Education Queensland requires that schools and regions provide appropriate service for gifted students to assist the development of their potential.
Proserpine State School, as a school within Education Queensland, endeavours to identify and provide all students who excel, or have the potential to excel, with opportunities to develop their potential through appropriate curriculum provision and opportunities. By using the principles of effective learning and teaching, and an inclusive approach to the provision of appropriate curriculum programs, the school aims to improve learning outcomes for gifted students.
Definition
Throughout the years, the word ‘gifted’ has been defined differently by academics. Without a common understanding of the terms ‘gifts’ and ‘talents’, there may be confusion between the school and the community. With this in mind, Proserpine State School uses Professor Francoys Gagne’s definitions of gifts and talents as outlined in his Differentiated Model of Giftedness and Talent.
Gagne defines giftedness as outstanding aptitude or potential rather than outstanding performance. He defines talent as achievement or performance at a level significantly beyond what might be expected at a given age.
Proserpine State School’s Gifted Strategy is therefore based on the premise that giftedness equates with high natural ability, whilst talent equates with high achievement.
Identification
In identifying gifted and talented students, the Proserpine State School Gifted Strategy supports an on-going process of identification. The process includes both objective and subjective assessment procedures, including:
- Observations made by teachers, parents and community members
- Cumulative school history
- Anecdotal records
- Checklists of characteristics
- Interviews (Parent, student & teacher)
- Grade-level and above-level achievement tests, and Standardised tests of ability, aptitude and achievement
Programs Offered
Having a high number of children who have been identified as More Able in various areas, Proserpine State School has a number of programs and opportunities to offer these children.
- Accelerated learning, where a number of students access above-grade learning after being formally recognised as talented in specific areas.
- Virtual Classrooms created by Proserpine teachers to cater to those students requiring extension in Science and Technology, Maths and English.
- Opportunities to participate in national competitions above their cohort levels.
- Access to problem solving and skill development activities such as the Australasian Maths Olympiads, and Whitsunday Voices
- Access to 'experts' in certain KLAs eg Science teachers from the High School
- Regional workshops such as Muso-Magic, Choral Festival and AIM Spring School
- Participation in national programs such as Engquest and Spectra Science
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