The Gifted Children Left Behind

Washington Post ^ | 27 August 2007 | Susan Goodkin and David Gold

[shrinkermd]

With reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind Act high on the agenda as Congress returns from its recess, lawmakers must confront the fact that the law is causing many concerned parents to abandon public schools that are not failing.

These parents are fleeing public schools not only because, as documented by a recent University of Chicago study, the act pushes teachers to ignore high-ability students through its exclusive focus on bringing students to minimum proficiency. Worse than this benign neglect, No Child forces a fundamental educational approach so inappropriate for high-ability students that it destroys their interest in learning, as school becomes an endless chain of basic lessons aimed at low-performing students.

These predictable problems were reported as early as 2003, when the Wall Street Journal warned that schools were shifting their focus overwhelmingly toward low achievers. Expressions of concern from distressed parents and educators of gifted children have come in increasing numbers ever since.

No Child is particularly destructive to bright young math students. Faced with a mandate to bring every last student to proficiency, schools emphasize incessant drilling of rudimentary facts and teach that there is one "right" way to solve even higher-order problems. Yet one of the clearest markers of a nimble math mind is the ability to see novel approaches and shortcuts to attacking such problems. This creativity is what makes math interesting and fun for those students. Schools should encourage this higher-order thinking, but high-ability students are instead admonished for solving problems the wrong way, despite getting the right answers. Frustrated, and bored by simplistic drills, many come to hate math.

[shrinkermd]

I am conflicted about the tenor of this editorial. It would seem possible to help both gifted and less able students succeed to their ability; however, the editorial assumes otherwise.

It must be the nature of government projects to seek an "egalitarian" ideal where true ability is discouraged to make those of lesser ability feel good.

[Citizen Tom Paine]

It is a sad fact that our most gifted students, are not served by our public school system.

[RightWhale]

Many of the brightest give up on formal education altogether before graduating high school. Many do not complete a college degree.

Heard straight from the horse’s mouth:
I do not like bright students in my class. They are disruptive.
-—Ms Mediocre, high school teacher

[jwparkerjr]

You must remember that schools, public schools anyway, are run by liberals. The liberal mindset is that one way to reach equality is to bring down the acheivers as much as you bring up the underachievers. In their twisted mind it somehow helps the formerly F student to get up to a D only if the formerly A students can be brought down to C. I know it sounds crazy, and even a bit demented, but if you look at example after example of how liberals approach life’s problems that always a part of their solution. It’s like you have done a good thing if you can punish the A student, even if it does nothing to help the F student.

[Incorrigible]

And that policy was in place long before President Bush implemented Senator Kennedy’s “No Child Left Behind” plan.

[bubbacluck]

Back when I was a kid they always separated the bright kids from the average kids. It was called the MGM program. Don’t think they do that these days. It’s called mainstreaming now. We homeschool.

[absolootezer0]

It would seem possible to help both gifted and less able students succeed to their ability; however, the editorial assumes otherwise.

there needs to be too many levels to deal with different requirements. remedial, low performing/ minimal, average, advanced, and honors.
the highest achieving classes right now are barely more than average. also, they would need to point this stuff out on diplomas.

[too much time]

But is it FAIR to let some students be smarter than others?

[USMCWife6869]

This is, sadly, true. I see it every day here.

[massgopguy]

When I was in Elementary School in the 1960’s there was a program called Master Workshop. It was for kids that were too smart to be wallowing in regular public schools. We speak of that program, only in the past tense.

[wastedyears]

I hated math as a student and I still do today. There is so much absolutely useless information being drilled into student's brains that I'm surprised there aren't any outright riots in the halls. Thankfully I can't remember the names of anything that took up space in my head, because they did exactly that. They taught little useful information when I was in high school. Education is something that has to be fixed the right way, and very soon.

[JenB]

My mom had that happen to her, she got shunted into a gifted-and-talented program in a DC suburb forty years ago, from kindergarten, and learned nothing but liberal thinking-experiments and social garbage. She says she learned more homeschooling us.

Truly gifted children benefit from a flexible plan where they can work at their own pace, tailored to use their strengths and help their weaknesses. The best sitation for them is a dedicated parent, homeschooling them and customizing their curriculum. A challenging private school is second, and I suppose a reformed gifted-and-talented government school program might be a distant third.

Actually, locking them up in a library all day is the third best option, they might learn something.

[CPT Clay]

I know, I ‘ve got one.

[too much time]

Back when I was a kid they always separated the bright kids from the average kids. It was called the MGM program. Don’t think they do that these days.

They don't because that is not P.C. and "studies show that placing kids in collaborative groups helps the over-acheivers as well as the students who are behind." Can you tell I've heard that one more than once???

Next question - Can you pay my child to teach the others?

[Lancey Howard]

Har! The Washington Post consistently supports and endorses socialism (ie., the Democrats) but then they turn around and wring their hands about its resulting mediocrity.

[gondramB]

In Georgia, gifted kids were left behind 40 years ago, 20 years and 10 years ago so its no surprise if NCLB has not fixed this.

My family isn’t rich but their neighborhood has houses $300-$400,000. And yet the middle school is failing, year after year. The Solution, all the kids now get free breakfast. Because, no doubt, their parents can’t afford breakfast - but still they have the same old teachers...

Down here, if you want good education and you aren’t qualified to teach half a dozen subjects you send your kids to private school.

[wastedyears]

They won’t learn as much if there aren’t people to interact with in said library, to talk about what they’re reading. Some people might comprehend something a little slower than others.

[mysterio]

It is a sad fact that our most gifted students, are not served by our public school system.

Not true. I went to public schools, and I was pulled out of general study courses in first grade along with others in my class who were deemed "gifted." Our group continued to be placed in more challenging courses every year until graduation. I suspect most schools do this.

[bubbacluck]

I remember the liberal thinking-experiments and social garbage. My parents thought it would ruin me and it almost did. I was lost but then I was found and now am conservative to boot. My wife, who is the teacher in our family, and I would agree with all of your points. Well stated.

[too much time]

In Georgia, gifted kids were left behind 40 years ago, 20 years and 10 years ago so its no surprise if NCLB has not fixed this.

And here I sit in rural Georgia with 3 gifted kids and the closest private school 35 miles away ($15k x 3). I am afterschooling, currently, for math and history. I am too ignorant (product of rural Georgia's gifted program) to know what to do about literature and science.