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> You would get some additional gifted children, but it's a question of cost vs returns. I agree that programs like that would be cool to have for kids, but I'm

> You would get some additional gifted children, but it's a question of cost vs returns. I agree that programs like that would be cool to have for kids, but I'm not entirely sold on whether they would help. What you say is true. As much as some don't want to admit it not everybody has the same potential (at least academically) and that's okay. With regards to the programs I don't think the aim should be solely to unearth some hidden geniuses. I think it should be to give every kid a rich and broad learning experience as an aim in itself. And secondly to enable to fulfill whatever potential they might.

sethammons 8y ago
I'm a fan of the Mathematician's Lament by Lockhart (might be misspelling his name). The idea being that we need exploratory learning. It expands outside of math as presented in his essay. My best friend, while in highschool, had routine problems in core classes. Simple algebra? Forget about it. Spelling? Grab a bunch of letters and pray they slam together right. Instead, let him at something that interested him, and it was amazing. When he was 15, he had already rebuilt a couple engines and a transmission and was getting an old Corvette up and running that he was giving by family. If you heard a plane go over head, he could identify the sound of the engine, name the model of the plane, and rattle off the history of it, leading back to ww2 or whatever. At junior college, he took a geology class and suddenly he was academic. He saw how math helped and passed through trig. His spelling and essayship became solid as he saw the value in communication about geology. The long story short: people, even those who might not appear promising, can shine when exposed to something that interests them. Education should be broad and varied at the beginning to help kids find what interests them. A few lucky ones will learn to be interested in most things and for them, most schooling will be easy.
snowwrestler 8y ago
Folks, I doubt anyone actually believes that just attending a gifted program will make everyone equally gifted. The statement that you’ll get “more” gifted students if all the programs run that way is mostly just a clever way to observe that current efforts to identify which students are gifted, are probably missing some kids with untapped potential. In addition there is plenty of evidence that more engaging pedagogy will get more out of students, even those of average potential. The biggest impediment to that is probably finding teachers who are capable of teaching that way consistently across the required range of subjects.
- avip 8y ago
  Yes. Thank you for phrasing my thoughts more clearly.

sethammons 8y ago

I'm a fan of the Mathematician's Lament by Lockhart (might be misspelling his name). The idea being that we need exploratory learning. It expands outside of math as presented in his essay. My best friend, while in highschool, had routine problems in core classes. Simple algebra? Forget about it. Spelling? Grab a bunch of letters and pray they slam together right. Instead, let him at something that interested him, and it was amazing. When he was 15, he had already rebuilt a couple engines and a transmission and was getting an old Corvette up and running that he was giving by family. If you heard a plane go over head, he could identify the sound of the engine, name the model of the plane, and rattle off the history of it, leading back to ww2 or whatever. At junior college, he took a geology class and suddenly he was academic. He saw how math helped and passed through trig. His spelling and essayship became solid as he saw the value in communication about geology. The long story short: people, even those who might not appear promising, can shine when exposed to something that interests them. Education should be broad and varied at the beginning to help kids find what interests them. A few lucky ones will learn to be interested in most things and for them, most schooling will be easy.

snowwrestler 8y ago

Folks, I doubt anyone actually believes that just attending a gifted program will make everyone equally gifted. The statement that you’ll get “more” gifted students if all the programs run that way is mostly just a clever way to observe that current efforts to identify which students are gifted, are probably missing some kids with untapped potential. In addition there is plenty of evidence that more engaging pedagogy will get more out of students, even those of average potential. The biggest impediment to that is probably finding teachers who are capable of teaching that way consistently across the required range of subjects.

avip 8y ago
Yes. Thank you for phrasing my thoughts more clearly.