Nina Rossi of Delaware Township
Thank you, Susan Murphy, for your letter (The Beacon, Sept. 6) regarding the “gifted and talented” among us.
We have a “gifted and talented” (G & T) program in Delaware Township. I had experience with the other end of that spectrum, the “Basic Skills” (B.S.) program, when my daughter needed remedial help in the second grade. I volunteered to tutor in the program at that time.
Under the previous administration at Delaware Township, the B.S. program was run in an arbitrary manner regarding selection and, most importantly, ongoing evaluation of children placed in that program. It was essentially a warehouse for children who, for whatever reasons, had difficulty in a particular area. They were dumped in and remained in the program without ongoing evaluation. Thankfully, the current administration is addressing this issue.
In the course of my experience with the B.S program I learned that our G & T group was organized and run in a far different manner. A teacher qualified in that area had been specifically hired for the G & T group and funding was provided. The selection of students for G & T is somewhat arbitrary. Although outstanding intellectual ability has some bearing, parental pressure and the program’s procedures for identifying and qualifying students also are very important.
With my daughter, I have dealt with the issue of labeling certain students “gifted and talented” by poking gentle fun at the G & T program (not the students in the program, the program itself.) I point out to my daughter the somewhat arbitrary nature of the selection process and the parental pressure involved. I also explain, and she understands, that she also is gifted and talented. She is an artist in the making — a gifted and talented artist. I point out to her that all children are gifted and talented in some area and she understands that because she witnesses it in her everyday life.
Let’s change the name of the program; it not only makes other children feel not gifted and talented, it excludes other truly gifted and talented children from the joy of knowing that they are gifted and talented, not because they are included in one group in one school but because they also possess precious gifts and talents.
