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Administrative techniques for increasing academic achievement of gifted children within the elementary classroom
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Administrative techniques for increasing academic achievement of gifted children within the elementary classroom
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Content
ADMINISTRATIVE TECHNIQUES FOR INCREASING
CADEMIC CHIEVEMENT OF GIFTED CHILDREN
!THIN THE ELEMENTARY CLASSROOM
the ac
Thesis
resented to
o the chool of Education
The University o outhern Ca ifornia
In P rtial u f ment
o th Requir ment for he Degree
ter o ci nc n ducatio
by
Carolyn Riedman Berney
Jun 59
This thesis, written under the direction of the
Chairman of the candidate's Guidan ce Com1nittee
and approved by all 111en1be1·s of the Com111ittee,
has been presented to and accepted by tlze Faculty
of the School of Education of Tlze Unin ersity of
Southern California in partial fulfillm ent of the
requi1·ements for the degree of Master 9f Scien ce
in Education.
Date ....
/1/ /Y. 1
. . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . ...... --. . ........... -...... .
J,-~m.e&o
Dean
Guidtul Committ
... . .•.•..••..•
. . -.......................................................... .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . -... -................. -..
,,..
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER
I. THE PROBLEM ND DELIMITA TIO N
• • • • • • • •
II .
II .
The problem.
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Importance of the study.
• • • • • • • • •
Delimitat ion ..... .
• • • • • • • • •
Definitions oft rms u ed .
• • • • • • • •
cademic achievement . . . . . . . . . .
cceleration ............. .
dministrative techniques ....... .
vera e sized chool
• • • • • • • • • •
Capacity or learnin ..... .
• • • •
E ucational exp rience .... .
• • • •
E ri hm nt .......... .
• • • •
nr·chment program ........ .
• •
Gifte chil ........... .
• •
Intellectual iftedn s
• • • • • • • • •
Primary e rs of hool xpe ien e .••
Regul r elementary clas room ..... .
mal l chool di tr ·ct ......... .
Reminder of the study
HISTORIC L O VERVIE ...
• • • • • • • • • •
• • • • • • • • • •
IDENTIFIC TION OF THE G IFTED
• • • • • • • •
PAGE
1
1
2
4
5
5
6
6
6
6
6
7
7
7
7
7
8
8
11
16
CHAPTER
IV.
iv
PAGE
Identification of the gifted child in
the regular classroom. . . . . . . . . . 18
Parental observation and judgment . • . . . 22
Characteristics of the gifted child . . . . 24
Suggested testing devices ..
• • • • • • •
Criteria of a good identification program.
CLASSROOM ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS ....... .
The gifted child in the regular classroom.
Objectives of education for the gifted ..
The organization of instruction f or
gifted children ·n regular classes in
several ca1·rornia school district
Activities for the ifted child in the
• • •
regu lar clas room ..
• • • • • • • • • •
M ntal hy iene or th ifte
• • • • • • •
Characteristics of the ood teacher of
29
36
41
42
44
4
61
74
the ifted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
V. SUMMARY N CONCLU ON . . . . . . . . . . . 84
IBLIOGRAPHY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
CHAPTER I
THE PROBLEM AND DELIMITATION
I • THE PROBLEM
From the time of Socrates and before, thoughtful
teachers have reasoned that the salvation of civilization
depended on educating all children and educating the bright
est to become leaders. This philosophy of the great edu
cators has been surpassed in the area of establishing and
maintaining universal schooling in the United tates of
America. But this nation has fallen short of the idea l of
identifying the bright and talented children and providing
them with an education adapted to their capacity. As one
result the nation is faced with dire shortages of superior
teachers, scientists, and other professionally trained
people.
America's greatest resource is her bright chi l dren.
The need of the present is to discover every bright child,
challenge him to work t o his full capacity, and see that he
receives all the education from which he can profit. It
was the purpose of this study to determine the administra
tive techniques that may be applied toward the fulfil l ment
of that ideal of educators through the centuries--education
2
adapted to the capacity of the brightest students so that
they may become the leaders society needs. The fulfillment
of the particular needs of the gifted children in the
average elementary classroom in a small school district,
it is hoped, may be accomplished without neglecting the
remainder of the class.
II. IMPORTANCE OF THE STUDY
Daily there is a growing recognition of the fact
that chi dren possessing the gift of uperior mental
abil ty should receive the cha lenge of the eadership of
society. Recen evelopments in sci nee h v stimulated
public interest in high eve competit on nd achievement,
an yet choo program o not universal y include adequate
opportuniti s or h greates dvancement in learning o
this ifted go po ren.
It w s e y th duet ona Po ic Com-
m ssion hat the purpo es o ucation in the American
democracy inc ud all childr n w thin their cope. ( :5 -
05) Th common ore f xperience f or a l student shou d
n u e opportun ti or meet n v r needs o ndividua
chil en in order o fu i the princip es of self
xpression and se -realization.
In uture year it doubt ess y will be the gi ted
chi dren of today who wi l make many of the great
3
contributions in art, medicine, science, industry, music,
and education . By so doing, they will inc r ease the progress
of human welfare of the nation and, consequently of the
world. As it is desirable that these ends be reached,
educational opportunity must be provided in the field of
higher education for our most able youth as well as those
youth with ample economic resources.
As society becomes more comp ex, technical, and
specialized, the l ead rs of this society must be gifted
people wh o possess sound educational background, creative
vision, and h gh intellectual competence. ( : -12) The
world is becomin smal l er and society increasing y more
interdependent with evidence o a great need or leaders
wi h the stren th o ha acter which has een developed
through a progr m de o m et th needs o t e g ft d
by tre n human r 1 ton hip. Th interaction o we 1-
ev op d human m n scan on nu t o br ng u prosper ty
and ventua y compete and astin peace.
t s th sch o ' ac to orig n te pro ram o
such c ib r tha this r a natu esource is not
wast . m n trator are the logica peop et organ ze
an administ r uch programs as leaders o the school
district an of th ind vi ual choo • Of course when
schoo di tr ct ize or wea th can afford it, special
guidance personn can do much of this work on a district
wid evel. However, in smal school di trict the
program must usually rest on a basis of enrichment in
individual classrooms.
4
Too often administrators in small school districts
would like to stimulate the learning of their gifted pupils
to the utmost but facilities and knowledge are inadequate
to accomplish this. Thus, it is of importance to every
administrator that he study ways of devising programs to
meet the needs o gifted children in the classrooms where
they are assigne .
III. DELIMIT TION
It was the purpos o thi tudy t present
adminis rat ve techniques for enriching th classroom
progr mo git chi dren. Th respon ibi ity f or
originating and stimu at ng uch pr rams elong o th
princ pa. Th wh ch the p ncip ori inates must be
car 1 don y te cher; n admini trative uty to
continu to t mu ate hep n eva uat th pro res
made t oward good la oom enrichment.
lthough v ral kinds of giftedness may be assumed
to e presen n he lementary chool, intellectual ift
dne was the cone rn o thi s p rticular s udy.
Thi study did not attempt to present th total
kinds o r am v 11 in th n tion t oday , but
sugge te what coul b don in e tablishing n enrichment
5
program for the intellectually gifted children in the
regular classroom of an average sized school in a small
school district. Authorities do not always agree as to
which kind of program for gifted pupils is superior, but
many regard enrichment combined with acceleration as the
procedure which is the best means of providing the gifted
with educational experiences that challenge their intellec
tual abilities. (17:43)
As experiences, procedures, and techniques neces
sarily vary while the child progresses through the differ
ent stages of maturity and development in the elementary
s hool, this stu y wa dire t prim rily toward the first
or primary ye r o expe n in chool situation. It
is her th t gift ness ir t co. es to the attention of the
teach r, a min r tor, n r p the rent. It i felt
th t ooner t t d c 1 s entifi nd iven
he opportun t o
ti 1, th re tr
to m elf . (17 : 1)
he ea the op vel o h s oten-
n e on ri ution to soci ty and
I . D I ITIO 0 ER U ED
The ollowin d int on o term used n thi
stud wer r n rom he 1 45 edit on of Carter V. Good'
Dictionari of Edu ation.
Academic achievement. The achievement of pupil in
the so- called "academic" subj cts, such as reading and
arithmetic, as contrasted with skills developed in such
areas as industrial arts and physical education.
6
Acceleration. The process o completing the school
grades at a rate of more than one f ull grade each year. In
this study the term acceleration included the passing of a
chil from one grade to the next during the same school
year after mastering the subject matter in the lower grade.
Administrativ iechniques. Th methods used y an
administrative o leer in the dire tion and management o
school .
verag school . he pur o es o th
stu y, the tr re err to hoo l o tween six hun r ed
and sev n un r pup 1 .
or 1 T po nt lit o erson
or the iven unc on o 1 · rn n conditioned y the
try and partly total pattern o cu
environmental.
; par
Edu ational e_xpe ence
n iv d a it h env ronm n
are r ought a out n h n the
ment, the d sirabil ty o uch
his n eds an by the social an
h r
•
n n ractio 0 th
th t e irable ch nges
rect on o 1 h r de elop-
change bing determined by
educational tandards of
the culture to which he belongs.
Enrichment. This term was used in the sense of
development of more or deeper meanings about a given topic
or within a given area already partly familiar to a class
and so planned and presented to take care of individual
differences of children, particularly those of superior
ability, to stimulate them to do their best work.
Enrichment program. Th proces o increasing the
quality of the o fering in a program of in truction. For
the purposes o thi study the term re rred to enrichment
o norma su ec wt n n lem ntar cla room.
chi
•
l hos i lity, a indicated
y an ntelli ence
' i
w th n t e ran e of the upper
two o thre p C n 0 opul ion. or purposes o
th s tudy, the t rm te ld r red to a child with
a hi h inte 11 en uot ent n o ma r may no e
1 te n om oth C 1 a 1
•
7
Intel ctua
•
Posse ng h gh intellec -
tu 1 a i ty, w t 1 e ell n V n 0 the norm,
an con uent h
• •
h s not to be construed
as inclu n n p
a , non-intell ctual talent or
' gi ts. "
Primary year of
-
chool experienc e . That division
of elementary education devoted primarily to instruction
in fundamental skills in the language arts, numbers, and
handwork and to the development of social attitudes neces
sary for democratic living; generally restricted to grades
one through three.
8
Regular elementary classroom. A classroom designed
for "regular," or academic , subjects of tudy as dis
tinguished from the pecial subject classrooms for music
lessons, industri 1 art, or sp ech .
Small school di trict . Th t rm was construed to
mean a school istric o ix ors v n 1 m ntary schools.
V. R NDER 0 HE T Y
Th t or h tu r cue though
rev ew o boo , period cal , an un ubl hed material
which set orth met o 0 e u n t ch ldr n.
Ma e 1 1 speci ic 11 d al n dm n a ive t ch-
ni ues and respon liti w ra her c rce, b t many
eference ere r 1 made n e r nee W O 0 gener l
valu nd wh ch b am u ul 0 h or t on o th s
study.
Chapt r II br e umm r z d h h torical over-
v ew of th rogres n American educat on toward a sounder,
more intelligent progra o due tin he nation's gifted
children. Under the Constitution of the United States of
America, the problem of education is left to the state
governments to solve on an individual basis, therefore
resulting in wide differences in progress and in programs.
Chapter III discussed the means of identifying the
gifted child including intelligence and achievement tests,
teacher and administrator judgments, and parental observa
tion and judgment. Characteristics of the gifted child
w re an important p rt of the indin s concerning identi
fication o the gifted. Criteria of the good identifica
tion pro ram conclude the chapter .
Chapt r IV contains a discussion o why it is
thought that educatin th i ted chil in the regular
classroom is consider done of th tter way o he pin
h m. The ob ctive o ducat on or the i ted ere set
orth. shor revie o sever program organized or
9
c ssroom nrichment w s pr sen . Ther was a scus ion
o actua a tiv t·e or th git chi din the re ular
cl ssroom, includ n th ic s 111 o r ading, arith-
me ic, ci nee, n o 1 1 stu e well as chal en in
ctiv tis nth ture o iscus on, spe ia class
proje ts, r arch, lu activitie, resource per ons,
rou in att r, co pl t car o uppl es , class parti s,
oreign 1 ngu · g, and service to other cla sroom. M ntal
hygien or th gi ted w · s an important part of thi
chapter, as was a group of characteristics of the teacher
of the gifted in the classroom.
Chapter V summarized the findings of the study.
10
The role of the administrator had been discussed throughout
the study and a group of specific conclusions were included
in this summary.
11
CHAPTER II
HISTORICAL OVERVIEW
Concern for the education of gi ted children is not
new. lmost from its beginning, the merican public chool
has tried to provide adequately for youth with outstanding
abi l ity. It has remained a ic concern o American
schools even though in ome eras this ne d was overshadowed
by whats eme to be mor pressin educat onal probl m.
The present em· n or mor wide pread discovery
an development o talented in i vi ual mphasizes th
deficien is ·n prov on or tudent with outstandin
abil ties which have resu te rom t e reat merican e ort
to provide what seemed to ea purely democrat c provision
of edu ational opportunit·e 11 h in hi coun ·r.
Th defici nci ave con .ri t d to os f tal
an leadership which thi nati n cann t r.
In the mid-nin teenth ce tury my nth
be in ings of a
pecial pro ram
orma
or th
for me
acad m·cally
c n chools to
1 ted. The
lan
pro-
ram emerged, strang 1 en uh, in an e he xcep
tionally able young ters were regarded u ic·ou ly a
physically wea and sych lo ically an rm 1 grou , who e
native endowment ough n t to entitle them to special
12
recognition or privilege if democratic equality was to be
preserved. However, schools were forced to take action by
a great increase in student population, which resulted in
large classes of children with a wide range of ability.
Educators realized that a uniform program, designed to
provide adequately for the greatest number of students,
could not be of much value in educating those on the highest
and lowest ability levels. They became aware of the
increasing difficulty of makin lexible provisions in
classrooms where children were grouped merely according to
age. (16:2)
The first large-scale program for academically out
standing students, designed to provide for more frequent
promotions, w s reported in t. Louis in 1868. (16 :2)
Students were promoted irst on a emiannual, then on a
quarterly, and fin lly on a five-week basis. Similar
administrative procedures, adapted o th learning rates of
bright and dull pupils, were soon esta lished in other
school systems across the country, notably in Elizabeth,
New Jersey; Cambridge, Massachusetts; and Santa Barbara,
California. (16:2) Program modific tions for the academ
ically gifted in the latter half of the nineteenth century
were thus characterized by lexible promotions. These
attempts were rather isol ated and lacking in popularity,
but they represented early significant departures from the
theory that equal educational opportunity for America's
13
school children means identical opportunity.
Soon after the inception of the flexible-promotion
plans came other provisions for the academically superior,
among them special classes, double promotions, individual
instruction, credit by examination, and special teachers.
Some of these plans still exist in many school systems
today.
As the ne century came so did increased interest
in the education of rapid learners. In 1901, Worcester,
Massachusetts organized what was probably the first
American public school for gifted children, an many other
cities ollo ed suit with the establishment of similar
special schools. (16: 2) Th s chools endeavored to enrich
their programs with more adv need su ject matter for pur
poses of eventual acceleration of their pupi l s. Rapid
advancement became th most widely use method of meeting
the needs of exceptionally able students .
lthough shifts of emphasis have occurred since
these early beginning, little ch nge has ta en place n
the basic design o plans for ducating the intellectua ly
gi ted. (16:3) Out of psychological and ocial re earch
came a strong concern for the emotional and social develop
ment of school children, which motivated educators in the
1920
1
s and 1 3 's to veer away from acceleration and to
favor enrichment as the more desirable modification o
school experiences for the exceptionally able child. The
14
predominant feeling was that the healthiest school environ
ment for the child would be created if he remained with his
age peers, regardless of the differences in learning abilit~
Even those who favored acceleration began to consider grade
skipping less desirable than segregating classes of gifted
students equal in age as well as in ability for rapid
advancement, with few seeing wisdom in acceleration under
any circumstances below the secondary school level. (16:3)
Continuing to reveal a strong partiality to enrich
ment as opposed to acceleration, current practices in
schools throughout the country, however, are noticing
recent research which ha swun the pendulum of professional
belief back somewhat toward grantin opportunities for
rapid advancement to the most ab l children. Recent Ford
Foundation experiment with pro ram o early admission to
coll ge and admission to college with advanced standing are
symbolic and upportive o reassessment o acce l eration.
(16:3)
Throu h scient fie studie o identif cation o
ntellectually g ted children and in the understanding of
their evelopment by such amous educators as Binet, Terman,
Cox and Hollingworth, the nation is becoming more aware of
and anxious to help gi ted children through sound educa
tional practices which wi l l enable them to assume their
rightful place as leaders of the world's society.
s enrichment remains one of the most widely
15
accepted ways to educate the gifted in the best way, fol
lowing chapters will stress this particular form of helping
these fortunate people to become the leaders of the future.
CHAPTER III
IDENTIFICATION OF THE GIFTED
Progress in the identification of intellectually
gifted children and in understanding of their development
has been greatly facilitated during the past fifty- our
years by scientific probing into the nature of genius. The
publication o Binet's mental test scale in 1 05, which was
followed in 1 16 by Terman's revis on o this instrument,
helped educators to begin to ecognize the po sibilities
of identifyin gi ted tudents at nearly age with a fair
degree of accuracy. Because of the studies to follow these
works, solid support wa lent to the hypothesis that the
arly promise o intellectuall ifted students in the
elementary school is l ikely to culminate in outstanding
achievement during adulthood. (16:3) Thus, it i o the
greatest importance that teach rs and administrators e
aw r o and attempt to use th ine t and most recent
va id instruments educat on can devise to d sc over the
intellectually gifted students as early
their school care rs.
possible n
Superior intellectual and talented endowment is
a composite of abilities with ideas, things, and
people. Those who possess these endowments should
contribute through creativity and leadership their
full potential, not only for themselves but also
17
for the society that needs them. It is the responsi
bility of the school to detect such children early
(preferable ages 6-9) so that the individual may
grow to realize his obligations to self and man and
to accept them willingly. Edrly recognition by the
school makes possible long term planning, skillful
counseling, and careful guidance. These school
services are needed early since among the charac
teristics of the gifted child is a tendency toward
discouragement. Even a greater reason for early
detection is to prevent in the child the formation
of poor school and study habits, such as a negativ
istic attitude toward authority, habits of extreme
chicanery, and withdrawal within self, and for the
teacher to provide interesting and challenging work
at school. (15:12-13)
It has been found that the earliest procedures for
determining giftedness are generally more subjective rather
than objective. Kindergarten an first grade te chers,
through observation nd testing, can et aside a group to
e watched for giftedness. The grou is likely to contain
the obviously gifte . It will probabl contain some who
are not really gi ted, and it wil l oc asion lly omit a few
truly ifted who, unless discovered oon ter rds, my
become what may be termed the gi ted i ters. (15 : 13)
Discovering i tedness n chil ren s h e pons -
b lity of parents, teacher, chool ministrator,
physicians, uidance counselor , an al others who 1 ve
and work with hild en . (21 : 11) Un er the stimul tion and
guidance of the administrator the classroom teacher hould
have the basic responsibility for ident fying the gifted
child. (3 :4)
I. IDENTIFICATION OF THE GIFTED CHILD
IN THE REGULAR CLASSROOM
18
It becomes the obligation of the classroom teacher
to systematically put into operation every known means of
discovering the gif ted child so that the child ' s academic
and special talents may be properly developed through
cooperative planning. "To drive a car in low gear in order
to stay with slow-moving traffic may result in an over
heated engine ." (22:12) In order to keep damage from the
intellectual 'engines" of the gifted children teachers can
mak us o the many opportunities which occur each day in
the classroom for using th t lents of gifted children in
acting a teacher aides in the actual instruction o their
ess gi ted peer. ssumin the responsib lity for helping
someone else underst nd an i ea or a process is definite
aid to the ch 1 o superior 11 ty in clarify ng h own
thin ing. (15:1) Caution shoul e exercised to make sure
that an excessive amount o · h s type of activity is not
put upon the shoul ers of the i ted and that the activity
1 rally bene itting them swell as those they help.
Through such activity the teacher my oft n get her first
knowledge o the ability of her tudents. ro thi~ point
on, she shoul not top enrichment activities and further
identification processes for such children.
19
Occasionally a child comes to the first grade and
the teacher finds that he has already learned to read. He
may have learned in very incidental ways as words on signs
and in his books. This may well indicate that he is a
bright child, for often bright children will learn in the
absence of teaching, sometimes learning on their own at a
very early age. (1:13) This may be a sign that teachers
can use as a basis on which to begin to judge their
students' abilities. It has been state that the useful
ness of the teachers• judgments with re pect to students'
ability is limited; (8:3) however, it is of the utmost
importance that the teach r hould stu y mental maturity
and achievement test scores, observe care ully the students'
performance, note unusu 1 behavior, reco nize special
skills and t lents, study cumulat ve records, con er with
parents, request th services of p cially trained per
sonnel, an initiate r ue ts or ndividual intelligenc
testing very early each choo y r. (3: )
chool rec o how a ch" l 's achievement record
throughout his school ng. I he consi tently makes ve y
hi h marks in school here is ave y ood chance, although
not a certain one, that he 1 superior or i ted. (1: )
Toh lp identify an keep nformed on a possib l e ifted
child, records in ddition to the regular orms used y
most school should be kept in the form o questions much
like the allowing: In which general area or areas does
20
this pupil give evidence of special ability? (General
intelligence, creative writing, science, social leadership,
mechanical arts, fine arts, music, rhythm, drama,
athletics . )
The following list as devised by Birch can be a
guidepost for the teacher to use to determine which chil
dren have "gifted" characteristics:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
•
10.
11.
12.
13 .
14.
15.
16.
17.
1 .
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
2 •
What
Uses vocabulary beyond his age level
Learns processes rapidly
Memorizes quickly
Perceives abstract ideas readily
Sees elements of a problem clearly
Can generalize from given facts
Has great curiosity about nature o man and universe
Follows complex directions easily
Shows resource ulness in the use o materials
Has high degree o self-criticism
Possesses unusual imagination
Reacts quickly in most situations
Has greater than avera e cone ntration and
attention span
Demonstrates in ti tiv n pl nn ng with a rou
Organ zes personal tasks e ectively
Is a rapid reader
Spends onsiderable timer adin
Reading cover a wide range of su ects
Retain asily wha heh· read
Makes frequent and e ective use o the library
Set up personal reading program
Show deep intere tin science
Likes to write creatively
Talks ea ily before a group
Possesses manual dexterity
Demonstrates ood taste in m tter of art
Hass veral ho bie
Pursues hobbies with en intere t (1 :10)
the home ba kgroun? termine th occupations and
educat·on o the p rents or u rdian; the family activities
in reading, music , lectures, theater, sports, trips , art,
ra io, television, movies, hous hold chore , roup hobbies;
21
any giftedness of other members of the family. Anecdotal
accounts are the teacher's records briefly noted of some
trait or interest of the pupil which will be a help to
other teachers or counselors as well as a record for her
use. Other possible items to record in such manner are
unusual achievements or plans of the pupil. (1:11)
Supervisors and principals can help in the selec
tion, collection, and evaluation of this information. The
function o identification must be clari led by the admin
istrator, as the chool must know who the pupils are and
what their needs are. (3:4) The administrator must have a
larg har n this process in the capacity o adv or also.
lthou h teachers are of en o great help in identifying
gi ted child re , they also o ten fa 1 to identify them cor-
rectly. omet mes th cur cy oc ur h n each r
mistakenly V uate a c d on ch emen nd fe gi ted
h ldren r a ducat onally dvanc d th r a ilit
warran
•
Boredom with ta tha are t C lenging
help th 1 ed ch 1 to v lo oor ha ts o work a
0 thinkin n a ck inter t n chool. When teach-
er
orget ha a t d ild may be oun er than the re t
o the group the may u derestima eh s a lit also.
R act on to th perso alit o dif erent children ma
in luence th teacher' valu tio o ability. Other
tea hers may n have adequate standard of child evelop-
ment by whic to judge th gifted hild's statu an
22
ability. (21:15)
II. PARENTAL OBSERVATION AND JUDGMENT
If the teacher can find out about a child's pre
school development, she may secure a good deal of informa
tion which will help her decide whether or not he is
bright. Sometimes kindergarten teachers enter the per
tinent facts on the permanent record. If not, the teacher
can and should discuss with parents their observations o
the abi l ities and activities of thei child.
In such an interview th teacher can ask such
things as suggested by Birch n listed below:
1.
2.
3.
4.
•
•
Is the f mily aware o the pupil's giftedness?
What are the amily' hope and pl ns for their
child?
Is the am·1y sympatheti toe fort to develo
the up l's ab.lities.
Will the mily coop rate with th cool nd
community agencies in helping the pupil to
develop hi interest an talents?
I financial b kin for the pupil is n eded, can
th family provide it?
List th child's ou o school ctiv ties. (1 : )
Parents are ike y to e biase in estimating the
intelligence o their children ut thei reports are often
o considerable valu in denti ying gi ted children, a
they have known their children longer and better than any
teacher or psychologist can hope to kno them. Thus it is
that teachers can often help determine whether a child may
be gifted or not by noting such early indications of
23
superior intelligence most often noted by parents and
listed by Witty. These are quick understanding, insatiable
curiosity, extensive information, retentive memory, large
vocabulary, and unusual interest in such things as number
relations, atlases, and encyclopedias. Early walking and
talking and the acquiring of the ability to read without
training during the preschool period also serve to call the
attention of parents to gi tedness in their children.
Then, too, gifted children are likely to have parents who
are either gifted or definitely superior in intelligence
themselves and who are therefore more likely to have in
sight into the a ility of their children . (21 :15)
While the child is involved in ctivitie outside
the school he wil l come under the o servation of other
professional wo kers whom y h l p n dentifying h mas
gifted. Th se pope may be pediatricians, physi ian,
school nurse, publ c he 1th nur es on h me visits, oci 1
workers, recreation leader, Boy and Girl cout leader,
church group leader. (2 :1)
11 o the ackground materi that ate cher can
obtain will help hr to determ ne more accurately the
potential of her tudent s . Then xt tep is to match this
knowledge again t the pictures of giftedness the experts
have been compiling and revising or years.
24
III. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE GIFTED CHILD
All children, no matter what their potentialities,
are first of all children and s ub ject to certain fundamen tal principles of growth and development . Each child grows
physically, mentally, emotionally, and socially at his own
rate, which is sometimes fast and sometimes slow. Each
child sets his own pace day by day and reacts in his own way
in a variety of situations. This ndivi uality is the
result of the reactions etween th child and his environ
ment at each stage in his development an is slowly sea
soned by life itsel . Int 111 et planning o th expe -
iences n eded ate ch developmental level furni hes the
soil or gi tedne s to ta e root, t s present, and to
lourish to h po n were i c n be r cogn· zed . In order
to intelligently pl n t ese experiences teacher and
a ministrators should eal z wh t res arc has ound to
be the characteristics of th
ccordin to h Ca
i ted chil .
ornia Elementar chool
dmini trator' ssociation, as
intell ctually gi ted chil ren :
roup th majority o the
1. re interested in wi e variety o things an
have a knowledge of many thing o which other
children are un w re.
2 . re able to generalize and rationalize.
3. Are very curious; ask why.
4. Have a good memory; retention comes read ly
without much rote drill.
5. Read two grades above thei r grade level; read
early in life.
25
6. Verbalize; possess advanced vocabularies; talk
at an early age.
7. Are more sensitive, self critical, and trustworthy.
8. Show originality, imagination, and creativity.
9. Tend to seek older companions; those in the
higher I.Q. ranges (150 and up) tend to engage
in solitary activities.
10. If between an I.Q. of 130 and one of 140, tend
to be better leaders and to have a good social
adjustment; if above an I . Q. of 140, this may be
less true.
11. Come from all races, creeds, environments,
economic brackets.
12. Have high ability regardless of sex.
13. Are emotionally relatively stable.
14. Have similar play interests to those of average
ability but desire more complicated games, rules
and standards.
15. Desire to do things di ferently.
16. Are superior in height, weight, and general
heal th. ( 3: 5-6)
Concerning the personality o the ted child
Birch writes "11 uthorities , ree that superior and
gifted children t n to have the inds o p rsonalitie
that make th m pop 1 r w th other ch 1 r n and adults.'
(1:8) This favorable persona ity may, o course , be
nd lo v ra e tudents a ell, o possessed by av r g
the above observation only a tendenc .
hen spe ial t lents ar consi ered as characteris
tic of intellectually gifted h ldr n o t uthorities
wou d say that uh talent may vidence of iftedness.
"Performing or composin music, p n ng, singing, and the
like may or ma not b a part of the many-sided interests
held y the gifted." (1 :8)
The extensive, thorough tanford study of 1 21-1 23
and its subsequent follow-up studies picture what many
26
authorities feel would be a typical gifted child, if such
child were to exist. This portraiture is useful in provid
ing a basis for generalization as a guide to educational
practice and should be studied by every thorough adminis
trator.
The average member of the gifted group is a
slightly better physical specimen than the average
child, health histories, medical examinations, and
anthropometric measurements being unanimous and
conclusive on this point.
Educationally, the average gi ted child i
accelerated in grade placement about fourteen per
cent of his age, but may be accelerated about forty
per cent according to longer test data.
The achievement quotients of the gifted were
not equally high in all school subjects. For the
fields of subject matter covered in the tests,
the superiority o gi te over unselected children
was greatest in rea ing, language usage, arith
metical reasoning, and in cience, literature, nd
the arts. In arithmetical comput tion, spelling,
nd actu 1 information bout h tory and civics,
the superiority o the gi te wa somewhat les
marked.
To wha ext nt ormal education responsi le
or the hi h achi vement uoti nts o the roup,
one my wonder. In this study twas ound that
in ten-year gifte group the length o chool
attendance t the time th ach vement tests were
given ranged rom less than two y ars to six years,
but when correla ions were computed between length
o attendance and achievement quoti nts in the
various school su jects not a single correlation
was found which di ered reliably from zero. In
high school, it is surmised, this wou l prob b
not be tru e , ut n the earlier years, at least
length and regularity of attendance h ve surpris
ingly little effect upon the gifted chil d's
achievem nt. This ould possibly sho that the
school is failing to do its part n theed cation
o the gifte child. (21:22-24)
27
The study further mentions that achievement tests
showed that the amount of unevenness in the subject-matter
profiles of gifted children does not differ significantly
from that shown in the profiles of unselected children.
The interests of gifted children are many-sided and spon
taneous. They learn to read easily and read more and
better books than the average child. They make many col
lections, learn more games, have more hobbies, and reveal a
degree o interest maturity two or three years beyond th ir
age norm. (21:24)
In character te t gi ted children usually are
above aver ge o e ery on. comp re with un el cted
childr n they r 1 s inc ne to bo tor to over tate
their nowledg; h re more trustworthy when under
tempt tion to he t; the r h racter re erence n ocial
att tud re more oleso e; nd t ey cor hi her n
te to emotion 1 stab 1 t . (21 :24)
R tins y parent an cher la e g ed chil -
dren far abov un elec ed ch ldren in ntel ectual,
volition , e o ion 1, moral, n phy ical trai and a out
the me a t e uns ecte ch dren n mechanical tra t .
(2 : 24)
nth follow p until 1~45 it a found that mor
tality for the group was only about our- i ths of the
expectancy for the eneral whit e population of comparable
ag, general h alth was very good nd both sexes exceeded
28
in height the norms for the general adult population as
well as that of the norm of college graduates. Well over
seventy per cent of both sexes had at least satisfactory
adjustment in mental health. On adult intelligence tests
no subject had regressed to the intelligence o an average
adult and no more than ten per cent were as low as the
eighty-fifth percentile of adults. Eighty-four per cent of
both sexes had married, showing a far higher f igure than
the generality of college students. bout seventy per cent
of the men and ixty-s even per cent o the women graduated
from college , which is about eight times as great as for
the general popul tion in Cali ornia. lmost one half o
them n were engaged in one o the professions, which is
eight times th pro ortion in C 11 ornia en rally o
employed m le . Thy had publi h d ou n net ook or
monographs; the h d een ranted more than one hundre
pt nts · ev n h d
(21 : 27- 33)
en 11 t din Who' Who in
te child , y hi ve n ture, nd The typical
to get more out o choo than th typical average child.
From e am t mu , th gi ted chil
•
cqu re re r
n 1 hts, und rstandin s , appreciat ons, and m mori s than
the child o verage intellect . "Thus 1 or th g ft d
appear
(8 : 55)
to be enriched merely
n y t the tanfor
y the living o it .
• • •
tudy described above gives
some proof that this nature of the gi ted child does not
,,
29
often feel especially stimulated in later years in school
and may react negatively because of boredom. It is this
negative characteristic, which all too often appears among
the gifted whose needs are not met, which administrators
and teachers need to watch for as carefully as the more
positive lists preceding.
IV. SUGGESTED TESTING DEVICES
The process of assessing the talents an abilities
o the children in the schools by means of standardized
tests and observational proce ur sin systematics rch
will be likely to find the many capable ut unmotivated and
underachieving children who are ur to over oo ed. I
the education o i f te children s to be broad and con-
c rted rath r han aph z r d n c tter nd a only
on on or two aspects o 1 t dn s , t s necessary 0
carry out n ve n n ns v a arch or 1 ted es
as po le. Th ducation 1 Pol ci Commi sion recommend
th tint 1 enc te t be us d earl in identifying gi ted
childr n b cause rom th can roughl y b predict d an
indiv dual's sub quent ehavior. (8:39)
Birch state that 'The s stematic location o right
children should be in arly in the ir t rade term." ( :13)
fter two or three weeks of getting used to the new grade
and teacher two kinds of te t s are useful in uch
30
identification. The first kind of test is called the
reading readiness test. From such tests information will
be given the teacher about which children should make the
most rapid progress, how ready to read each child is, and
how well each child should read by the end of first grade.
They are useful in i denti ication since the mentally
superior tend to score highest on them. (1:14)
The second very usefu l kind of test for detecting
brightne
gence test.
in first grade children is the roup intelli
s i n the case of reading readiness tests,
the mentally uperior ch dren will tend to make the hi h-
e t scor
•
These r oup te ar th simple t and most
satisfactory or theta her 0 d nti rn nt 1 y 1 te
pupil n the cla room ecau h y re simple 0 min-
ister, ta e 1 tl me, n re r ona y accurate 1 the
direc ion ar ollowe care 1
•
How v r, 'In 1 n 11 nc examin ton
a m nistered b p ycholo 1 ts are C more ccur t than
rou t st
•
n tion the p cho o i t C n o erve the
chil and ga n r ch in 1 ht in o h ersonalit
,
(1 : 7)
•
a ycholo
.
V i b , t to h V av ce
from him as ell he group est basi
•
u u 1 h r 1 0 rou nt lligenc te ts are
gi n in h orm o n ell enc uo ent
•
ccordin to
B rch, "uperior chi r n ( 1 teen out o one hundred) will
have quoti nts o ap roximately 115 or higher. Gifted
31
children (one out of one hundred) will have quotients of
about 135 or higher." (1 : 7)
Of course when the administrator considers the use
of intelligence tests and the resulting scores he will want
to consider this material as only a part of the total pic
ture. According to Witty, "An intelligence test score is
only a numerical appraisal of the mental abilities required
in performing a task that requires the ,xercise o intelli
gence. The adequacy o the intelligenc test score itself
in giving a true picture of the child's intellectual endow-
ment is conditioned ·n rt y the child's previous
experience, by th person giving the test and by the child ' s
performance and cooperatio at the time o the test. In
evaluating the re ults, a rev e er n ed to take m ny other
factor into co era t 1 o . " ( 21 : 14 )
A negat ve cons d rt on to r ber
t ach r or oth r per o 1 1 C oo muc
e
test score the further roup o c mments y
recent pub ication:
when a
t upon the
tty in a
I y gi ted children we ma tho e youn sters
who give promise o creativity o high order, it
appears that the typ c 1 intelligence test is un
suita le or use ·n identi ying them. For creativity
posits originality, and originality impl e success
ful management, control, and organization o new
materials or experiences. Intelligence tests con
tain over-learned materi~ 1 which call for stable
predicta le response, not original creative reaction.
Intelligence testers treat intelligence s if it
were a mental function--a capacity whose constancy
and regularity are uninfluenced and uninterrupted by
32
other bodily reactions. This is a mistake according
to biology, which shows that the total organism is
an integrated agent. Measurement separately destroys
their combined force. (27:513-515)
Witty feels that there should be a reevaluation of
the test and a revision of the educational practices based
on the acceptance of the test as a measure of inborn, un
changing ability. Giftedness, in his estimation, should be
estimated by observation o the child's behavior. The
child whose performance is con i tently remarkable in any
potentially valuable area might well e considered gifted;
he should given th opportunity which his attainment
demands or nurture and uture rowth. (27:516)
good identi icat on pro ram need a wide v riety
of tests to iscover di er nt t 1 nts and abilities. lso,
the more group tests tha
abil ty, the mor accur
re used or identi ying given
the nt ca ion w 11
•
ach a itio al et inc eas con id nc nth correc -
ne s of th
tor mus con
creenin proc s . Once gin h dm nistr -
practice-- in c
s ve an ma
strat on.
r the
•
r
ativ
Th s test
C 1
id o this des rable
e u u 11 a rly xp n-
r o n or her admin-
eHa n nd H vi hurs h ve ug est d roup of
test from which th adm n stra or may select one or
several tests to help dent fy the ifted ch·l ren in his
school or i trict an if hen eds more information, he
33
should consult the Fourth Mental Measurements Yearbook.
(5:46)
The specific tests available as described by DeHaan
and Havighurst are grouped under separate headings as
follows:
General Intelligence Tests
1. The Pintner-Cunningham Primary Test can be used
on the primary level, from the kindergarten
through the first half o the second grade.
2. The Kuhlmann- nderson Intelligence Test ( th
edition) can also be used in the primary grade .
This is a group intelligence test that g ve an
over-all mental age for each child.
3. The Goodenough Draw-a-Man test s one of the
non-verbal primary intellig nee tests. It
measur s the child' ability to depict concepts
4.
•
and relationships rather th n hi ility to
deal with th m verb lly.
The Pintner Gen ral Abil t Tes cont ins
for these grades call d the P ntn r-Duros
Elementary Test, which an b us d rom the
second r de throu h th ir hal of th
ourth.
es
The Kuhlmann-Fine Ts s are
tests that can u ed nth
and up through gra 12. Th
an I .. based on iv st nc
eneral n 1 enc
lem ntary grades
rou test yi 1 s
m asur s of
intell gence.
6. The Davis- ells Game re de gned to e rel -
tively "culture-fir" th te s cons uc ed
o as not to penaliz youngster rom lo er socio
econom c cla ses. The content is given by mean
o pictures and reading is not emphasized.
Dif erential ptitud T ts
The tests described in the previous ction
measure general scholastic aptitudes. Recently,
however, intelligence tests, called ifferential
aptitude tests, have been developed. They measure
the primary mental abilities, such as verbal compre
hension, word fluency, numerical ability, spatial
imagery, associative memory, perceptual speed, and
reasoning ability. These have been designed to
measure specific aptitudes comprising intelligence
rather than a general intelligence factor.
1. The Science Research ssociates-Primary Mental
Abilities Test is a differential aptitude battery
available for three age levels.
2 . The Guil f ord- Zimmerman Aptitude Survey is avail
able for testing upper elementary and high-school
youngsters.
3. The Californ a Mental Maturity Test is a wi ely
used test of aptitudes. This test gives a
"language" score, a "non-language" score and a
total score, as well as scores on ive subtests.
Individual Intelligence Tests
1 . The tan ord-Binet Scale is one of the most
widely used individual intelligence tests. Thi
test is used as a final screening t st and must
be administe ed ya trained psycholo it.
2 . The echsler Intelligence cale for Chi r n
consists of tw seals, the ver 1 and th
p rformance seal .
ehavior Descr p on Ch r
Th sin trument can be use to er en children
for social lea ership (as w 11 as formal d ustm nt).
It is desi ned tom k th data from one teacher
roughly comparable to thos o nother t acher b
using a modif e orced-cho ce chni ue.
In the B havior escription Chart the items are
put together in groups of ive. Ther are ten uch
groups. The teacher is instructe to selec in ach
group the one tatement most like the child under
consideration and the one statement least like him.
In the five items of ah gro p one of the t te
ments is descript ve o social 1 a er hip, one
describes aggressive behavior, and one describe
with rawn behavior. The to remaining statements
are more nearly neutral in tone and might easily be
attributed to an average child, for whom none of the
three significant statements seems appropriate .
The "Who Are They ?" Technique
A type of screening instrument especially useful
in obtaining children's ratings of each other is
called the "Who Are They?" technique. It can be
used to discover children with well-developed skills
in social leadership and hum n relationships. In
this technique the children are given a number of
brief word pictures each describing some kind of
exceptional behavior. They are instructed to write
under each word picture then me of every classm te
whom they think the description fits . Word pictures
can be constructed to indicate any type o gifted
ness that a chool my wi h to identify.
Tests for Per onality Ch ract ristic
er onality tests
screening device or
on ways of un er t n i
r lated to a child ' a
1 . R Junior Inven
inv ntory cover
getting alon with
my schoo, a out m
thin in en ral .
chievem t T t
ar mportant not o much as
it d childr n s or light
g person 1 and ocial actor
lity .
rm (rads 4-8). Tis
x peso al re : My heal
othe eople , about m an
sel, out me an my home,
chools r gul rly u m ny c i vem nt t st,
such as th Metropo l itan Ach evement T ts, th
Iowa Test o ducat onal evelopmen, the
Achievement er es, Cooper t e General ch eve
ment Tests, an many special z te ts n read ng,
arithmetic, lan u ge, arts, etc. Thee tests
provide a measure of how c use the gifted ch ld
is making o the a lity he has nd a r e ther fore
useful for per anal guidance a well s planning
the education 1 program o the child. (5:47- 57 )
,
denti ication of th alented do not end with
35
the tabulation oft ting r sult or th listing of students
who show outstanding abilities. To be of value, such
results must be analyzed and understood for what they tell
about individual youngsters and what leads they provide for
more adequate instructional and administrative provisions .
Since students, teachers, administrators, parents , and the
community itself are all involved in what the school does
for the talented, each of these groups must be informed in
varying degree about the findings, especially when they
imply possible mo ifications of existing practices. (16:2)
V. CRITERI O F A GOOD IDENTIFIC TION PROGRAM
s an am ni rator ets u his identification
program to determin who h g f d an up rior children
are n his schoo,
lowin criteri o
mu t be constant y aware o the fol -
goo dentification progr m and check
all pha o the ro r m•s operation to s e that th pro-
ram hol s to h m. Thi ·s a ood chec list rom the
Ca
orn a El mentary chool dministrators ' ssociation:
1 .
2 .
3.
4.
•
6.
It is inc l usive o · 11 ch ldren
It is syst matic , using wide var ty of test
with records that are consistently recorded and
u e
It i e ic ent · n must not be 1 burden to
the teacher
It is flexible enough to fit th objectives
of local educational program
It s early an continuous
It uses teacher ·u gment an observation (3 : 7)
37
The dissemination of information must begin early
in the identification of the gifted child. When teachers
are asked to supply sociometric or anecdotal materials,
they should clearly understand th purposes for which this
information will be used and how it will fit into the total
identification program. Before students are singled out
for special testing sessions, both they and their parents
should be informed of the purpose of the tests to some
degree. The factors that should be considered n deciding
to what extent parents, students, school personnel, and
the commun ty should be inform do testing result, and
how this should e done, wil l vary with each o the groups
concerned.
The interpr t ~ tion o ind ngs a out talent to
chool personnel hould guided y uc consideration
as the degree of knowled e po d y th faculty re rd-
ing testin proce ures an the r me ni , th r pon -
bil1t1 s variou sta f mm rs w 1 h ve n planning
instructional n am n strat ve ch nge, the tt tude o
th aculty owar special provi ions or th ta nt d nd
toward t achin th t lente, an he functions o non
teaching personne l such as gui anc e workers nd nur e .
(16 :30)
The talented individual's awareness o his uperior
abilities has a decided in uence upon h s general sel -
concept. Whether or not the knowledge th the is
38
considered gifted stimulates him to greater achievement and
results in self-improvement depends on his interpretation
of the meaning of this superior ability . In interpreting
the findings to him, the school administrator should con
sider such factors as the manner in which the talented
student is likely to react to the information, his achieve
ment record and attitudes toward school, the attitude of
his peers toward outstanding achievement, the age and
maturity of the student, and the circumstances under which
the student is to be informed and y whom. (16:31)
Parenta awareness o the nature and xtent of a
child's talents can form the basis of home attitudes that
either ncourag or discoura e talent nd personality
development. Thew yin w hich parent are in orm d about
the tal nts o their children shoul based on uch
consideration a the kin o nowle ge parents already
have about heir children ' i tis, the egree o
understanding they can r n to a iscu ion o te ting
results, their educational bac ground nd speci 1 ilitie,
their att tud s t owar pee ic nts and toward post
highs hool education, n th parent-child r lationship
in th home. (16:32)
Interpretin in in out the 1 ted to the
community can h lp elimin te the pos ility o public
preju ice about talent an the gi ted. It can help com
munity agencie to cooper t with the chool in nurturin
3
talent. It will also inform the community about its poten-
tial human resources and about the school's efforts to
develop them. The extent to which the community should be
informed and the way in which this is done, should be based
on such considerations as prevailing community attitudes
toward talented or gifted people generally and toward
specific talents, existing community attitudes toward
special provision for the gifted, and the extent to which
community agencies already provide opportunities for the
gifted through facilities and funds. (16:32-33)
Regardless of which group is to be informed, there
are certain eneral qu stion for which there are no
authorit t ve answer, and which each chool must answer
or itsel in the 11 ht o the consi erations pr viously
discusse . The admin t rator must sk himself what kind
of information hould d ss m nate nd wh t n shoul
rm n on n al · who hou ve ace to con d ntia
information; which ndiv u ls ho 1 e given the re pon-
1 111 yo n ormin s u ent , ch ol sta , parent,
an th communi y· an how c n h n ormation presente
o th the t 1 nted wil er ve th ax mm ene t with
am nimum o detriment 1 ffects . (1 :33)
Ident ing m ntally uperior and gi ted children
is the fir
them. It
lightly. Th
tep tow r rovid n proper due tion or
neither a simple st p nor one t o be taken
"denti icat on proces should mak us of
40
sound procedures. Once begun, it should be continued so
that all gifted children entering school become known.
Information about children, obtained during the process of
identification, should be used in educational planning.
Records are essential, for the study of the gifted child
only begins with his identification. Unles educational
adjustments are to be made for such children, the time
spen in their identification is largely wasted. When
educational a ustments are m de, further light will be
thrown on was o improving the identification procedures.
(1:12) For purpos o thi study the method of enrich-
ment in th cla room i a urned to e the est existing
educational a ustme t now in se an hou db an on-going
proces fro th earlie t o edg o w o the gi te ild
1 .
41
CHAPTER IV
CLASSROOM ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS
The possession of exceptional abilities is usually
in itself a powerful spur toward eminence. The chief
hazard to be avoided in childhood is the denial of adequate
mean of expre ion or a lack of understanding on the part
of adults of the need for satisfactory outlets. Great
unhappiness and sometimes serious motional malad ustment
develop wh n gi ted child's e tal tasks are too easy
for him or when he invites ridicule or jealousy or even
fear becau e of hi mani t superiority. I it i possible
to tea h thi en u in te mer ly hopin it will come
along, the utur 111 elo g to the ociety which ir t
di cov r ho.
1 roo en i ment on w n wh c d cator
m nistra- are att mptin to teac th
tor a t acher wor o
program will de erm ne ho
to thi countr.
i ted. H w w 11
th r n ucce n uch a
muc o h
II
utu e" wi 1 belong
Pl nnin for the i te hou concern d with
attainin the hree basic goals of self-r aliz tion o the
individual, in res in the productivity o th gifted in
school and in adult life , and increase in the national
42
reservoir of talent. In planning its program, the school
should not lose sight of any of these three goals or over
emphasize the attainment of one at the expense of the
others. ( 16: 34)
The heart o planning for the gifted in any sort of
program lies in enrichment--"the process of tailor-fitting
the curriculum to the needs, interests, and a ilities of
the gifted pupil and o adding more variety and complexity
to hi ignment ." (6:11 ) inc th d al metho of
enrichment, the com lete individualiz tion and ifferen
tiation o in truction for every tudent, still remains
be n practical r ' C , teachers an a ministrator can
work to ether to develop th best pos ible arrangements
or stimulat ng intell ctual y i te chi r n nth
n ii u 1 room.
•
IFT D CHILD IN TH REGULAR CL R OOM
Enr chm nt o t nus d o C i "del b-
ra i erentiat o o curricul m content and activiti s
or th per or pup n hetero eneou class . ( : 56)
T th rn an n ha rha b s uit th pur ose
his stud . o onl oes the nancial aspect o
spec a cases or th ft come important to smal
school tric, but lso th mportant matter o givin
th gi ted h opportunity o wor with other of varying
43
degrees of ability. Perhaps the very opposite end of the
intelligence scale need not be included in the same class
with the gifted and superior children, but it is the con
tention of many experts who have studied the problem that
Paul Witty is ri ht when he says of the gifted child, "And
certainly he should not be placed in a special group
alleged to be homogeneous. There can be no justi ication
for homogeneous grouping o gi ted children since scien
tific studies reveal the essential variability within the
human organi m; and ince ther
advanced to show the validity o
effecting homo enity . " (27 : 516)
has been no evidence
any menta l test in
roup n n pecial class or a special school
would ppear o violat the b s p emi e on which demo-
cratic i d p n , or ou n to conceal nd
min mi e d f r nc s ris n rom h xchange opinion
nd nterpretation, ncoura t d velopmen o "cl ss'
education, rewar or put pr mium upon ortunate ocial
heritage and penal z the 1 ortunate, nd fa 1 to
envisage th potentialit of th mas or r eat ve
expr s ion and ntell gen e av or . (27 : 517)
It appears to b clear that from all consid erations
there is really but one w y to enrich th curriculum or
gifted children; namel, y providing an env r onment which
furnishes the richest opportunities for al l children. True
enrichment o instruction occurs when children are
44
stimulated by the presence of different personalities work
ing on different levels. (27 :518-520)
After the administrator has found that financially
and democratically his school will be most helped by having
the gifted child in the regular classroom, he must consider
what the objectives will be for the actual education of
these children, how to organize their instruction, what
the actual activities might b e in their classroom, how to
help thee ch ldren tom ntain ood menta hy iene, what
the characteristics of a good teacher for these gi ted
children · re, and a review of his role as the admini trator
most clo ly connect d with th uc t no the git din
hi schoo.
II. OB CTI 0 EDUCTION OR HE GIFTED
Th
h
chool hou c r ully w tch l at h ob ec-
1 t children V
r uph
•
e or h
Te adm n s ra o
du
m
on
h c o e that ea -
of hi chool n ss o no occ
per onn n hal
mo mport nt o
n
o e
ect ve
h e ort oi l
ect v nr chmen. T o o th
re mo ivat on · nd wor
such ha incentive i
hab t .
h gh and Mot v ton mu
opportunitie s ch len
commensurat w h the
n nough to
, lents o h
vok ach ev rnent
gifted. ometimes
home pro 1 m or n i erence to aca emic achievement may
45
weaken the possibility of good motivation. Here the
administrator and the teacher should work together to help
the home to understand and value the opportunities afforded
the gifted pupil. (8:73)
Work habits should early be developed to an effi
cient level by intellectually superior pupils or their
productivity wills riously be impaired by inefficient
habits at the level o higher education. When the scho 1
fails to ive the gifted pupil challengin problems to do
or to hold them to high enough standards o performance,
in fficiency will come orth as laziness, carelessness,
disorganiz tion, ay reaming, an superfici lity or the
equal y di turbing overor anize p ttern of b havior mark d
by m ticulousnes, scur v nes, nd nability to brin
a ob to conclusion. 1th th irst poor habits comes
ventua r ina 1 ty to stud, nd w th th other
x rm th pup o ac cho 1 t mor thorou hl
han s r u re an o is oon unabl to aug his e fort
to th ize or ·mportanc o s ask. (8:74-75)
To urmount thes obs cle ore they can ecome
ob t cles t o h g t r mar c ·1dren' ue t for know-
ledge, the adm n trator hou d t ke or h sown a r oup of
gener 1 ob t·v so enrichment. tarting w th th dea
that cha lenge st mulate learnin, th adm n strator and
teache should cid to challeng the full use o the
abilities o th gift . They shoul help the gi ted to
broaden their bases of knowledge, for a breadth of know
ledge covering many fields helps the gifted pupil explore
his aptitudes and choose the field which interests him
most. When understanding is deepened, the more quickly
46
can a student l earn not only a single fact , but also
related facts. Und erstanding makes for the quick and
accurate application of knowledge in new situations. There
should be an i ncrease in the level O t skills with an oppor
tunity or the gi t ed to apply practically and at incre s ingly high levels the knowledge he gains rom all branches
of the curriculum; and it should elp him cul t ivat kill
in human relation. ove of l earning hould e d velope.
Th bri ht pupil who 1s not en ouraged to learn more than
e uir s 1 oth extra know e ge the curri ulu
th t e migh C U r n
ms ing
hel ul xer ise n learnin ,
irable m etho so le rn
n ulcate int
thinkin, ands
n, th nking, a
progr m or t e
shou b very
thr ve on exer
r g. Thu,
h r n o 1
it . n lly, th cho l personnel
ul o en o r e ni i iv, wh h
,
e o th pr sur
n er e t v t, h ch
or on or i y ex rt
1
n pe er. Many
the tea hr o h
o thee ucation o
acher
te
h r
xer such r ssur swell, ut
m st ma creativ ty an o j ctive
ifted pupil . (4:42-45)
The te cher o 1ft children n primary grade
must
on me a out the several aspect of each child's
development as a part of the objectives of education for
the gifted.
47
The gifted should be guided in making rapid pro
gress in the language arts, especially reading. They
should not be held to the pace 0 1 the average of the class.
Neither should they be forced beyond their natural abili
ties an inclinations. They should learn rapidly in the
language arts an tt in ndependence, especially in read
ing, as soon a possible.
The acquis tion of arithmetic skills an concepts
in horter tim th n the verag child n eds should e
of great mportance in the ifted child' program of learn
ing. Te gifte m t not er q ·re to perfor epet -
ous arithmet c
their capaci e~
U r n
n
,
s s nor ye
r ro
n h o e
nn n
h
h
presse to achieve
r nterest .
an o cep t o mo
eyond
t
n xt n n
hr uh h om n t t orl 1 r , ho 1
our e . C oc tion r e o po le wt o
norm ton; nd t norm ton mu ca u y rov d d
er he t che ir c 1 or h 1 n
th x ri nc s that 1 a to under t n n.
The p rticul h 1
1
s oc al, emotiona, n
physical ev lopment lso o eep oncern o th prim· ry
teach r. The pr mary teacher who work success ully w th
m ntally super r n 1 ted ch"ldren, must strike a
48
balance and give proper weight to these aforementioned
aspects of child development. The gifted child's growth
and development, educationally and otherwise, is a process
of moving from one stage to another by swift but often
unsure steps. The teacher's guidance and encouragement are
needed regularly and consistently by the mentally gifted
child. (1 : 12)
The California Elementary chool Administrators'
Association has put forth an xc llent list of objectives
of education or the ifted which seems to bring together
the rest o the possi le objectives in one conci list
as ol ow:
1.
2 .
3.
•
E
a.
•
C •
•
•
•
•
h.
ctive think ng
Recognizing pro lem
eeing part in re at·on to the w ho e
atherin cts
U in ources o n ormat on
eighing ev d nc
Check ng con lus on
Thinking o jectivel
Th nkin re tiv
a ic kills
a. plyin asic ill
. Listening ntel i ntl
c. Understand ng th m anin b hin number
relationshi s
. Understanding the language o rithmet·c
•
pplying m thods o checkin comput re ults
Citizen h
a . Group action
b. Civic af airs
c. pplicat o of kno 1 d
Understan ing of environment
a. Relationships between environment and other
factors such as customs of the people, ocial
nstitution n sci ntific development
4
b. An understanding of science and atomic energy
were related having more importance for gifted
children
5. Appreciation of beauty
a. The discovery of special talents in the arts
b. The understanding of peoples through their arts
c. The acquiring of an understanding of art and
music
d. Participation in community cultural activities
•
Worl understanding
7. Character and human relations
a. Accepting responsibility
b. Serving others
c. Understanding the differences among people
d . Practicing courtesy and kindness to others
. Developing a philosophy of life
8 . Vocational competence
•
Use of leisure time, health, afety, successful
family life, and consumer ffectiveness (3:11-12)
III. THE ORG NIZ TION O I TRUCTION O R GIT D CHILDREN lN
REGUL ft CLA IN VERAL C LI OltNI CHOOL D TRICT
tr con er ton
ed cation or the ifte ch ld r n in his choo, the
adm ni rato u t 0 e 1 1 n o organ zat on
o ·n truct on hat mi t h chool tuation.
ev-
r 1 o h
n Cali orn
in min.
Ith
n o or n z ton hat ar wor
le
t r
w 11 discussed r ly w th thi purpo e
be n ound that,
11
uccessful op ration o l
d f erenti ted nrichment with a group o iversif e
a 11 ties is greatly facil tated hav ng small class s,
50
ample and varied instructional materials, flexible curricu
lum and standards, and versatile teachers." (8:59) When
there is readiness to learn at a greater speed and at a
higher level, the teacher and the administrator must search
for new content and new activities. Often the pupils will
start the program for themselves regardless of the achieve
ment o a working program or the aforementioned eatures.
By pressuring for more science, reading, research time,
and ield trip, the pupils help modify the curriculum of
their schools. Often these modi ications take the form of
addition of subject matter, by adjustments in time sched
ul s, by a ignment o special teachers, and by other
changes d 1 ne to enrich the progr m for these children
o promise. (21 : 2 2-2 3)
Amon th sug
edure change
trad ton 1 metho w
t on o ere n t ach ng pro-
n appro ch, a shit to less formal
h . h cl room. In some school
nd
dm n strator nd st p n, n the ower grade , a pro-
rm wh p ov e vari r ding m te als or git
chil r . C re mus aken t pet ton oes not
eter ora nto out n i nm n h c r qu r t
or . Caution m st xerci din the kind nd amount
o a itional wor ned t the te . I the s
pe ia a 1 nm nt, t mu an at v ty which appal
to th ts w h h hould be nurtured and developed.
In som schools the material o tudy are
organized into "contracts" which pupils can fulfill at
their own rate for a certain period. They meet for group
participation when a certain amount has been covered.
Such a plan is regarded as e fective in developing good
study habits. (21:264)
Usually such plans are, howev r, too expensive to
be continually revising and duplicating, too expensive o
each student's ndeavor to carry out h sown purposes and
achiev worthy outcomes because the purpose o learning·
not in th mind o the learner.
In oth r schools th admin trator and his staf
sel ct center o
become the ocu
n ere t, c 1 un t o work, which
or the school ro rm. It woul appear
th t th se un ts o wor, wh n properl handle, have
r d al o e uc tonal worth. I wou l s m tha
51
ustmen tom th se an 1 t ral art o th
n , cco n to o due or .
m h a st n , h n s r tor c n o e
urr culum
tr havin
at h
vs on o con rv t ose who, caus o her ifs, a
erv t 1 om rea ty. (21 : 265) h ir on r
ccor in o Kore, aw 1 lane rogram for th
1.
chil
T w
a w
a more
hou on lo n p nc·p1
r la e o th
hould nclu m
level.
r th cl
activitie o
2 . dequa o ortu itie hold e aff r ded to th
ifted c ildren or realizin th valu of th ir
own contri ution an for r cognition by others.
•
•
3. Most of the work should be planned in groups so
that the gifted children are helped to develop
leadership and the ability to work with others.
4. Creative work such as art, puppetry, writing
stories and poems should be stressed as an emo
tional outlet.
52
5. It should be remembered that gifted children often
have weaknesses as well as strengths. Special help
should be given when there is evidence of su ject
disabilities, lack of needed skills, phys cal
awkwardness or personality problems. (25:79)
The actual organi zation of n tructio for gifted
c ildren in the regular classroom may ollo one o several
courses. Several of the lans now in use mayo fer ideas
to the interested administr tor. riefly, seven o
C 11 ornia's n one important plan ro neighborin
tate are descri e n a very in ormativ ooklet devised
or the urpo e o help n admin tr or unde tand and
provide or the i te hil
•
Th uthors resented th r
work a 0 0 'S un e the ance o th Ca1·rornia
le rr. n ar choo n s r or' s oci on. (3 :2 - 4)
an e o Ci y
n 1 , 0 rs i
hool '
xper m ntal progr
pupil r che x ere c
,
a
e un
rt
o th in tructiona pro ram o th r ula cla room.
xperi nc r rov ded which e velo ee rand
er insi ht n whi o beyon th 1 mit o r ul r
las work. No ub ect matter a ov rad level s ntro-
duce, ho\lJ ver. ctiv participation in the rogram of
enrichm nt be in on limited cale in the third ra e.
53
Pupils who score 148 or more on an individual intelligence
test are included.
Elementary school principals are responsible for
directing the program in their own schools. They may
enlist the help o teacher-consultants, psychologists,
visiting teacher and other supervisors and specialists.
Principals are encoura ed to exper ment with the program
within their own schools an to report results. Three
teacher-consultant carry responsibilities in ive major
areas wherein assistance is given teachers an principals
with curricular and enrichment plannin, interpretin
pol cy, meeting
tion and introdu
or small grou 0
or p rent an schoo pr onnel, prepara
on o lessons that provi e enrichment
ted tudents, n isting teachers
in e ective us o enr
pupil .
men materi 1th t
0 C d · rent o nr h e ho
the pro ram o te
in
up ·nth regular classroom nd
at ome inc evelopin 1 s 0 ge ted ctivi s
which wil help enr·c th e
ucat·on
1 pro ram or gi ted
pu ·1s, and th urr ulum omm ttee w th nth istr ct
prepar th m er 1 . There s rovi ion or th p rchase
0 p C al ipm nt n d ition 1 r rence terial
such as earphone , typewr ter, micro cope , slide rules,
abacuses, encyclop dias, almanac, lo es, science kits,
advance recreational readers, and reading sets. An
54
elimination of routine assignments and provision for
activities and lessons which give breadth and depth to
experiences is one area of effort. They encourage teachers
to stimulate pupil participation in hobbies and special
interests which the teachers themselves have pursued.
There is an organization of pupil interest clubs which meet
during or after school hours. They prepare special bulle
tins for parents of the ifte and utilize community
resources such as xcursions to civ , cultural, an indus
trial activities within the are and lectures and demonstra
tions by outstandin laymen in their fields.
In carefu ly stru ture interviews, princ pals and
sycholo its notify p rent th t th ir children are
gifte . Many su et on are m de and que tion · nswered.
Pro re r port n m etin o p rent re eld. The
ch 1 r n them lv r no not e o t er t nes
nor a he .
o pup 1
u uall
th c
inc ud
clu tr- rou d la on n wh c h r n e
lit
conta n
e, u
n ch
pupil
not bo
•
vement 1 mt . uch cla
rom one o th other extrem o
T ran e wou l d therefo not
oth xtremel low nd extr m y hi ha 11 t
pup·1s. Un e thi plan veral 1 te childr n c n b
assigne to th me teacher, thu m king it pos ble to
esta lish a chal en in workin roup for these pupils
55
within a regular classroom. This cluster-grouped class has
the advantage of retaining most of the virtues of the
heterogeneous class without many of its disadvantages.
The high-ability pupils maintain all of their contacts with
children of lesser or differing abilities. The mutual
understandings and adjustments that need to be developed
can be achieved within the regular school program. At the
same time th xclusion of the lowest group rom the classes
with the high cluster reduces th spread o ability so that
fewer read g an other skill-subject rouping w thin the
clas ar necessary to meet a uately the differences in
hievement. y brin ng to ether veral i te ad very
superior pupil to orm high clu ter n las, these
pupils vet o o tun ty to or with h ldren o e u 1
or n ye 1 ilit . t pupi s n e this h en e.
Th clu ter ro p pan is e re erre ttern
or r niz r t o o c . t e m tary choo o
e to t on U 1 hool tr ct .
C s o V' choo tr ct ' ore- ble-C 1
h ldr n wt o Pr
rou tes
• •
n u e n ttend n e
of 120 or h hr . Te
two t mes a w e 0 ho r. ims o
or shop pl nne
th w rk ho were
t o velop
er t
ng on se
n
•
rt cal th n n, appreciation o the art,
o other eople o th word, an un erstan -
Th results w re very pleas ng to shoo an
community alike, so after one year in one school the pro
gram has been expanded to all schools. This is not pre
cisely a regular classroom enrichment program, but the
children bring to their regular classrooms the knowledge
they absorb from the workshop sessions to help enrich the
classroom program.
56
Somewhat the sa~e philosophy is involved in the
program in th lum Rock Union Elem ntary chool District.
In addition to brin
0
in to their peers what they have
gained in specla classe
to ether, the gi te in
when · 1 of the children are
lum Rock District have n indivi-
dual zed pro ram within an speciall grouped cl s .
lum Hock embar o its · ted chi progr m even
thou h the pr ry ra e t ; 1 v 1 m entar school
wer o doubl e on . Children rom o these
oo m the ull-tim t - x h rade p ci
cl a tr ore y coo . T cl
low m e u 0 r C and unch our
re ul r la e d ob ne th r u ar cla
hy c ed c on .
ol as th
or
in h curr cu um r th re ular gr de 1 v 1
n em r n much short r m than in th re ul r
classroom , rt y du o the 3 I .. n above requir -
ment, more v r n r ch r experie ce with n thi
curriculum can b iven the children . There may e some
57
acceleration of the curriculum in certain areas to meet
the needs of an individual; however, predominantly the
emphasis is on enriched experiences . These include an
exploration of literature, the development of appreciations
in music an art, creative expression in oral and written
communication, the development of research skills, and the
exploration of inter st area resulting in individual
projects .
Th r i fin cooperation among the faculties,
administration, community, and an Jose tate College to
mak the program workable.
The carry-over from other experiences is well
an Franc·sco school. illustr ted by the program in
Classroom enrichment i brou ht out by the partic pat on
0 the d n peci ntere t or lub groups. Throu h
resu t 0 ue tionn ·re on pupil
'
lei ure time act v -
t wa oun tha h r w ne d 0 en oura ment
0 better us 0 tat im n hin 0 ro ec n
the re ular cl room. Teac
r '
dmini trator , nd
p rent org n·z
ter roups n cienc , n tur
tu , photo r p y, dram C, rt n er ts, newspaper,
s tchin, ol danc ng, n tamp ol ecting. Th clu s
met very succe ull to ether nd ob ctive or achieve-
ment are esta 1 she n e ch roup.
58
Summer school can and does have a definite effect
on the learning program for the gifted in the Riverside
schools. In Riverside those summer school classes organized
specifically to enhance and strengthen the educational
experiences of superior and gifted pupils form a discrete
part o the district 's summer program. Pupils n grades
five and six with an I .. of 120 or above on a group mental
ability test are eligi le to part·cip te . Enrollment is
heavy, as parents and children loo forw rd to th possi
bility of being invit d to attend.
Ma or emphasis i placed on helpin pupils discover
experi nces through their own ini iat ve . The teacher'
effort are directed toward developing the ttitudes an
th skills that wil l r y over nto the regul r yearly
work o the tu ents. ccelerat no ubject matter
not a o 1 ; rat r t i hoped th· t c · 1 ren 1 , oun
ny re u r arl c ignm tor ro ect, arn to
loo or nd pursu 1 n o roader and deep r inter t.
tion,
gra
Palo
n o
lto
hi h
chools use to
ct 11 n
ace 1 rt on, plac ng th c
p roaches to acceler -
ch nt. The first
ld hea of hi c rono-
lo ical a e roup; th second is ub ect acceleration or
nr hment. Th latter appro ch prov de the student with
an opportun t to take the next tep in the sequence of
wor n mathematics, or nstance, ven thou h this tep
59
is not usually provided at his present grade level. Gifted
pupils are accelerated on the basis of a judicious consi
deration by their principals, teachers, and parents of the
student's mental, physical, social, and academic status.
In Portland, Oregon, a widely known program called
the Portland Cooperative Program for Students of Excep
tional Endowment is growing and improving y arly . This
program includes n xample of how heterogeneous grouping
can provide enri hment opportunities or g fted chil ren.
Under Portland's present elementary school or anization,
the homeroom the c nter for diver 1 led instruction.
Children are rouped ya e with minor ad ustments or
di erences n ntellectu 1 cap cities. major portion o
the learnin situa ons r
in tin purpo or em
teach in en
nter t n
we r e our
t 1 ,
a c tie
o rea
•
organ ze aroun certain dom Th particul r metho o
eat n the ry, to th v rie
n. Ch 1 r n ho rea
mo e i u t re ourc mat r-
al. Thoe who h v hly ev lope und r tandin o
math t cal cone contr ute th ta i tic at .
To 1 h ar t 1 nt, m ch c ty, c enti ic
nowl ge, and m ·c 1 lity contri ute accord n to
their variou tr n h. Thi teachin, where n al con
tribute to the common unto tu y, oes not prec ude
drill pract an m morization, ut th e r e r lated to
60
the unit material.
Improvement of teachers' capabilities and interests
has been the focus of summer workshops and in-service
classes with emphasis on the development of specific activ-
ities for gifted individuals or groups . n effort has been
made to increase teacher competence to give instruction in
su jects in which they felt limited, such a science , art,
mathematics , and creative drama.
Nearly 11 eacher suggeste in a urvey that,
while in theory the homeroom· expected to provide a com
let instructional pro ram or all students , in reality,
th re re lim tin
1 r
th
r
cl e ; t
,
tors . mong thee are the rel tively
et r n e o a ility in the homeroom;
n er st o t t ; th lac o
C '
ui men, n t r 1 · mit -
on
ver t
t on
n h ch r' own ow
1 n
n 1 ; an the
n n
le rn r
to o
or
h t s unw
e
en o
e ourc o
u
hes
UC t th
•
r
t
0
u
•
Ther or ,
on or lo er
ortl n conclud
to p n on ho room nr hm nt
c · 1 x ri or xc p onal
c lan 0 ction to proper y
ch 1 . Te a mini trator n t acher
rn s a
on i er the ct viti wh ch thy eel wou l
Uta 1 0 C rogram e tablishe .
IV. ACTIVITIES FOR THE GIFTED CHILD
IN THE REGULAR CLASSROOM
61
It is characteristic of good teaching methods for
teaching the gifted when the teacher shares with the learn-
r his reasons for using th methods that he does. The
learners would have some opportunity to select and plan
their ow ctivitie, n the as ignments sho ld es
phra ed hat thy wi 1 encoura e originality in their
compl tion. Th res 1 ere eated pr ctice un 11
rea onable degr e of ma tery h een ttained involved in
th eac in o th kill with 1 her tandar so attain-
m nt an ye time pe on r 11 n nd r tood p· rt
of h eac n . n explan t·o. h re on or th ng
sh ul
T
0
t
tact
0 ,
•
nt
th 0 po n
i ur , r
th o
ul
- 0 - C
V a
,
1
n
0
n
r
ac ng
ro
r n
r
•
a ure
r u er t nd ng.
o d ar ty
C
n
r
1
u on-
1 , he
on ibil ty
or a u on o h ovn or. (8:7 - 3) his
c r oun
th tua
Rea
timul tio
rm . Th
0 t e C , h t a
nr m t nth
n act vit e n h c
re o rim r mport
o low n ctiv ti
r oo .
th
n
n
a t rt on
111 n
r ic m nt pro
in, arithmetic,
62
science, and the social studies are suggested by Birch and
an excellent starting point for the program.
Reading activities :
1 .
2 .
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
•
•
1 0 .
Allow extra time for free reading
Help children plan and organize a lendin llbrary
of their own books from home
Introduce at least one new topic on which ree
reading might be done each w k
Encourage short book reports to the class on
more ifficult reading material
Prepare poetry and plays to be read to the class
Compile bibliographie around topics o interest,
or for special subjects or events
Organi ea reading fair for the community
Visit community libraries ad le rn to use them
Prepare original star· s ased on local events
or on pictures or music
Writ escription of the work o th c as or
a clas record or crap ook
rithm tic activ t
•
•
1. Collect and bud et · un 0 la pet
2. Recor and count book read
3.
evelop cla and nd V a or 0 h ht
an wei ht
•
Measure rain al n no 1
•
Mak a las or pro
. Ct
e edu e
•
stimat it nee t ne . orhoo
c n e V t
•
•
•
•
3.
4.
5.
•
7.
•
Plans n a on or contra
ins ct et
Take trips to local
O
o o c 1 n
point of intere t
out oor
0
p h
oc 1
iogra hi
Growing lant indoor an
C llection of local insec
Protective act viti n
, minerals, an plant
ol or t on of local
wild 11 e
Cons rvat on plans f or ocal r
How animal rear their oun
Preparation and present ton o
d monstrations
o rces
cience
•
10.
Constructing or drawing back rounds for a class
museum
Development and managem nt of an aquarium
Social tudies activities:
1.
2 .
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Development of a class book of children ' s games
An illustrated map of the chool round or
neighborhood
How the people in our neighborhood pay
Organ·zation of a "favorite toy" exh.bit
Planning and managing pet show
Visits to and ntervi ws at the post office and
fir station
Organiz ton · nd op rat o of c s government
saf ty
63
•
1 0 .
evelo ment of rul s for shoo
Clas iscu ion with mem er
Org niz tin and an gement o
(1 :23-44)
o t e sc oo patrol
c ass part s
itty t v r 1 ct v ti wh ch th t d
child w·11 r·nd cal en in th
h pr V OU 1 t .
is s ion:
1.
ct · n
forum , ra
2 . r rin
3.
u
4. r n m
e a r o
•
•
•
. ble
or
u ht
2 . for cl s
com e
3.
Re
.
yin n
cla
•
Pu s ne
r WO k
rv continuum of
n u on, rou
rogram
en
s ·
nme s u·r1
V e
•
vin 0 t r n
var ou ri or
co ner, xhibit r oom
e h ncoura 11
Research:
1. Leadership of research committees
2. Reading books on advanced levels
3. Using research material of adult difficulty
4. Scanning and classifying reading materials
for the school library
5. Investigating original sources for authentic
background for writing plays and radio scripts
Club Activiti s:
1. ss·sting in organizing o clu
2. Preparing agenda for club members
3. cting as secretary of club or o committees
4. Proofreadin clu pu 1 cation
5. Reporting on club activities n chool as ernbly
(21:11 -120)
64
Many o th
Otto a int restin
allowing ctivitie were u sted y
n uc tional mean o enr ch the
pro ram or t e i ted. (
:1 -
)
The u er or i t es o g ted children na le
them to serv th roup not onl r ou r e per ons hem-
s l v ut 1 o to t a nt n r n n h as room
nto cont c u 1 0 r th V
1 tin t u at on v lu
•
The rne- onsum n ut nee
ilm tr
r w or o r vi w-
n n pr sentin
im ort nt spect o
a i ned tog t
lms, , n slide an
a roo n rue on hat can e
ch·l r n who an pro t mme surably
rom the exp r ce . Th e
rom a number o v u 1 mat r ·a1s thos h h they consid r
to be appropr at or cla sroom u e. The teacher can then
pr view the choice, nd with a minimum of nstruct on the
gifted can learn to evaluate the material in regard to its
content and appropriateness to the situation.
Committee organization within the classroom pro
vides the gifted with numerous opportunities to play the
various roles of leaders and fo low rs that are essential
to his well-rounded de velopment; also, it enables him to
make worthwhile contributions to the educational achieve
ment of his less talent d classmate . Given the re ponsi-
bility for leading group o his fello w s is a challenge
to his ability to do care ul plannin , to alter his own
desires for the good of the roup, to disciplin himself
so that he may secure the cooperation o th other roup
members, to contribut valu le s , to do critica
thinkin, nd tom k wi e ci ion . t the ame time he
hich can o ten
mon the g te
i demonstr tin qu
ut ize by the e
ty o l
er tive c
r r 0 w o c n r n r
er h
ren.
a erv o h
roup y t re o e n te rut ne matter t t
r qu r a hi h ere o f 1 n y n rompt tten on .
nswer n th c l ass- Inti cate or
roo t phon
1 s h ut e a
rop rl, r c vin
a cur tel, u ply ·n the of ce
n e ver n m ssages
th norm ton , an
actin s host an ho tes es or special occa ion .
Ch ldren who er orm these o in a credita le manner not
only x ite matt r o classroom routine but al o develop
within thems lve attitud and hab t of e en a i ty,
66
promptness, and courtesy.
The gifted contribute to their own social develop
ment and to the welfare of th group as they provide lead
ership in collecting and arranging materials suitable for
bulletin boards, classroom centers of interest , and other
special exhibits. uch activities give opportunity for
irst-hand experiences in organization or a specific pur
pose, in evaluating th
carrying out artisti
relative merits of materials, in
attractive caption
desi n, nd mak ng ori inal,
or the display .
Collect ng, org· n z·n, and nv ntorying supplies
an mt r ls prov e other mean or urthering the rowth
of the i ted. re ndou mount of variou kind of
nstructional sis n ce r o th e ·c1 nt oper tion
o t uc ton ,r rm n ~l room . i te ch r n
an u on a
•
h
po s
o e u ,
y or
n
1 n
n ,
s roo . brr oo , t xt 00
1
, a o her re or
m e
a
icular
op ort n
jo o
e 0
t n
p rt
t len n o 1
e or e lo. en
omm t e h rm nor o
r OU u ect r t
r o t.e cl s .
v in h ch 1
c vel, i
h ldr n r-
1 o o toe need n
nth r a. umin the
ne 1 ch irman o a
party, and being responsible for its success , is a major
undertaking for a child, but is entirely possible with
proper guidance from the teacher.
67
Most children at one time or another manifest
special interests o various types. Usually these interests
are fostered to the ful extent of their merit by the
classroom teacher in the customary routines of teaching
and no spec· 1 provis ons wil l be made for these children
in a peel 1 n r t pro ram.
other h n, are more ap to have
i te children, on the
l oner aiding interest
in ociall 1 ni cant areas which later or m ny o them
C n a to v tion or ocial v lu le avocation 1
pursuit . I th 1 tt r in of intere n typ of
h 1 en whom eac r
e t o
nter
pro r
e co
chor
ro ,
pee a
op o t
s
·1
th m to
r
T 0 1 t
r o r
, o ev r, ten
r
•
Th r
an n trumenta
re t ram t·c
·nt res grou
n·tie 0 the
nd nowl e n
art C p t n
encoun er n the re ular
ee t o rve hr uh the est 11 -
r
•
0 uch r ram o
•
In lann n
0 the c ildr inv
u u 1 oun to en
V
eci 1
r
must
ed are
u c r ups, art a er t
, an hotogr phy. 1
e
hich are organize shoul p
ov. de
ch 1 r n to v lop the r
yet provi th oppo tun ty or
ct vit·e whic h they mi ht not
lement· ry pro ram. pecial
68
interest groups are a vital part of a full enrichment pro
gram for gifted children.
In a majority of cases in the elementary schools of
America in which a foreign language is taught, French is
taught as a first foreign language. In Texas and Califor
nia, because of th ir geo raphical location, Spanish is
the r·rst choic . Majority entiment in the existin
literature i that for ign l anguage hou d be taught to
all children in th lementar school . It contende that
our iplomatic, conom c, comm r cia, an cultural relations
with other peoples of the world nece sitate a forei n
angu e being iven a ce nth e em nt ry choo
curriculum. The re son iv n or eginnin th teachin
o a econ angua n the rimar ra e an continuing
t throughou he 1 m ta y s choo l ·nc ude lu nc n
the us o lan u wh ch req r ons d r bl m or
mater, t
ciently
children'
ur ng thi
lan ua
VO c an ms o OU h r n re u
x· 1 o spea the nu roperl, an
nt re n ore n 1 nu r r eat r
eriod o the·r vs.
i e c "l dren wou d
ch n a ore gn
roba 1 re ch the
ma·or t of tho e ndi al o n 1 ter f w oul d
us 1 be nvo ve n ommun ca ·n th peo o oth r
countri
•
ctivit w ich tak the g· t d ch·1 tooth r
classrooms in the chool rovi
uni u opportuniti s or
69
him to use his creative ability, to enhance his social
development, and to realize the satisfaction that can be
gained from personal service. Some of the activities that
involve the gifted child's visit to the other classrooms
include performing science exper·ments, sharing information
on a particular ubj ct, sharing specific materials, serv
ing as a resource person, sharing creative writin s, and
reading and tellin stories. These experiences a ford
gifted chil ren opportunitie to share their t lents; uch
services serv s incentive to other children capab e o
ucce to a le ser egree to enga
Teacher have
oo w y tor l ea
over th
in similar activit es.
there are t le t
iv the ere t ve en r yo i t d
pup 1 n the r c es. Th re ent one ct v t · e
u u lly can om OU ec s o m d ct on o th
pro ram o tu · e o ncl ud 0 c h n in u C
an or o por n or r t e or· 1 n th
te to or on 1 pro c that r al contr bu-
ton t o th 1 s , t 00, ommun t; y rov d n
a r c nviron en n h he may o ndepen ent or n
·enc, art, s c , n other 1 ; y or n ·nrorm 1
rou h c the wil l le rn th echn e o or n
h ppil w th o hr ow r common o
•
, n iv n
them opportun
re our
to arn how to u e the h man an
th commun t to nrich th ir 1
hy ical
program
and 1 o to ain re opportun ty or erv c in th
70
local community. (21:122)
To strengthen the basic skills of the gifted as
well as provide challenging activities previously discussed
is a major objective of the teacher o gifted children .
Rapid advancement in reading, numbers , writing, and spell
ing comes easily to most mentally gi ted children. The
t eacher should encoura e and guide th ir learning . Many
o th task o the teacher in the primary grade are in
the nature of 'bear n away pos 1 1 roadblock and runnin
interferenc or th se children." (1:17)
Bri ht childr n e o ten c 11 d rapid l earn r,
and thi term nowhere m re app ica 1 than the mas-
tery o
o th
w 1
the r a ing an number 1 . Th r is no v lue
bri ht c 11 n the re et ton o mt ri 1 lready
r d. R pet ton ead to ore om nd ru trat on,
a well a t t o n t nt on. T real val
or th r hi mov n a n c u rin re n
a
num r 1 1 . r n ch c n ac u re the
00
n
Thu,
primar
0 n
n, th
1 n
goa o
n · 11
n
tter
m 0
enr
n
i
0
hm nt.
ch nc
h
1:18 )
n n
0
t
nt quan
r ch
11 i
ta V
ucat on.
v nee ch 1 r n n r lly n d h · m
nnin
h
pe
n
rt r n hat v rage ch 1 ren do.
Bu
p
f r
as thy
rom verge childr n in that they pick
o alon, nstead o ev lo n at th
71
same rate as the average . This means that the teacher
should form a group of gifted children and teach the first
grade reading skills at a faster rate to that group . They
should be encouraged to take their readers and workbooks
home for more and more independent work, according to Birch
(1:18) It is necessary that they learn very early the
importance of accuracy and neatness and the importance o
corr cting th ir mista es. Thu th teacher must check
th i progre c r ul
•
The advance children hould be introduced to
s on or thir
w 1 a
r es ills in the r a ic readin er e
iv n u m nt r ooks o rst rad
e 1.
urn eve opm nt
o·
C n r n
, wh h OU 11 o ur n arl r e or
or t r n, r n n tru 0 om h 1-
e 0 n z n on.
In ro r n 0 h r r r n , th
m nt 11 V n 1 en 0 0 e nd n nt
r n
•
e d ntro u n w re n
y t a 1 e e h r sho 1 0 n 00 r om
1
or pa
nt I
00 whi re wr t n w lo
VO a r 0 n more mature nt r lev ls .
Th t C er ho want tom the n e or r
•
ht
hil r n in num r 11
w· 11 t time to find out 0
w 1 h childr n C n lrea y u e num r nd quantitativ
72
concepts by the time they arrive in first grade. For this
purpose the teacher should make up a set of oral questions
covering the fundamental operation~ nd involving real
problems for the children. Observing the way the children
set about solving the problems will give the teacher in
sight into how much arithmetic the children un erstand and
can use ana in i ht into what t hey need to be taught if
they are to de ve op num er kill rapidly an with real
co pr e ion th ce n olve . (1 :2)
With i t e c 11 ren, arith etic ranks next to
gen ral intelligence amon th nd ~ o u er or a ility
t · n gi te oy. or r , r th tic 11 ty is
also n o th m t com o.l n su rior ilit ,
in ou n -e 1 e r 1 ·n el ence nd rama ic .
(1 :2) Th n iall o re o or r-
icu l r atte o nr cm
a all lev
r h c il r
n C 0 0 .
usu 1
h
co
1
h
•
0
n
n
u 1 k
ut wh
r 0
•
t .
w or ,
0
thy
e on
o r
t rti
h n
0 i
r
te t
·n h
n th
0
re a
a
to
to
math -
h o n
o n
e oo, two o the o t
onoton n or th ti too
m orta ce, th re o e, th t
ir rad, v r ed
r o to a o r vent o otony nd that the 1ft
h 1 n e to mo alon nth ev opment of
math ma 1 11 r pidl a his 1 arnin c acity will
allow. (1:20)
73
child who can easily and early master first
grade number work should be permitted and encouraged to go
on from there to second and even third rade work.
Other areas of a well-rounded school program are
important and deserve consideration of every primary
teacher who wishes to give the best education possible to
mentally a dvance children. Langua e art skills as
spellin, writing, an oral com unication and content areas
such a the o ial tua·es and he sc e cs, health, hy -
ical educat on, an the creat v an r rmance arts must
b timulat d with imilar ad ustment a are m de in
reading nd rithm ic or a
ifted chil .
h r n r t e
regar n t h r n
i
'
1 .
2 .
wh 0
0 n
I k p hem
V h m
h us .
e 0 ow
•
u et · n
mor 0 th
1 lance r o ra r th
h r own ct V t
e cl oom b mp y
m n a 1 e to th
they th regular work.
am , only har er, o k e
I h pd them to ol o~ the own nterests ·n the
u ject a ter o the re ular son--and th y'l
han I a out ! prob bl u known mor
1: 6)
Thi el -rt n of daily a ctivit y th teacher
C n h lp hr 0 new real z tion each day o how w 11 he
s tryin to du a hr ift rou p . Finally, she should
remem r that th e ucation n training o a child ·s a
coop r t·ve ventu e in which the par ents and f amily o the
74
child are part of the team . The youngster is learning
during most of his working hours . Thus the teacher and
family, as the most important influences in his learning
adventures must work together in a harmonious way in order
to enhance the child's chances of obtaining a really full
educational experience. There should always be an open
door in the teacher's daily schedule or new ideas and for
communication from this other very important educational
in luence upon th · ted.
V. NTL HYGIENE OR THE GI TE
Ment 1 hy 1 ne very important for all pupi ,
ut
ter
sp c ally th cas o th e inc e hara -
ticall ha riv tow r o t ·n n the ti ction
o nt
o her
ctu 1 1 arn n that u u
rive s . Toh d ust h
v hou l not w rt
, u
1 c don velopm n o t OS
wh lag behin ·ntell n
rom re r a o, soc al ctiv
pt nc r o th
,
outr ache 0
ol r on 1 t th
hou
rso 11
nst a
rt o
UC
1
r
t
n m ual wor.
pu 11 a c o h
on
eel n o cur ty. To help h m eel accepted, there
hi
houl ncoura ment o developrn nt o non- ntellectual
intere s so th re on o nt re t between im and
his playmates. I thi i not develope, o ten the gift d
75
child will try to be acceptable by deliberately suppress-
ing his natural intellectual superiority to avoid seeming
different. (8:75)
"Almost all o the problems of gifted children stem
f rom normal or basic desires and needs which are denied
normal satisfactions." (21:131) When satisfactions are
difficult or impossibl to obtain, the child may resort to
undesirable ways o eetin hi needs; ways whi h set him
apart from his fellow.
Maintenance of ment' 1 hea l th on if ed chi dren
1s esp cially important ecau undev lop d talent i
xpens i v to soc t , s t
irected abi it or t lent c n
th m la u t n iv ual h
tisfa ton that ac omp n
rvice. 21 : 31 ) oa o
an
accept
worl .
ome m
t
ycho ·
e
a
y u n r on
i e
ow r on s
d
u tmen, n r o
or p ot c .
21 :13)
o contr bution; mi
onstitute a social m n· ce;
1 a s to tta n h
s llm nt nd
e 1 health r whole ome
n r an o i
1 '
t s
la
th r pr ons , n th
ctor ustmen ,
u m n , i hr no1 -
te per on w are w 11 on th road to ache -
in o onal m · ur ty r con z th ir emot ons and ace
them n tur 1 , s ct tt inable wort -whil oa , ind
satis at on n oth ntim te and ca ual r 1 t·on with
other, resp ct oth r who hav ar ess abilit and
76
different interests, serve the group without sacrificing
their own best way of life or compromising the convictions
that they have reached by sound reasoning . They also tend
to meet unexpected strains and disappointment with
equanimity . (21:132)
The gift d person usually can cope better than an
average person with strains and stresses . He seems more
able to correct und e ·rable emotional conditions or per-
sonali trend ha up rior cap city for sel -
d agno 1s . Y to ten eelings of in eriority and inade-
quacy ev lop n 1 te chil , e pee ally in physical
skills ec us ke h m lon r 0 arn to lay ba e-
bal l t an mast r the ntel ectu 1 t sks or he may be
much 1
.
ted th ca l act·v t·es than th s i n r n p y
men
•
( 21 :
7)
He h
·e
n er or cue of his
as oc ons w
.
h older ch l dren w 0 nterest or
n r ic oc
•
11 r e n n
e ter e ve o d .
O n 0 d u tm n , n 0 n reco n ze, i
th a 0 e
ch·l
0 r uct nt to u e his
tru a it C U · n to h V r n n e 1
he ha th n ord r 0 do th
•
Here the
ea h r h s r pons 1 t to n 0 he tr th and t o
t y o he p h m n
•
eers t o nd rstan hi l
n
r ou 0
•
Te cher houl wa ch or nd h 1 th i t ed to
77
avoid such conditions leading to maladjustment as parental
pressure and exploitation with much overemphasis on the
child's intellectual development, parental indifference and
neglect, lack of opportunity to develop a philosophy of
life, financial limitations, poor instruction in thinking
and study methods, and a dull and meager curriculum.
(21:151-152)
Severa guidance procedure suggested by Witty
should b examin d n follo we
tacts ·th i ted ch 1 ren.
y teach rs in their con -
1 .
2 .
3.
•
•
•
1 n
a t
tion
0 in
t th
Insuring early reco nition an
the bilitie an n eds o th
in any group, without in v
under tandin o
i ted children
u 1 publ"c t or
mbarrassment
Provid"ng the exp riences in home,
commun ty that study o th h'l
desir ble nd n cess ry
choo, and
show to be
Makin connections betwe n her ource V 1-
n t e
hi
abl n th n iv du ' n e
Helping h m to pro rs it
suit 1 progr m electe
He ping ea h ch 1 to d
mo accept be n
socie y or h
t
r
n ouragin h m o move ow r
emot · on 1 m turi (21:1 53- 54)
Therap s th pecial s
'
u
ver on s bu n
•
te h
es o mu tow r hel n her
l y well.
p
r on la ju
ant11· m u lly e r m es
t acher n 1
·str· t or C n he
tio
oncept
on 1
he oal of
ness, but m
'
as roo
pupil k~e
u h s
outside o
re- irec
0
t l
emo-
otism
choo
uch
be vior a w s r to o k with rent or other
,
causes of the maladjustment. From Cutts and Moseley have
come the concluding principles which are important guides
for the teacher an administrator in workin for goo
mental health for the gifted . (4 :173-175)
78
teacher cannot love very child in her room, but
she can try to respond warmly when a pupil shows he lik
or a mires her. Thi chil may e hunting for affection
which h s en d at home, or hem be m kin norm· 1
r ns ton to in epen en o h m ly. The te c er n
h 1 him wh n she calls him pleasantl y n· me, smiles at
him, n ve h m oc io alp on the b c, phy i-
c lly n t phori al . 11 o h e thin r ev n
m ore m ort
h m e
th w
0
m
n e
t m
t
1 0 •
h h
h e e
s
ua
V or
r n n
oth r h 1 r
r
h w
n thew
n o
0
1
m,
o ·
•
•
m ke
Bu it
tin
n
n au hs t th wo
ondn s forces,
irre r 1 .
upil n t e c ss who hol
h
•
n
r h
e UC
t
the
n m t n th t
ve u tra
C
m
T
ow
h
e C
e n th t
e cher
h 1
e in
r or him to a
her does th n
n
e n
ociat
ativ
he use, th books h rea
h urt him, perhap
,
79
Recognition reinforces acceptance. The bright
child thrives on working hard to achieve a goal which he
knows the teacher and the class respect. chieving the
goal is in itself satisfying, but it is even more satisfy
ing to hear well-earned praise.
Firm confidence that one i a fully accepted memb r
of the group is the foundation of good adjustment. Here
again the brigh ch ld ' s e in o i ference i ah zard .
The t ach r an oun el m on o to avoid irr t ting hi
fri nds n how him the ne es ity or ta n part in ro p
a tivit·es, esp ci 11 n tho in wh c h do no excel .
The t ach r c n rr n e or him to o th·n s wit childr n
whom e 11 n wh hr n re t .
Th n
xplo in
ure h 1
n entu
r
n row ou 0
o v ntu new
ecur
ro
•
ut h
ion 11 .
t h V
T
n w
ri
xp
u 0
t o mat r
ct ,
emo-
cour d o o l ow
ntel c- the r n tur
tual n mt ri
t
•
ven ur 0 i ld ,
h 1
hr .
al l
r
th
f
veryo e
chil when
o exp
1 t m 0
n
•
teac e
tro ble
Ply, dr m tic, p inting, r ti , com o in, nd
in o creativ ct vit ar cellent m n or
h chi ren to x rs hat the f el . The act th t
ct vity h oa o ·t own, and it" u limates" the
in, 1 to th oo . teacher o not hav to e
80
versed in play therapy and role-playing to promote healthy
and health-giving expression on the part of her pupils.
She should give them the opportunity, and teach them proper
techniques wh n these wi ll facilitate expression. Letting
a child, if he wishes, explain meanings which are obscure
to the teacher or the c ass is a helpful measure, but it
does not help to pry into hi dden meanings or try to inter-
pre t them psychoanalytically.
I h la roon i brig t , cheer ul , r·endly
place an th te C r brigh , ch r ul, r n 1 , and
u er t n in ,
t her ui in 00 mental health
.
n r pu
•
he m e or a 0 in ormal , prov ded
th t h en
•
r y ork, tha h el pri in ein
h r pu 1 eve o , n t she t nd d t h 1 e ch
on a h 0 m
•
I . CTR C O T 00 T C RO T I T
" xt 0
n '
he xer h 0
mpo t nt per o 1 enc on d velopmen 0 i t d
.
d ren." 21 : 0 ) pr 0 m r anc , there or ,
h
t pr n 1 e t n h ho · ce te ch r
or th i te 1 n.
Char ri t C wh"ch the omp ten teach r o
i te rn r n ud ossession o th uali ies of
ood teach r o ny type o pupi wel l a uperior
81
inte11 ·gence, a rich fund of information, versatility of
interests, an inquiring mind, ability to stimulate and to
inspire, modesty, a sense of social and professional
responsibility, freedom from jealousy, freedom from exces
sive sensitivity to criticism, and understanding of educa
tional psychology, especially the psychology of gi ted
children. (8:71)
ike n
ccording to
teach r
study by Witty, what the children
n h lp to de , rm ne who shoul teach
the it d. The teach r houl h e
hav
tow
thin
ot
ro
t 1
•
•
3.
•
5.
6 .
7.
8.
m
Cooperative, emocratic attitu e
Kindliness and considerat on for he ind vidual
tienc
Wide interest
Pl asin per onal pp r nc nd mann r
irnes and im arti lit
o umor
ispo ton
Int rest in up
lexibi t
Use of r con
Unusual pro cien
SU jet (2 1 :107)
T e h r n h v
h v or
n r is
n t ach n art c
ome v r o d dea
re t i ch r. urther m the 1
e t t C r' r o al ty an OU
r
to wh
00
th m r llow n 0 ch ldren 0 n out
or th m el e , t achin h m to et lon 1th
r , iv n u n r and n 0 h r or nd
1 m , t ace wh w 1 - u t h rs 1 nd 0
too uch, on who 1st n o th pupi ,
treating
childr n' i ea wit ·mport- nc
, ot pretend n to know
0
n't
82
everything, friendliness , giving them responsibility to
equip themselves for later years, having faith in all her
students, telling each pupil what his good points are, love
of children, not embarrassing or boring students, helping
pupils know themselves, and respecting others. (21 :108-112)
These are qualities that will truly help the ifted child
to follow a good example and perhaps di tinguish himself
early in hi chool 11 e . It n nus al te cher who
pos esse 11 th u ti n und n e n con 1s-
t ntly, bu hou ch t c r w o has th priv -
lege o u t n t i te .
in
t 1
V r
r w h
t n
r co
or
ion
It i o
n 0 W
•
ve
0
t
v o , no
t
room
n x r n
I he e
r e to
V
e
mor w
OU
n '
1
e r
V 0
or
0
nt o
n
n
or or o 1
· n
r o s e
min rator h can
on w o ore nm
0
0
•
nth · ch r o
1 u
re ot t
0 , 1 0
m per n ron n
C
n
n n
,
0
r o
e
n t t V ,
n pr v
m or th
econ -
n
e o
t mu -
u 1 -
,
s ray o tr h ex in
1
ing h . Po
children in almost any classroom in the school. Probably
all teachers will not have all or even many of the charac
terist·cs that should be there. But alertness to what
should be done and how to do it is a part of every admin
istrator's job . He must be r cd y to be the first step in
adequate classroom provis·on for the gifted , then he can
pa on his wisdom an knowledge to the teach r. Through
him can om th in pir tion n material to keep a good
nri c m n or· ma h ch 1, an i will"n n s to
s r ch or n wer n tter ways rovidin chall ngin
du tio or th ·t k th pro ram unc tionin
t
V 1 .
84
CHAPTER V
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS
"Teacher and education 1 dministrator should
dev lop a sharpene awareness of the ro lem and exert
term·n e ort tom ke merica ch ols n coll ge
mor feet v a enc or h 0 rat on n evelop-
ent of hum n
0
u
u i o 1 o
im ortan
n
o n
V 0 t 0
M o
r C
C
•
, r
len . " ( : ) Thi
Co i
ope 1 th
on rin
ch ol
n t
ta t ement rom the
to ther h two
r
t e
h evel o
e
ten
h t c r
t V
ice
r C 0
e
n
l o r o
o th
n
e
tron
or the
n
ra re ou c .
on
V
th
il re,
r o e m
te C
e
opm n o h
· te
umma n th r o
no a re r 1 nth h
1 ·ve .
i e hi l
r al pr gres unle th
0
r n t o h r c act, an
o th r nc a t
xten ve n 1 nc
wel to
nth se
rogram ·n a chool will not make
incipal act vel ppo t it.
His attitude has more influence than the attitude of any
other person in the building . He mu t take the lead in
t he development of a s chool policy for ifted students in
c ooperation with the entire school staff . He is respon sible for the implementation of the policies within the
f r amewor of the school philosophy and the existing school
program and for the co-ordination of the efforts o very-
one involved in the pro ram tow r chieving the determine
goals .
The rinc pal is Sp C ic lly r on 1 le for r-
tain a p ts o th pro ram · nd 1 u t mat 1 re on i l e
or a part 0
•
He hou u· r i t 0 lan-
•
n n n up r cal pro ram
•
no hr to
avoi in pl nn ec 1 rov ion
lo
t 1 r n
s th mp · t on to ona te C er r lre dy
oin n 1 t ro r rn,
.
n tu n h 0 -
s t th h n h
•
curr t
V 0 ntere tin i t ch 1 r n may n h n r
mini trato
ha nor al de
v lo in
nat
mer p r ro rm or on a
pro i · on
pr ram usu 1
or the pro r u
o ma er 1 n C
•
Th
re e solely upon ca room enrichme
th ev c or hall ngin gi te children and u ua 1
to n min rater's not taking u on him th
a
re ponsibility o the ucc
o the program and, nst a,
shiftin the entir bur en upon hi teacher. The
86
administrator must consider which size class can provide
for the needs of all the pupils in it, including the gifted;
what kinds of programs can be directed at real enrichment
for the gifted without neglecting the other pupils; just
what the policies in the school should be concerning the
gifted, with much consideration or the teachers' sugges
tions and criticisms; wha th scope of the curriculum or
ifte children wi 1 , with flexi 11·ty o great impor-
ance; how to
how to provi
tin 1 s r oom
continuou ui ance n h..1... fte child
pro r ' m ; an the e w to e 0 publ c r 1 t·on
cone rn n he r rm.
The r n 1 i y h r on n ro-
V n f r a n a n n n xten V nriched ro ram
0 1 n n 0 e h r n . lt OU h t robl m o
e
t h e 1 1 n e 0 h ent lly per or
h 1 r n 1 1 n olv n r n tr V
arr n nt r or t on , h pr nci al ca 0
much owa et u h V n a c or con cive
0 0 m r th on t e rt o o h ch n n ch n
•
I 1 or th X r n al l m
ch s o prov on er ow r d 1 o richment
hrou h a ch lle in curr culum pted t h nee n
nter t 0 chil ren, ut uch pro ra can e enh need
grea 1 y th ont i ut on wh chm y a y th
87
creative principal. The encouragement which he can give
the teachers of his school to work creatively is one of the
most important contributions of an able administrator.
The way in which the principal equips himself per
sonally for his task is very important. He needs to know
somethin of th research studi sand tools necessary for
the sci ntific han ling of comp1·cated educational program .
He should f el deep responsibility for championing the
right of ch 1 r n and should hav r sp of th ba ic
natur of ch.ld evelopment. great e 1 of hi success
w 11 e n on t
an
•
H
an the n
th r h hr t
wh
in
th
n
n rv
C
eachi
ten of h rof ion 1 nowledg
hou ir t nd l way oo teach r
m k avail be
0
m n s r tor.
norm t·o, · c
OU
,
o nr ch n m ov th
n o h u
t
•
n n le
u 1 0 an-
h research finding
h ·ntere
d, a e m n tr tr ou d re o nize
th 1 ort 0 00 rou mor 1 o teaching t
eep m 1 ons h h t h V 0 h
C r n a h 1 ro m. In in p ovi ion or e -
u t rogra 0 r th n V u need 0 ifte
ch ·
r n, the f ct m st not e ov r oo d th t
·t
of
u 1 m ortanc to con 1 r t e n ivi u needs of staff
m mb r
•
Teach rs h v a right to xpect a pr onall
wardin nv ronment n w 1 h they may row and evelo
88
and guide the children they teach. By giving attention to
the personal problems of teachers, the pr·ncipal is able to
contribute considerably to the quality of teaching and
learning in the classroom. Good staff morale is closely
related to good pupil morale. The teachers' work with
children is overned by their own satisfactions and pleas-
ures. healthy emotional tone is important for all chil-
r n, but it i felt to
e ucation of th i te .
When h adm·n· trat r pat·ent, treat tech r
uman n , m th r
nd
t
n
hi t
l on
V
C
ch r
han
C
n
umpt on t
r t
h r ,
n
n
ood r
t o
m, n
ach
r w r
nc , 0
e, h
t 0 n
hoo l ex erience le ant
r o em, op rate on
n tru , ncoura e
r n t ow r
0 o h i t n
r u , n t 1
, 0 h n n h
o n 0 fe t ve
1 nt rv on.
or o n tr t o , r cip
n n 1 o h nr m n
0
ol own u h
r
•
b Ot o .
art c
The pr n
cla room
o gifted
rov son
r 0 r C C u
t·on
te n confer nc r et d y teacher.
i a hold be anx·ou to i c s with
t a cher roblem arisin in th teach
ch 1 ren and shoul make th nece ry
·n hi cro d a ly schedule of
ng
89
activities for this important a~pect of the
program.
2. Participate in teacher-pupil planning and classroom
group work as well as in the development of a
science experiment or in some activity for the
social studies. Actually assist children in
projects needing to be carried out in parts of
the building rather far removed from the class
rooms.
3. Assume the responsibility for devising ways in
which children with special talents and abilities
may e used in all school affairs such as opera
tion of projectors, the repair of simple machines,
an many other activities which my be planne
by th 1 rt, creative princ p 1.
4. Plan in-service training ro rams coo eratively
with consult nt s an t achers n coordinate
such ctiviti .
•
•
7.
•
•
10.
sit tac er
subject matter
the cl room.
ooper v ly
chil r n.
n e ctin nd r
n ooper ton with
or a iz n
h ldr n in
n be deriv
rent n
Ob ctiv y of
on lt
t teac er when e n e lee io
of up lemen ary mater ls.
tu to t er it tea ang s in he
b h vior rowt nan ss
•
t th n 0 C
id n hi r n' r owth
.
hanne n n
tent with heir ne n ilit·es.
R
V r t t an pprai nts as on
on ct of the com r n e n on inuou
ro ram o V 1
t·on
of h r n's d vel
Fr qu ntly cot ct p n s nm ter pertain n
o due tion 1 coun e ·nter ret ton of th
pro ram, le er h · p i stu ro ps, · s on
o chil ren' prob m, c.
Ma rov·s on for teacher to en e n
sup rvi ory or consult nt ctivities with one
another in the sharin o id a s . M ke e of
all other vaila consultant services.
Assist tac r
own cl ssroom.
in con uct·ng rs arch in their
H 1 th m to 1 cover the need
90
for action research and to see the influence
which it can have on classroom practices.
11. Plan cooperatively with the librarian ways in
which the library can make significant contribu
tions to enriched programs in the classrooms.
(1 :120-123)
In carry·ng out any and all of these suggestions
an in the proper functioning of an enrichment program for
the ifted, the a ministrator places great reliance upon
the classro om teacher . The daily experience w th the
pup ls nth cla room show him th valu or lack of
valu o hi dmini tr· tive v ce . Inspiration haul
om rm th a ·ni trator n t m 1 tin tech r to
enr ch n'
pr nci a haul
n nt v
t te che
, r r,
t h n .
n
x r nc
o h
h
11 n
•
Wh h 0
n m n t n
th , the
r er te
u f r
ntrov r
0 r
o nt
1
tween th u
e
n
ro
r e .
ra r o
0 0
t
I op h t i t e 0 m a
n tur 11 u m n 0 o h t h n
me po t e w u nt ro r
y
and
n
r
0
t n rea 0 em · ac ·evem nt o th hildren
n ach elementar cl roo
he th t nr chme t
n the r cool . It a been
ogram are th v ry b c bone
o an la o th con erv tion of alent poss ssed y th
·r do th' nation. Leader hp should com from the
91
gifted and eventually will be universally if talent is
discovered early enough and enrichment challenges gifted
students to achieve to their utmost.
Educational history has shown a growing interest
and awareness concerning the ifte, especially during the
twentieth century in America . iver e plans fr 1 entifica
tion of the gifted pupils in the public chools hav been
set forth and are in op ration. Plans for organizat·on
and activities or th ft d ch ld the re ular c ass-
room have en iscu ed w th onclus·on that organized
d·v r it of r o r n ct ·v·t s 1th nth cl room
o me e d u y
ramewor of n t
scho 1 t f n h
n 0
ur o e
om un
n v ua u thin
n 1 d r hip amon the
rm
•
M nt 1 en
C e
n m ort n 0 onall over oo e
spec n
har c r
qu
C 0
t r u c ssroo
a min str to, a th
wi h the uc of
un t o u
throu hout
pro ra.
Throu
strat· on, th p
tu
on
nc
r ov on
w
r
0 t
•
d c 0
d
·m ort nt
0 t 0 S 0
tent,
1 of
tha
t
1
onst nt, nt llig nt ni-
h lem ntary chool c n and
92
will furnish a lasting contribution to the nation. It is
perhaps of prime importance today that the school admin
istrator dedicate his best efforts in behalf of discovering
and educating th pupil of greatest promise for the future
of society--the gifted child.
B I B L I O G R P H Y
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
A. BOOKS
Birch, Jack W. and McWilliams, Earl M. Challengin~
Gifted Children. Bloomington, Illinois: Publ c
School Publishing Company, 1955. 49 pp.
A group of practical and workable suggestions
written by an administrator and in~luding a good
view of the special administrative and organiza
tional provisions needed in accommodating gifted
children adequately.
Buras, O. K. (ed.). Fourth Mental Measurements
Yearbook. New Jersey: Gryphon Press, 1953.
summary of tests available for determining
intelligence, personality, and so on.
California Elementary School dministr tors'
Association. The Gifted Child: Another Look.
Palo Alto: The National Press, l 58. 66 pp.
A statement produce by a workshop at tanford
University primarily aimed at helping the elemen
tary admln .. , tra tor wh ls b ginning or re ising
a program for educating gifted children.
Cutts, Norma E. and Moseley, Nicholas. Teach ·ng the
Bright and Gifte . Englewood Cliffs, N w Jersey:
Prentice-HaII, Inc., 1 57. 268 pp.
A summary of practical helps for clas room
teachers in elementary and secondary schools and
to teachers in training.
DeHaan, Robert F. and Havighurst, Rot ert J. Educating
Gifted Children. Chicago: The University of
Chicago Press, 1957. 276 pp.
A guide and stimulant to persons and roups in
the ducational profession and community a gencie
and to interested laymen ~h are concerned with
improv i ng the adequacy of the education of gifted
children.
95
6. DeHaan, Robert F. and Kough, Jack. Helping Children
with Special Needs. Chicago: Science Research
Associates, Inc., 1956. 204 pp.
A handbook stressing the teacher's part in
recognizing and dealing with individual differ
ences among children and that they must be recog
nized with individual needs met if the child is
to develop to his fullest potential. The first
general section stresses problems of and helps
for the gifted child while the remainder of the
book contains information on those children ~ho
have special problems and are not gifted. n
excellent source.
7. Dransfield, John Edgar. Administration of Enrichment
------
•
•
1 •
11.
12. Superior Children in the Tipical Classroom.
New York: Teachers• Coll ge, Columbia University,
1933. 107 pp.
discussion of am thod of classroom enrich
ment whereby s lf-administering enrichment units
can be given to gifted chil ren as directed y
the Teachers' College, Columbi Universlty.
Educational Policies Commission. Education o the
Gifted. Washington, D.C.: National Educ'ation
Association, 1950. pp.
A booklet stressing the nee of all ch· r n
that are basic, and emphasi ng addit ona
exp riences th t should be made av ·1able t o
meet th special n eds of the ifte .
. The Purposes of Educat·on ·n merican
--~D-emocracy. Washinton, D.C.: National Educat on
ssociation, 1 38. 157 pp.
statem nt by the National Education sso
ciation of the purpos s, as educators ee them,
of e ucation in the Unit d States for all chil ren
of all people, and what the schools ought to try
to accomplish and how to follow throu hon the
st of o jectives.
Good, Carter v. Dictionary of Education. New York:
McGraw Boo Co., 1 45. -
A sizable group of excellent definit· ons o
educational terms.
Hall, Theodore. Gifted Children: The Cleveland tory.
Firct Edition. Cleveland: World Pubiishin
Company, 1 56. Opp.
summary of Cleveland, Ohio's Public Schools
Major Work Program as initiated in 1922, wherein
12.
13.
14 .
•
it is shown how gifted children work together in
an almost ungraded situation wherein they plan,
pres nt, evaluate, and grade themselves as much
as the teacher does.
Henry, Nelson B. (ed.). Education for the Gifted.
The Fifty-seventh Yearbook of the National
Society for the Study of Education, Part II.
Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 958.
420 pp.
yearbook on the sub ·ect of the desirabilit
of providing opportunities for reasona le adap
tions of curriculums and procedures for ormal
education of gifted children. Noted authors
discuss topics from history of the movement
through organization of such programs.
Hildreth, Gertrude How 11. Educating Qifted Chil r n .
New York: Harper and rather, 1 52. 27~ pp.
n excellent outline o the goals and
curriculum of the el mentary school for children
of superior intel l igenc at Hunter Colle e in
New York Cit .
Osburn, W. J. nd Rohan, en . Enrich ·ng the
Curriculum fo ifted Children. New York:
Macmillan Company, 1 31. 408 pp.
Th
descr ption o i ent con uct
sconsin to meet th n ds o ifted ch
w·thout forma s ction ng nd nclud n
information as o th sp fl content o
curricul um.
n
ren
et' iled
th
Otto, Henry J. (ed . ) .
Gifted Elementary
Classes . ust'n:
1 7. 135 pp .
Curriculum nrichmen or
School Children in Regular
Th University of T a Pre
ull tin un·ver ·t of T xas w or h
roup put forth as n ffort to upply view
point, ideas , methods, and cont nt t h t ma
us ful to teach rs n lem nt r chools
xpand th ·r fforts to meet thee ucational
needs o al child ren. It tr en chment
through commun·cat·on, science, s ocia tudies,
arithmet·c, h sical ucat on, r t , and mu c .
,
1 . P ssow, . Harry, oldber, M"ria, Tannenbaum,
braham J., and French, Will . lanning for
Talented Youth. New York: u eau of Publicat· on ,
Teachers College, Columbia University, 1 5.
4 pp .
97
A discussion of the Talent d Youth Project ,
one of the current und ertakings of th Horace
Mann Lincoln Instud ent of School Experimentation
wh i ch is designed to study various aspects of
tal nt and to assess modifications schools may
make in organization and in curriculum and teach
ing i n order to improve thei r educational
provisi ons for the talented .
17 . cheifele , Marian. The Gifted Ch"l in the Regula
Classroom. New York : Bureau of Pu !cations,
Teachers' Colle e , olumbia Un v r ity, 19 3.
88 pp .
1
•
•
2
•
2
•
· summary of nstrument nd t chn que f or
identifyin ifted chi dren n uggest ·ons on
how to deal wit sp cal o lems th c ·1 r n
often develo, cur t pr ctices ·n t c 1
e ucat on, an the t acher r 1 .
t dman, Lulu M. ducation 0
•
-
Yonker - on- Hudson, w Yor any,
24 . 2 p
•
e C oun d OU u
th author wor n t ted ch re n
the pc al C oo roo 0 t U n ver
·t
Cal forn
•
T rm L. M .
u
,
nd
e .
,
• •
X 1
B 0
•
D. n
•
• • •
Co
3
C en
.
ul n , p
h UC io 0 portun
r outh .
98
22 . Worcester, Dean A m ory. Th Education o Children of
Above Average Mentali t ~. L"ncoln : The Univers i ty
of Nebraska Pres s , 1 5. 68 pp .
23 .
2
•
25 . 0
•
7 .
A discussion of the necessity and value of
acceleration and enrichment or ·rt d chil r n
as early in life as possi le .
•
PERIO IC L
r ham, Will r
•
"Th Bright Ch 1 1 m nt
Cl ssroom" Nation 1 UC tion on ,
1 Journal , M rch ,
59,
pp .
57- 58 .
d · scu sion o he i an ms
of h v n righ an g ren
lar cla room.
e T r on h ed Ch 1 ,
E
E ,
•
e e
53)
•
1
on co r
V et t e 0
f h , C
0 0 d
n r
t. e
•
r
L
?
' n
e s
1 u
r e oom .
•
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Asset Metadata
Creator
Berney, Carolyn Riedman
(author)
Core Title
Administrative techniques for increasing academic achievement of gifted children within the elementary classroom
School
College of Letters, Arts and Sciences
Degree
Master of Science
Degree Program
Education
Degree Conferral Date
1959-06
Publication Date
05/14/1959
Defense Date
05/14/1959
Publisher
Los Angeles, California
(original),
University of Southern California
(original),
University of Southern California. Libraries
(digital)
Tag
OAI-PMH Harvest
Format
theses
(aat)
Language
English
Contributor
Digitized from microfilm by the USC Digital Library in 2023
(provenance)
Advisor
Muelder, Wallace R. (
committee chair
)
Permanent Link (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-oUC113174211
Unique identifier
UC113174211
Identifier
Ed '59 B526 (call number),etd-BerneyCarolyn-1959.pdf (filename)
Legacy Identifier
etd-BerneyCarolyn-1959
Document Type
Thesis
Format
theses (aat)
Rights
Berney, Carolyn Riedman
Internet Media Type
application/pdf
Type
texts
Source
20230616-usctheses-microfilm-box8
(batch),
University of Southern California
(contributing entity),
University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses
(collection)
Access Conditions
The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the author, as the original true and official version of the work, but does not grant the reader permission to use the work if the desired use is covered by copyright. It is the author, as rights holder, who must provide use permission if such use is covered by copyright. The original signature page accompanying the original submission of the work to the USC Libraries is retained by the USC Libraries and a copy of it may be obtained by authorized requesters contacting the repository e-mail address given.
Repository Name
University of Southern California Digital Library
Repository Location
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Repository Email
cisadmin@lib.usc.edu