Sally Reis on Gifted Education

Mondo
Tue, 30 Sep 2008 12:40:35 +0000

With a personal anecdote, I was considered to be gifted as a child.
I don’t even remember what school was like up to fourth grade when I was in a public elementary school.
My parents decided to put in the extra money to have me attend a gifted school (135+ IQ required) in my area.
I quickly noticed the differences.
We were ten years old and already learning algebra and writing 3-4 page essays and doing research papers. The work was much more advanced and I wasn’t so bored with school anymore. In my public elementary school, I think we were spending a whole year on fractions or something… there were no gifted programs where I was attending- my only option was putting in $3000 a year to attend a school that is a twenty minute drive from where I live.
Despite the fact that I don’t come from a rich family at all, my parents thought it was for the best that I attended the gifted school- I think it helped in the long run.

Overall, we need to do a much better service for highly intelligent people of lower and middle classes.
It is arrogant to assume that IQ tests solely favor the rich…
It is a fact that those in the upper classes are able to receive the widest scope of academic opportunities.