Started in the 1970's, America's Gifted & Talented programs .
are used to enhance the curriculum of students included in either .
category in order to challenge and strengthen their unique abilities. .
These students are usually provided a separate class with specialized .
lessons in all areas and a teacher with a special degree in gifted .
education. I feel that it is important that the teacher was a gifted .
student who would know what the students must face as "above average" .
members of their school. The job market for gifted education offers a .
wide range of opportunity and gifted teachers are needed all over the .
country.
One of the earliest programs for gifted and talented students .
was set up in 1974, at The Old Donation Center, in Virginia Beach. .
Students scoring within the top 3% of students on an assessment test .
are referred here to be further challenged. These students are .
considered gifted and have special teachers and classes to promote .
development of their talents and minds. Programs like this began to .
pop up around the nation in the 70's; however, gifted students were .
looked down upon by teachers, parents, and peers. Many people .
considered them to be "freaks" because they were different. They .
didn't understand the implications of the terms "gifted" and .
"talented". Most people simply expected gifted students to act more .
mature or to be geniuses, even though gifted students are the same as .
other children in their needs as human beings. Some gifted students .
were forced to grow up too fast and some simply ignored the fact that .
they were smarter than others, thus, they were lost in the shuffle. .
The irony of it all is that gifted-ness seems to run in families and .
the children of these repressed gifted students are, themselves, .
gifted.
But what exactly is a "gifted" student? Students (elementary .
& secondary) are given a repertoire of tests. These tests check IQ, .