can gain from working with those like and different from themselves, students who are not academically gifted or who are gifted in other ways can gain from their interaction with the academically gifted. Academically gifted students often bring new ideas, new information, and a fresh outlook to a group effort. They can become models of concentration, logical thinking, and divergent thinking for others.