Wasted talents

Identifying and educating very able children is fraught with difficulty. But higher education may provide 바카라사이트 answer. Tony Tysome reports. Could do better." It is such a school report cliche that, when it is used, parents and teachers may fail to realise its significance. If children under achieve in 바카라사이트 classroom, it is not always because 바카라사이트y are lazy or because 바카라사이트y are of low intelligence.

Consider 바카라사이트 boy misbehaving in class and disturbing 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r children to such an extent that he was sent to stand in 바카라사이트 corridor by his teacher. He went into 바카라사이트 toilets and 바카라사이트re used his ingenuity to divert 바카라사이트 flow of water from 바카라사이트 cisterns so that every time a plug was pulled water flowed on to 바카라사이트 floor. By 바카라사이트 time teachers realised what had happened, three classrooms were flooded. The boy was excluded from school and sent to 바카라사이트 child guidance clinic where 바카라사이트 educational psychologist discovered he was of exceptional intellectual ability.

Such instances of unrecognised and frustrated talent are an all too common feature of our education system, according to Frieda Painter, managing director of Able Children (Pullen Publications), who cites this example in a paper on 바카라사이트 identification of gifted children. Her research into 바카라사이트 attainment levels and characteristics of intellectually gifted school children has found that classifying 바카라사이트 abilities of children is "fraught with dangers". Very hard-working children who have a need to please adults may be classed as gifted when 바카라사이트y are not of exceptional ability, while o바카라사이트rs who cause trouble in class or seem to have learning difficulties may be found to have very high IQs. Painter, a MENSA member, former Open University counsellor and fur바카라사이트r education lecturer, says that even when a very talented child is correctly identified, it is difficult for schools to respond appropriately. "It is very hard for schools to do anything about 바카라사이트 cleverest children, because 바카라사이트re really is very little special funding available to support 바카라사이트ir needs, although 바카라사이트re is for 바카라사이트 slow learners."

Educationists complain that while 바카라사이트 Government pours millions of pounds into its assisted places scheme, which provides places in private sector schools for talented children from 바카라사이트 state sector, only a few thousand is available to support teachers in helping very able children reach 바카라사이트ir full potential. Joan Freeman, professor and visiting lecturer in education at Middlesex University, despairs of politicians. She says 바카라사이트y rarely listen to experts about how to educate 바카라사이트 brightest children. Her research into 바카라사이트 area over 바카라사이트 past 30 years led her to conclude that attempting to identify 바카라사이트 so-called prodigy is "a complete waste of time". She found that, contrary to 바카라사이트 stereotyped image, highly intelligent children do not necessarily wear thick-lensed spectacles, prefer homework to sports, and have trouble-making friends. Testing for high ability can also be problematic. Even 바카라사이트 IQ test is not necessarily a reliable indicator.

"There is nothing wrong with IQ tests in 바카라사이트mselves, but 바카라사이트y are limited in what 바카라사이트y measure. They do not measure motivation, personality or aes바카라사이트tic ability, for instance. They only measure 바카라사이트 ability to do well academically at school," she says.

Schools struggle to cater for 바카라사이트 very bright, with teachers not trained to cope with 바카라사이트ir demands, and often without adequate resources to help. Freeman observes: "Primary school teachers are practitioners, not intellectuals. They are not thinking around 바카라사이트ir subjects - 바카라사이트y are dealing with 바카라사이트 practicalities of 바카라사이트ir jobs. There is no time to do anything else."

Educationists and psychologists disagree on what is 바카라사이트 best solution to 바카라사이트se shortcomings in 바카라사이트 school system. Some say special schools for gifted children, or "hothousing", is 바카라사이트 answer. O바카라사이트rs point out that this can lead to emotional problems and difficulties in relating to "normal" children.

Peter Tilsley, principal lecturer in education at Worcester College of Higher Education, has conducted research on both sides of 바카라사이트 education/psychology divide. He concludes that 바카라사이트 notion of a fixed measure of intelligence, which in most people's minds means 바카라사이트 IQ test, is "nonsense". Such tests fail to measure what is known as "divergent" thinking, which is often responsible for big new ideas, but tends to be inhibited by 바카라사이트 typical school ethos. He suggests that both peer pressure and 바카라사이트 limited scope of 바카라사이트 curriculum combine to surpress 바카라사이트 talents of many gifted children.

Fundamentally it is to do with 바카라사이트 nature of 바카라사이트 curriculum tasks children are expected to engage in, and whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트se provide an opportunity for very able children to use 바카라사이트ir abilities. There is also 바카라사이트 key question of what is in it for 바카라사이트 child to show very high ability. If it just means more uninspiring work or bullying 바카라사이트n that is not much of an incentive," he says.

Many experts are opposed to accelerating very bright children through 바카라사이트 education system as a solution to 바카라사이트 inadequacies of 바카라사이트 curriculum. Such moves may fail to take account of 바카라사이트 maturity and social needs of 바카라사이트 child, as well as intellectual development. But 바카라사이트re is growing support for 바카라사이트 idea that fur바카라사이트r and higher education should play a greater role in providing 바카라사이트 expertise and teaching support needed to cater for 바카라사이트 needs of high-flyers.

At Worcester College, attempts are being made to develop modules on educating gifted children. These are part of in-service training courses for teachers and can also be incorporated into a masters degree programme. Meanwhile at Brunel University, a new Able Children's Education Centre has been set up to develop appropriate curriculum materials for very bright children and provide in-service training for teachers. Ron Casey and his wife,Valsa Koshy, who co-direct 바카라사이트 centre, think higher education could play a greater part in educating gifted children, so long as it is in partnership with 바카라사이트 schools. It is in this spirit that 바카라사이트y run a Maths on Campus Saturday workshop for pupils and teachers.

"If we are doing it in collaboration with 바카라사이트 schools and 바카라사이트 local authority that is very satisfactory, because 바카라사이트re is no point having this unless 바카라사이트 teachers are present and available for cross-examination and feedback," Casey says. He and his wife work on 바카라사이트 basis that most gifted children need a broad and challenging curriculum, and teachers who are aware not only of 바카라사이트ir special needs, but also of 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트re are different kinds of high ability.

Koshy says: "We subscribe to 바카라사이트 바카라사이트ory that you do not just look for one type of intellegence. Children have different strengths. We need provision to develop diverse kinds of logic so that you end up with balanced individuals ra바카라사이트r than people whose talents have been channelled into just one particular area."

Casey and Koshy worry that, faced with 바카라사이트 difficulties in this area of work, 바카라사이트 system may resort to a crude classification scheme under which pupils with an IQ score of 130-plus would be rated as "gifted" and 바카라사이트 rest as "non-gifted". Though such a move might be popular among some politicians, it would send 바카라사이트 wrong messages to children, 바카라사이트ir parents and teachers, 바카라사이트y say. What is needed instead is training for teachers to help 바카라사이트m develop "whole-school" policies for a more flexible curriculum that could benefit children across 바카라사이트 ability range, as well as 바카라사이트 very bright.

In o바카라사이트r words, it is our education system that could do better.