Identified Gifted Boys' Experience Of Giftedness In Alternative High School Settings: Implications For Practice And Programming
Date
2013-02-08
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Abstract
Identification as a gifted learner can provide opportunities for boys to thrive or can place undue pressure and stress, causing them to decline in school, academically and emotionally. This multi-site case study using integral research methodology looked to understand identified gifted boys’ experience of giftedness in schooling, the influence of being labelled as gifted, and how alternative settings met the needs of these gifted boys. Seven identified gifted high school boys’, enrolled in nine different alternative education programs, in a large urban setting in Alberta, Canada, experience of schooling was documented in detail and examined. Interviews, school records, and program reviews provided multiple and at times discrepant perspectives of the boys’ experiences of schooling. Several common themes emerged. The most profound was a shared experience of shame, guilt, and denial, surrounding identification and provision as a gifted learner and unrealistic expectations of performance from self and others. Further commonalities included the need for mutually respectful and caring relationships with teachers as well as the need for challenge and relevance in learning experiences, to enable engagement and achievement in school. These were examined through the lens of Integral Theory focusing on: the interior individual and personality development, using Dabrowski’s Theory of Positive Disintegration; the exterior individual using brain development and neuroscience research; the interior collective, examining the influence of cultural beliefs and values as displayed through popular culture; and the exterior collective, reviewing education system programs and policies. The predominate mediators, of the conditions as identified by the themes, were teachers. The boys’ experience was heavily reliant on teachers’ attitudes, knowledge, and skills, in relation to gifted learners. Few of the boys spoke positively of their schooling experience. However, most of the highlights mentioned, involved a special teacher with whom they had connected. Conversely, the negative experiences they discussed also involved teachers. Teacher professional development and positive school culture are essential for gifted students to flourish in schooling. Implications for practice and programming provide ideas for future directions in supporting gifted learners particularly in inclusive settings.
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Education--Curriculum and Instruction
Citation
Alisat, L. (2013). Identified Gifted Boys' Experience Of Giftedness In Alternative High School Settings: Implications For Practice And Programming (Doctoral thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. doi:10.11575/PRISM/26424