Comments on: Labeling the Gifted Learner – A Slippery Situation

By: Nora

Nora — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 20:01:07 +0000

I am an Ohio Gifted Intervention Specialist. We are so very frustrated with funding in our district. Next year we will receive $13 per student based on average daily attendance. None of those dollars can be used to purchase testing materials, even though testing is mandated and service is not. I worry about the future of ours and neighboring district’s programs.

We are in the process of changing our service model – for the better. The new model will give “twice exceptional” students, those identified in both special ed and gifted ed, the opportunity to be served in both areas. We only use two other labels for gifted students – academic specific and superior cognitive.

Jeanne – One of my buildings has an entire display case full of athletic trophies. My kids have earned over 20 academic awards/trophies in the last 5 years – all of which sit on top of a locker in my classroom. Why? Because the district doesn’t want to cause any hard feelings with other students about my kid’s accomplishments. Oh, and it might cause a fire exit hazard…

By: Jeanne Bernish

Jeanne Bernish — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 18:39:21 +0000

My day job is as a public relations specialist and I have always been alert to people’s response to the term “gifted” – usually it is negative – I think because it connotes an unearned privilege. Every time someone tries to secure funding for gifted students eyes roll and the laborious task of educating yet another group of people to the necessity of meeting these kid’s needs begins anew. How much further we could go it we didn’t have to expend such effort simply justifying our existence!

What made me think of changing the label? Our high schools changed their lowest track label to “college prep”. Sounds nice, doesn’t it?

Also, gifted and talented is not very descriptive of high ability. One can be a gifted athlete or artist. One can be a talented performer or chef. (Strangely none of those designations bear a negative connotation).

By: Russ Goerend

Russ Goerend — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 15:46:48 +0000

I’m not sure why it matters what we call “them.” As long as these learners have needs that need to be met, we should be focused on meeting those needs.

I understand that it would be nice if they all had the same label, but the fact remains that the label means something. It means we have work to do!

I addressed this question similarly in this post: http://www.tagmirror.org/2009/04/unpacking-label-tag.html