That moment when the light sparks and appears between Papatuanuku and Ranginui. The start of a new day. Hope, new beginnings, the intersection between our learning and new understanding.
Maybe it's the visual manifestation of Oprah's famous 'Aha' moment. Finding the balance and avoiding the pitfalls for a gifted student in a mainstream learning space may come in many different forms. Like all of our students we make our personal connections and find out 'what makes them tick.' We work to differentiate. But, sometimes it's not until such a student comes into our orbit that we truly have that 'Aha' moment.
For most teachers this doesn't come without professional development, support and guidance. Maybe its always been there, or we think we know. But I think it's not until that spark appears, that's when we can start to see the gifted student for who they are. Just as a new day starts and is different, so are these students.
So the challenge is to research, collaborate, keep evolving and learn from our mistakes.
"Whaowhia te kete matauranga" - Fill the basket of knowledge
Nga Mihi,
Bex
I think you've hit the nail on the head with the 'aha' moment. Our gifted students are so diverse and unless we have PLD in gifted ed they can be incredibly hard to spot and their giftedness often masked by other things. I'm really enjoying reading your thoughts. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteThanks Justine, I am enjoying the Blog challenge! It's great to read what others think and see different perspectives.
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