Interesting article - what do you think?

[mim1]

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/state-fails-gifted-pupils-20110828-1jgpn.html

What do you think of what they say in the article? I know lots of you aren't in Victoria, but I guess it's similar (or perhaps worse??) in other states.

[TinyLittleTootsies]

I read the article, and I do think that there should be a program created for gifted students in the public schools as a standard and more training for teachers. I am about to go off on a tangent but I also think that the schooling system fails on different levels for so many students at the moment, not just gifted children. I think the problem lies in teaching being an undervalued career which in turn creates teachers who do not go the extra mile or are leaving uni having done the minimum to get through their degree just to get a job because it is what a lot of them could get into rather than really wanted to do. There are amazing teachers out there and you see their classes catering for all types of special needs. This also needs a supporting principle and enough funding for the amazing teacher to be able to be amazing. Unfortunately this is rare I think, and it all needs to change. Teaching and education services need to be paid a lot more and regarded with the same respect as, say, someone who says they are a doctor/engineer etc are treated in order to attract great teachers from the start who can in turn work their way up and create great education systems. People in education also need to make the laws about education and create a new system. (or go back to systems that were deemed to expensive and scrapped :rolleyes:)

BTW... I think Jaq on here wrote in the comments haha.

[sweetseven]

Well I know the school system failed my DD3 to the point she had a breakdown in year 6. Now she has an excellent teacher that is working hard to engage her in year 7, and fill in the gaps she has missed from year 6 (and 5). She has applied to an extension program for year 8, and I dearly hope she gets in, because if not fear she might give up on boring pointless school again.

DD2 is also intelligent but not gifted, but definately disingaged with the school system. It is failing her also, but I really don't see what else they could do for her - she does the bare minimum and puts no effort into her work at all.