Intelligent design [sbpost.ie]
- Published: 24 July 2011
Schoolchildren who possess exceptional academic ability have traditionally been left to their own devices in the classroom. But being ahead of the pack academically doesn’t always guarantee an easy passage through the education system
When secondary school student Tommy Collison wrote a blog post about the use of the word ‘‘gifted’’ to describe youngsters with high academic ability, it caused a small furore. Collison, himself one of those youngsters, doesn’t like the term. What’s more, he accused some ‘‘gifted’’ youngsters of showing arrogance about their intelligence.
His remarks drew a significant backlash from his peers, and also generated some criticism from adults. ‘‘I suspect you’d do a lot more for the ‘gifted’ students by addressing their deficits, rather than focusing on their already exceptional abilities," said one. The episode highlighted how emotionally fraught the debate on education in this country can be.
Full Story: www.sbpost.ie
