Sensitivity: A double‐edged sword for the pre‐adolescent and adolescent gifted child

This article addresses the often‐observed sensitive nature displayed by gifted children and the effects this sensitivity can have on the child, particularly during the pre‐adolescent and the adolescent periods. This issue is explored through an analysis of the works and life experiences of Geoffrey, aged 9, a prolific writer since the age of 5 years. His exceptional sensitivity is clearly evident through his writings, and the effects this awareness and emotionality have on his life are manifested in accounts of his home and school experiences. Implications for the education of individuals like Geoffrey are discussed, placing emphasis on support of the child's heightened sensitivity rather than on curricula learned or talents exhibited. Special consideration is given to the middle school years when pre‐adolescent and adolescent behavior can significantly affect gifted individuals.     

A para‐educator model for gifted education

The volunteer para‐educator serves as the required link between the professional mentor, the school, and the student in gifted education programs.     

Documenting gifted program results for key decision‐makers

One basic purpose of evaluation of gifted programs is to document the results or impact of the program. This purpose is particularly important to governing bodies such as state legislatures, state school offices, and local school boards which usually provide the funding for gifted programs. In documenting program results for such entitles, leaders in gifted education should consider the differences between evaluation and advocacy; should provide information in brief, clear, and timely ways; and should provide decision‐makers with the information they want, as well as the information they need.     

Motivational Characteristics in Mathematical Achievement: a study of gifted high‐achieving,gifted underachieving and non‐gifted pupils

The aim of this study was to examine whether motivational‐emotional variables such as intrinsic orientation toward schoolwork, Mathematics anxiety, academic self‐esteem, attribution of success and failure in Mathematics and situational interest in Mathematics could differentiate different groups of mathematically gifted pupils. The research was based, theoretically, on an interactional model of giftedness. The sample consisted of 147 selected primary school pupils (9‐10 years of age) who were assigned to the following groups for comparison: mathematically gifted achievers (n = 31), mathematically gifted under‐achievers (n = 31) and mathematically non‐gifted pupils (n = 85). The results of a discriminant analysis show that the gifted pupils differ from the non‐gifted ones in attaining higher levels of intrinsic orientation toward Mathematics, lower Mathematics anxiety, lower attribution of success to external factors and effort, as well as in lower attribution of failure to external factors and abilities. Also, gifted achievers have lower attribution of success to effort than gifted under‐achievers and non‐gifted pupils.     

Novosibirsk's school for the gifted ‐ changing emphases in the new Russia

The development of a person's gifts is influenced by multiple factors‐including culture. In this paper, we explore implications for the development of gifts of women from a nonmainstream culture in the United States by sharing the personal experiences of gifted Islamic women. Based on five women's personal experiences, five key aspects for the development of gifts were revealed; (a) a sense of social motivation, (b) a sense of spiritual motivation, (c) a focus for change, (d) a role for study and learning, and (e) barriers to change. The first three categories were clearly articulated by each participant. The remaining two categories were suggested from the data of a majority of the participants, but not by all. In negotiating the five aspects listed, these women identified needs within their communities and used their gifts to address the needs‐exercising their rights and fulfilling their responsibilities as Muslim women.     

Teachers for the gifted — past,present and future

The issue of how teachers for the gifted should be trained and selected is closely related to the historical and philosophical views of education in general.     

The pursuit of excellence or the search for intimacy? The forced‐choice dilemma of gifted youth

Educators often fail to recognize that the intellectually gifted differ from their age peers in their social and emotional development as much as in their intellectual and academic characteristics. A dilemma peculiar to gifted youth arises through the interaction of the psychosocial drives towards intimacy and achievement, which complement each other in students of average ability, but which place the gifted student in a forced‐choice situation. If the gifted child chooses to satisfy the drive for excellence he or she must risk forfeiting the attainment of intimacy with age peers; if the choice is intimacy, the gifted may be forced into a pattern of systematic and deliberate underachievement to retain membership in the social group. Homogeneous grouping of gifted students is suggested as a partial solution to this dilemma.     

Using teacher ratings of social behavior to differentiate gifted from non‐gifted students

This study investigated the effectiveness of teacher ratings of student social behavior in differentiating a group of 81 elementary‐age gifted students from a control group of 81 age and gender matched non‐gifted students. The School Social Behavior Scales, a recently developed set of rating scales that assesses both social competence and antisocial behavior, was used for the ratings. Gifted students were rated as having significantly higher levels of social competence and lower levels of antisocial behavior than the comparison group, and the individual scores of the gifted students were significantly skewed in the direction of better social‐behavioral adjustment. The findings also indicated the presence of a small subset of gifted students who appeared to have extremely poor social competence and high levels of problem behaviors. The results are compared to previous research on the psychosocial development of gifted children, and important areas for future research on this topic are recommended.     

8 Political and financial support for school‐based and child‐centred reforms

This chapter concentrates on the nature and focus of education reform efforts in city school systems during the late 1980s and early 1990s. A thesis is developed that political, and closely related financial, support for continuing efforts to reform or restructure education depends on two primary factors. The degree of agreement about values and goals among stakeholders within and external to school systems appears to influence the likelihood of a given set of reforms. Adoption and implementation of reforms also depend on the level of intensity of action devoted by those groups. This framework is used to examine whether current reform activities in urban environments engender political and financial support that might be essential for future reform initiatives. The paper concludes that future reform initiatives will need to consider changes in the delivery of non‐educational services to garner sufficient political support for meaningful education reform. Yet there must be agreement among values and interests of diverse agencies and sufficient intensity of action of all groups to bring about meaningful change.     

Science Teachers and Science‐Related Attitudes

Summaries

English

Science teachers’ perceptions of affective‐domainobjectives were gathered through interview procedures. A sample of teachers in Western Australian high schools were the subjects of the study.

For the purpose of analysis, a distinction is drawn between attitudes to science (such as ‘enjoyment of science lessons’ and ‘interest in science') and scientific attitudes (such as ‘honesty in reporting data’and ‘tolerance of the views of others').

Analysis of teachers’ views revealed confusion and lack of clarity regarding these science‐related attitudes. However, it is argued that curriculum writers are no clearer in their views.

It is suggested that a much clearer, more explicit justification for attitude objectives (of both kinds) needs to be made by curriculum writers. Science teachers need to be provided with greater assistance in clarifying the role of these attitude objectives, as well as assistance with techniques for their assessment.     

A Framework for Re‐thinking Learning in Science from Recent Cognitive Science Perspectives

Recent accounts by cognitive scientists of factors affecting cognition imply the need to reconsider current dominant conceptual theories about science learning. These new accounts emphasize the role of context, embodied practices, and narrative‐based representation rather than learners’ cognitive constructs. In this paper we analyse data from a longitudinal study of primary school children’s learning to outline a framework based on these contemporary accounts and to delineate key points of difference from conceptual change perspectives. The findings suggest this framework provides strong theoretical and practical insights into how children learn and the key role of representational negotiation in this learning. We argue that the nature and process of conceptual change can be re‐interpreted in terms of the development of students’ representational resources.     

Parent–child co‐viewing of television and cognitive development of the Chinese child

This study examined the relationship between parent–child co‐viewing of television and the cognitive development of the child. Both survey and experiment methods were employed to determine the participants’ television viewing habits and their cognitive achievements after watching a pre‐recorded programme under different conditions. The participants were five‐year‐old pre‐schoolers from a childcare centre in Beijing, China. The findings show a positive relationship between parent–child co‐viewing of television and the cognitive performance of the child as far as a specific programme was concerned, but long‐term effects of parent–child co‐viewing on the general cognitive development of the child could not be established owing to the limitations of the study.

Cette étude a examiné le rapport entre la co‐vision de la télévision du parent et l’enfant et le développement cognitif de l’enfant. Des méthodes d’enquête et d’expérience ont été utilisées pour découvrir les habitudes des participants quand ils regardent la télévision et leurs accomplissements cognitifs après avoir regardé un programme pré‐enregistré dans des conditions différentes. Les participants étaient des élèves de cinq ans du cours préparatoire d’un centre d’assistance à l’enfance à Beijing, Chine. Les résultats montrent un rapport positif entre la co‐vision de la télévision duparent et l’enfant et la compétence cognitive de l’enfant en ce qui concerne un programme ­spécifique, mais les effets à long terme de la co‐vision de la télévision du parent et l’enfant sur le développement cognitif général de l’enfant n’ont pas été établi dû aux limitatios de l’étude.

Este estudio examinó la relación entre la co‐visión del padre y niño de la televisión y el desarrollo cognoscitivo del niño. Fueron empleados métodos de estudio y experimentales para descubrir los hábitos relacionados con mirar la televisión de los participantes y sus logros cognoscitivos después de mirar un programa previamente grabado bajo diversas condiciones. Los participantes eran pre‐escolares de cinco años de un centro de cuidado de niños en Beijing, China. Los resultados demuestran una relación positiva entre la co‐visión de la televisión por padre y niño y el funcionamiento cognoscitivo del niño por lo que concierne un programa específico, pero los efectos a largo plazo de la co‐visión del padre y niño en el desarrollo cognoscitivo general del niño no pudieron ser establecidos debido a las limitaciones del estudio.