Using Search Tools on Prufrock’s Gifted Child Information Blog
Thursday, July 19, 2007 - by CFertig - 653 Views -
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You may have noticed that the format of this blog changed a bit recently, and I want to make certain readers understand the search possibilities available. This is the 120th weekly blog that has been posted in more than 2 years, so there is a lot of information here. There are two ways to search.
· Categories—In the left column of the web page, you will find a section titled Categories. Within that section, you will see a list of more than a dozen subjects. If you click on any of these, all the articles that fit into that grouping will appear.
· Search—You can also search for words, phrases, or topics you do not see listed under Categories. With the new format of the blog, you will need to sign in to use the search function. There is a section on the upper right where you can register. Your user name and password are case sensitive.
Example—You might want to search on “underachievement.” To do this, click on the word Search either at the bottom of the Categories list or near the top of the page. Once you do this, a number of boxes will appear and you can fill in the appropriate information. (You do not need to fill in all the boxes.) Click on Search, and all of the articles will come up that meet the criteria you entered.
These are great tools, so make sure you take advantage of them.
Gifted Education in Rural Communities
Gifted education in metropolitan communities can be difficult, but it has the potential for much greater challenge in rural areas where the options may be more limited and funding even more restricted. Nevertheless, some small, isolated communities are able to move past those hurdles and provide excellent opportunities for gifted students.
When consulting with school districts in rural Colorado, I was always very impressed with the caring communities of teachers, their willingness to recognized real strengths and potential in individual students, and their efforts to see that the needs of these students were met.
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Smaller classes make children’s needs more apparent.
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Administrators are more accessible, making it easier to get approval to implement new accommodations.
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Teachers have fewer students to oversee.
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Because fewer students are competing for available spots on teams and leadership positions in clubs, gifted students may be able to participate in more activities.
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School personnel, students, and families often socialize outside of school, making the community more close-knit. Because of this, teachers are able to observe their students’ achievements in out-of-school activities and accept gifted students’ individual differences more readily.
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The community often opens itself up as a resource, enhancing open-ended learning opportunities.
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Students are often grouped with the same individuals throughout their school years, permitting classmates and teachers to develop strong relationships.
Although many of these advantages can also be viewed as disadvantages, specific strategies can be used to overcome negative aspects. Technological advancements make many of these strategies even more viable. Many of the hurdles that rural communities face have the same solutions that should be heeded by metropolitan areas. They include:
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various types of acceleration and grouping,
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specialized gifted education training for educators,
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development of relationships with like-ability peers and mentors through interactive technologies,
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creatively accessing additional educational resources, and
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helping students and parents to see education and career possibilities beyond their local environment.
Parents can have a strong influence on the quality of education for their own children and for the school as a whole. Much can be accomplished when parents offer positive feedback and assistance to educators and work with other parents.