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Not the parent poster, but I'd say every child (and adult!) has gifts - every child is exceptional - just maybe not in an academic context, of course. I find th

Not the parent poster, but I'd say every child (and adult!) has gifts - every child is exceptional - just maybe not in an academic context, of course. I find the labeling of 'gifted' connotes a certainly quality that isn't necessarily intrinsic among students who would find accelerated learning environments beneficial. And that's what it is, if you are speaking from an equity-based standpoint - an effort to ensure that each student has access to a learning environment that meets their potential. In regards to racial biases towards IQ tests, it isn't necessary for the tests themselves to have racial bias. These tests aren't given out to all students, they must be recommended for it by their teachers. Maybe certain teachers would display less bias in a 'this student seems bored by the lessons' line-of-thinking versus 'this student seems gifted'. I have no idea about that part.

mbrodersen 5y ago
The vast majority of people have zero outstanding skills or talent. It’s just a fact. A tiny minority of people are the ones that produce the art/products/music/tech/politics/… that actually move humanity forward. Unless you lower your expectations of what it means to be “gifted” so low that it has no useful meaning.
thegrimmest 5y ago
> but I'd say every child (and adult!) has gifts - every child is exceptional Isn't this basically nonsense? Are you sure every child is exceptional in some way? How do you know? Have you measured? How would you react to a perfectly ordinary, unremarkable child? Would your worldview just collapse? What does the word "exceptional" mean to you? > quality that isn't necessarily intrinsic Why does the intrinsicness of the property matter? > learning environment that meets their potential How would you label people who have high potential? What about low potential? Now, in the interest of clarity and simplicity, what single word would you use to label each category? > aren't given out to all students, they must be recommended for it by their teachers To my knowledge they are given out to all students at a particular grade/age - YMMV. If teachers must select students then clearly teacher bias would be a factor.

mbrodersen 5y ago

The vast majority of people have zero outstanding skills or talent. It’s just a fact. A tiny minority of people are the ones that produce the art/products/music/tech/politics/… that actually move humanity forward. Unless you lower your expectations of what it means to be “gifted” so low that it has no useful meaning.

thegrimmest 5y ago

> but I'd say every child (and adult!) has gifts - every child is exceptional Isn't this basically nonsense? Are you sure every child is exceptional in some way? How do you know? Have you measured? How would you react to a perfectly ordinary, unremarkable child? Would your worldview just collapse? What does the word "exceptional" mean to you? > quality that isn't necessarily intrinsic Why does the intrinsicness of the property matter? > learning environment that meets their potential How would you label people who have high potential? What about low potential? Now, in the interest of clarity and simplicity, what single word would you use to label each category? > aren't given out to all students, they must be recommended for it by their teachers To my knowledge they are given out to all students at a particular grade/age - YMMV. If teachers must select students then clearly teacher bias would be a factor.