My 13 year old son, Tyler, confirmed my longstanding disappointment with the Talented And Gifted (TAG) program in schools. If you don't have such a program in your school district be glad in some ways. What it is for those of you who may not be aware, is a special program for kids in school that are excelling in a subject. They are taken out of class to participate in the TAG program where they are challenged above the other students in their class. While in general principle this is very good. As there have been studies that show some of our best and brightest students drop out of high school since they are not challenged enough so they drop out. The problem lies for the many students, like my son, who don't get pulled out of class for TAG. How would you feel if you weren't labeled talented and gifted. Unfortunately to many of us have been told that at some time and we unfortunately believe it, thus preventing us from fully achieving our maximum potential God had planned for us. While Tyler stated he was happy for his friend that got called out of class to participate in TAG, but he admitted he was sad that he never got called out. While I tried to reassure him he was extremely talented and gifted in many ways and listed many of them for him, there was already some damage done to his self esteem.
My simple thought is, why can't they find at least one talent and gift in every child and pull every child out at sometime for a TAG program. Could you imagine the child that unfortunately may never be looked upon as talented and gifted by their parents being able to go home and tell them they were pulled out of class to participate in a TAG program.
Another program that could use improving is the
Presidential Fitness Award. While again a great idea for rewarding children to partake in exercise and fitness, but why not create something that everyone could succeed in instead of just a few? Check out a program proposed by Gary Gray, PT called
Free2Play.
It's hard to believe programs like
StrengthQuest by the Gallop Organization wouldn't work. Or implementing more exercise into school to help with improved test scores, check out this short news story about exercise in school -
Pumping up the Brain.
As Michelle Obama has pledge to help fight
obesity. I can only hope that some of these initiatives that promote increase self esteem for our children, who are all Talented and Gifted, in academics and fitness can be used.
While this probably seems like a lofty goal, I thought it was fitting to post on the night of the opening ceremonies of the Winter Olympics and the 30 year anniversary of the
Miracle on Ice. I remember as a 9 year old listening to those words
"Do you believe in miracles? YES!", and yes I always have.
So do you believe in miracles? What ideas do you have to share on how we can improve our youths school system to help them succeed?
As a teacher/parent I agree with you whole-heartily about the TAG programs. Every person has their own special talents and unfortuatley they don't all get recognized. I would like to see the TAG program created outside of school time or implemented in such a way that all students would have time to discover what their talent is -- such a math clubs, chess clubs, sewing clubs, writing clubs, etc...
ReplyDeleteNow about the Presidental Physical Fitness award. My daughter came home upsent that she was not able to participate in the end of the year water-balloon throwing game because she did not pass the PPF requirements. Being a daughter of a 6'10" father, she has grown extremely fast and her body weight is almost double that of her classmates. She is by no means out of shape, but she has not grown into her body. It broke my heart when she asked me in September is she could start working out on the treadmill when I was done because she was fat and out of shape. She is only 8 years old! She eats a fairly healthy diet and is involved in after school activities. So I agree that there needs to be some major changes made!
Janell