Students involved in the gifted and talented program are not just challenged intellectually, but also creatively. (photo courtesy of Barren County Schools)
In the pursuit of nurturing academic excellence and unleashing the full potential of its students, Barren County Schools Gifted and Talented educators spoke to WCLU about the program and their students about the school’s dedication to identifying and supporting the unique needs of gifted learners, fostering a culture of achievement and innovation within the educational landscape of Barren County.
Scott Harper, Director for Instruction and Technology, explained how the school enriches a gifted student.
Harper also pointed out that GT students may “mask” their talents, socially or behaviorally.
Dinah Wallace and John Alexander, both educators involved with gifted students, shared their experiences with the program and their students. Alexander elaborated on the projects his students do to help stimulate them in fields that they may be outside of their strong subjects, diversifying the student’s education.
Alexander spotlighted two students he has at Eastern Elementary who have begun their first steps into broadcasting.
While students at any level face problems stemming from factors out of their control, Kentucky’s youth are fortunate to have educational safeguards preventing students from being excluded from the program, which Alexander explains further.
Wallace went on to explain the benefits to gifted students in skipping grades to better help the gifted student prosper.
Student aptitude and support from educators are paramount to the success of the program, but parental involvement is another key part. Parents of GT students are almost always accommodating in the enrollment of their children into the program, but that doesn’t mean that they don’t have their concerns. Wallace gave an example of a remarkably intelligent student, whose parents were worried about the social aspect of their child skipping a grade.
Another important part of the GT program that was mirrored by all of the educators was the diversification of the students’ knowledge. Going back to his Eastern students podcast project, Alexander explained how that project in particular used the strengths the students already possessed, to widen the scope of their learning.
Alexander closed his talk about educators within the program by saying, “Instead of being gatekeepers, we try to be pathfinders.”
Wallace, being a self-proclaimed movie buff, co-opted the theme of the movie “Gifted” in which an educator plays a major role in the enrichment of a gifted student, “It’s powerful in showing what a difference one teacher, or one person advocating for a child can make,” she said. “We just hope we can be those advocates.”
Harper summarized the program with the Barren County Mission Statement, “Where opportunity creates success” and how just giving students the opportunity will see them succeed.
Parents and students interested in learning more about the Barren County Gifted and Talented Program are encouraged to contact their school administration or visit the official Barren County Schools website for additional information and application details.
This article is the first in a series spotlighting local gifted and talented programs and the students and teachers that make them up.