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Why gifted education doesn’t make sense
- jamesli 12y agoLet's be straightforward. What an idiotic article! The author is an education columnist, while he doesn't understand basic math. No matter what standard is applied for admission to a gifted program, there are always students who are cut off just below the standard. It is a continuous spectrum. It should never be a reason to denounce a program. Otherwise, nothing gets done. Imagine a 9-year-old who figures out how to solve a quadratic equation by reading online by himself. Is it a waste of time to sit him with his peers of same age and practice double digit multiplication?
- jrock08 12y ago"By now, over a dozen [gifted math and science] schools exist, defying the silly objections of many parents that collecting and nurturing students gifted in math and science is "elitism," something to be avoided. Curiously, we hear no such objections to collecting the best singers for the opera, the best musicians for orchestras, not to mention the best baseball players for the Chicago Cubs!" -- Leon Lederman, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy Founder. [1] [1] http://www.symmetrymagazine.org/article/junejuly-2005/essay-leon-lederman http://www.symmetrymagazine.org/article/junejuly-2005/essay-... edit: Add source.