This site is a personal reflection on the education of high potential public school students in Massachusetts.
What do you do when your child returns home from school saying he or she already knows what is being taught in class - day after day, week after week? I experienced this as my child attended kindergarten through fourth grade. Finally, in fifth grade, he was allowed to skip a grade level of ELA work within his regular classroom and more advanced math was offered in an informal way. My child was thrilled and apprehensive about enrolling in kindergarten only to discover that public education was about sitting through formal instruction he already knew, acting as teaching assistant, and learning that what matters are good grades that come easily. Like any other child, he had good days and not so good days. He made friends and enjoyed many aspects of public school life. Nevertheless, I felt he was not receiving the academic education we expected.No teacher suggested my child was not receiving a free, appropriate, public education. Yet, at my final parent-teacher conference, a teacher chatted lightly with me about the bright future of gifted and talented children such as my own. I felt betrayed. I felt as if I had uncovered the secret of the gifted & talented label.
Middle school has been much more rewarding. The principal at my child's middle school was immediately responsive to my concern that children learn something new in school every day. She routinely pre-tested students prior to academic units allowing them to skip content areas already mastered. At parent open-house meetings, she listed the needs of Gifted and Talented children specifically, a courageous gesture given the popular mindset that education is about achieving 'proficiency.'
I attended an open house at the local high school in October. An energetic parent warmly welcomed the audience. She spoke highly of the school and described the ways in which her own children had thrived there. She described her own children as "average" learners and I was encouraged by her enthusiasm until she said: 'We all know that the gifted and talented child will do well anywhere.' "Oh no," I thought, "here we go again." It was an evening meant for fun, so, I did not express my anger at her remark.
In an ideal world, education is not about labeling our children or achieving proficiency levels, IMHO. Nevertheless,public education was dramatically transformed by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, Public Law107-110 http://www.ed.gov/policy/elsec/leg/esea02/107-110.pdf , http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_Child_Left_Behind_Act .As a result, work needs to be done in Massachusetts to support a FREE APPROPRIATE PUBLIC EDUCATION FOR HIGH POTENTIAL LEARNERS. This site is one informal, personal way to support the parents of children who are sitting out the school day facing material they already know. How do we support our children and one another? Share your stories and suggestions and together we will build this site for families in Massachusetts.
Judy Butler, Parent
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