2.5.9 Advocating for Gifted Programming in a Low Socio-Economic School: Can One Person Make Change?

It is possible to make something from nothing! The secondary school in which I work, located in Australia, is one of significant disadvantage. Nearly 60% of families are situated in the bottom quarter of ICSEA data. Throughout 2017, my role within the school was Enrichment Coordinator. I was tasked with running academic activities with the goal of targeting top students. In 2017 I attended the 22nd Biennial WCGTC World Conference. This changed everything for my school. I returned with a goal to make a difference, and create a program with rigour to support gifted students. As at December 2017, of our student population of approximately 800, we had no students flagged as gifted, or potentially gifted. There was no identification process, no one looking or asking any questions. With the confidence of a little knowledge from the conference, a lot of relationships formed with people I met there and an amazingly supportive school who agreed to back me as I tried to implement a new program, 2018 has seen significant shifts in getting our ACE (Achieve, Commit, Excel) Program up and on the path towards success. While we are only at Year 1 of our 5 Year Plan for the ACE Program implementation, the initial response has been incredible and overwhelmingly positive. The first year of this process has involved significant advocacy with the staff of the school. From running departmental PD regarding identification, with particular focus on underachieving and disengaged gifted adolescents (who make up a high portion of our program), providing support and guidance around differentiation for gifted and high capacity students (we are pros at catering to the other end of the spectrum but have had limited exposure to the top), to convincing people that our gifted students both need and deserve specialised attention and programs and cannot be left to their own devices. We currently have over 30 students in our junior cohort who meet our requirements for academic giftedness and 80 students enrolled in our speciality high performance streamed classes. Success has been revealed in student and staff surveys about the various program elements. 100% of surveyed staff and students believe our school should continue with the program. Whilst recommendations around time out of class and selection of students will be taken into consideration for the 2019 program, the baseline belief in the concept of the program is incredibly encouraging after its first year.

Author(s):