“These schools to be under a visitor, who is annually to chuse the boy, of best genius in the school, of those whose parents are too poor to give them further education, and to send him forward to one of the grammar schools, of which twenty are proposed to be erected in different parts of the country, for teaching Greek, Latin, geography, and the higher branches of numerical arithmetic. Of the boys thus sent in any one year, trial is to be made at the grammar schools one or two years, and the best genius of the whole selected, and continued six years, and the residue dismissed. By this means twenty of the best geniusses will be raked from the rubbish annually, and be instructed, at the public expence, so far as the grammar schools go.” Those are the immortal words of Thomas Jefferson, excerpted from Notes on the State of Virginia.
Jefferson, it seems, was cognizant that “genius,” as he called it, must be cultivated and developed. Furthermore, he asserts, that talent is something “nature has sown as liberally among the poor as the rich …”
These words and ideals, expressed by a founding father, oh, so long ago, form the crux of the ideas embodied in the law of the land, as it pertains to gifted and talented education. Section § 8-202, of the relevant section of Maryland law unequivocally states, “Gifted and talented students are to be found in youth from all cultural groups, across all economic strata, and in all areas of human endeavor. ”
The perceived failure of gifted and talented education to equally identify “genius” from “youth from all cultural groups, across all economic strata, and in all areas of human endeavor,” is not a rationale for dismembering gifted and talented education. Instead, it should gird us with the determination to do it right.
It is a national shame that we have embarked on a voyage of dismantling the vestiges of a challenging education and replacing it with a soufflé of little substance. In Montgomery County, Maryland, the exercise has taken the form of replacing middle school honors courses with courses that fail to meet their stated goals.
For example, Honors Earth Space Systems A/B Grade 8, has been replaced with Investigations in Earth Space Science (IESS). According to a memorandum issued by the then superintendent Jerry D. Weast, “As part of the Middle School Reform initiative, OCIP staff members have redesigned the middle school science curriculum to create two courses, Investigations in Science 6 and Investigations in Science 7, which lead to Earth Space Systems in Grade 8.” He goes on to assert, “The courses integrate STEM concepts, technology, research, innovation, and multiple solutions. Students generate questions and develop plans for solving problems and evaluating solutions. They record their findings in design-folios and science journals. Classes analyze progress toward possible solutions throughout each unit and students have multiple opportunities for reflection and revision.” At least in one school, in a co-taught IESS class, teachers don’t seem to have the time to accomplish these objectives
It is time to change course.
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Does the Center for American Progress have a specific vendetta against Oklahoma schools? Or were we justa randomtarget? Jeremy Ayers, author of the CAPs “No Child Left Behind Waiver,” criticizes the Oklahoma NCLB waiver request as too complex but he gave no indication that he understands either the states educational policy or politics.Oklahomas performance-driven evaluation law was based onthe Coloradolawthat the CAP pushed, and yet Ayers complains that wehave notrushed pastColorado in nailing down the details. This is even though just last week, the OKState Board of Education reached a sensible compromise on teacher evaluations. The Boards logic was that the key to success is building a constructive culture of accountability, as we will learn from apilot projectin 2012. Ayers complains that Oklahoma has not nailed down metrics for evaluations of teachersof nontested classes. Apparently, he would like us to followTenneessees absurd plan and evaluatePE teachers based on reading scores. Oklahoma hasenough on its platewithincreased federal micromanaging, as we switch over to Republican control. After carefully studying the policies and the process initiated by our new Republican Education Secretary, Janet Barresi, I have to admit being pleasantly surprised. A year ago, I would have never thought that Barresi would be so open to collaboration. I cant say I have the same reaction to reading the CAP report. Perhaps those in other states are having the same reaction. -JT Imagevia.