Some of the best schools in the city refuse to separate children by their various abilities, and do a good job serving all of their students. It really depends on who your child is as a learner. In some cases, parents can be so intimidated by the complexity of the school system that they seek gifted programs because they seem to offer better learning experiences. Is a gifted program right for your child?įirst and foremost, make sure you know why you think a gifted program might be necessary for your child. You can find out more about each school here at InsideSchools and by visiting the school’s website. However, even within NYC, G&T programs are not all the same-it depends on the teacher or principal. Children may study a topic in more depth and detail. The Department of Education says it offers “accelerated instruction,” that is, students study the same material as other children but they may be one-half to a full grade (or more) above their age level. Many other cities identify children as “gifted” only starting in 2nd or 3rd grade and then pull them out of regular classes for extra lessons or more challenging work (“enrichment”) a few times a week. Researchers say it’s inappropriate to attempt to identify G&T students at age four, which is what NYC does, with a few exceptions. New York City is unusual in that G&T programs start early-about 4 percent of all NYC kindergartners are in G&T programs. Now the city uses a range of ways to identify who can be placed in a G&T classroom. To address this problem, admission to G&T is not based only on test scores, as it used to be. English language learners who are not considered gifted may in fact be gifted, but unable to express themselves in English. This is, of course, not fair or right, because giftedness exists in all populations and at all economic levels. Those against them say they tend to segregate students along socio-economic (how much money and education a family has) or ethnic lines.įor example, although 13 percent of NYC public school students are learning to speak English, almost none of these students fill gifted seats. Those in favor of G&T say these programs ensure that all students are consistently challenged in school and have opportunities to grow. In theory, the purpose of G&T programs is to provide a unique learning experience for students whose academic abilities are exceptional for their age. Furthermore, James Borland, a professor at Columbia University, who has published papers on gifted education, has told us there is no clear definition or consensus on what a “gifted” child is. For instance, the National Association for Gifted Children says no gifted child is exactly the same as another, but there are many traits and characteristics that G&T children have in common. One such option is a gifted and talented (G&T) program.īefore we explain G&T, we want to note that it is not as straightforward as it sounds. However, New York City has a large system of school choice and, as a parent or guardian, you may want to consider other options. It's close to your home and you are guaranteed a spot (almost always). Your child will most likely attend their zoned neighborhood elementary school.
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