Should public schools try to close the gap between mentally disabled kids instead of helping gifted kids more?

Question

Tell me whether you think schools should be trying to close the gap between mentally disabled kids and average kids, or should the schools be helping "gifted" kids to reach their maximum potential?

Answer 1

This not about closing any "gaps", but rather what is in the best interest of every student, disabled, or not.

There will always be gaps between people, no matter what their abilities, or education level.

The fact of the matter is that even average, and gifted students will have gaps when compared with one another.

Personally I do not believe in mainstreaming.

Children who need special accommodations should be in schools that can address their issues, with a staff that is completely dedicated to helping children with disabilities reach their full potential.

Parents and educators, no matter how hard this may be; need to come to the realization that depending on the disability, or handicap, some children may have limitations that need to be accepted as a fact of life.

Placing these children in a regular school is both counterproductive, and takes away from the individual attention they need to grow, and learn.

Average,  or gifted students have the same rights, and I do believe that by putting these children all together in one group we limit, and lose our focus on what is best for these children by holding them back, all in the name of "we cannot discriminate".

Is it discrimination to give each child the opportunity to have the best possible education tailored to their individual needs versus trying to make disabled students reach a level they may not be able to attain?

There are children with disabilities that are high functioning, and could indeed with minimal special accommodations succeed in a regular school, however this needs to be evaluated on a case by case basis.

Answer 2

EVERY child in the US is entitled to "a free and appropriate public education", and that includes the special needs of the gifted.

Gifted kids must have an IEP and are also considered to be "special ed" students. The best programs have specially designated classrooms for the gifted and highly gifted students.

If a gifted child is in a regular classroom, he/she quickly becomes intellectually bored and hobbled by the comparative slowness of the rest of the class. Because they are finished with their work more quickly, they can become a behavior problem.

Many regular classroom teachers don't know how to handle gifted children, which is why teachers of the gifted must have a special credential.

Consider this; over 90% of our great minds in science, the arts, medicine and other researchers are either gifted or highly gifted. We owe our gifted kids school work which will achallenge them to reach their potential-- our society needs them.

Answer 3

While mentally disabled children have a soft spot in my heart, the gifted children are the future of our country.  Whether political leaders or CEO's of our large companies or other jobs than require intelligence, we have to teach these children to their maximum potential.  You must know I started my college education in special ed.  After having a gifted child and seeing there is no budget or funding for gifted programs in so many school districts (at the time he was in elementary school), we must do something for our future!!!  They will be running the country when we are aged.

Answer 4

Mentally disabled kids aren't going to be able to be average kids, no matter how much money is thrown at them.  It's impossible for them to ever be equal, hence the separate label or category.

What I would spend additional funds on is early intervention programs from birth and increasing the ability of social services to take over for inadequate parents - through the courts, if need be.  For instance, I had one parent that refused  preschool services for all six of her children.  All were identified officially as special ed before Christmas break of their kindergarten year (very, very rare for one - let alon all of them).   So all of her children were in self-contained classrooms for students with mild-disabilities with environment as the psychologist's main reason for the cause.  Social services was not allowed to touch these kids because there was no abuse there - She was exercising her parental right!  Now each of these receive a $450 or check each month for the rest of their lives plus health insurance and paid for job training/ adult care.  Where would the money best be spent in this situation??

The federal government gives additional funds for these students, but it is often illmanaged at the local level.  I've seen first hand things thrown out rather than transferred to another school.  Thousands of dollars are also wasted because they think it looks like fun in a catalog and then never used.  Teachers take materials when they transfer school districts because things aren't inventoried and secured.

Gifted kids have almost an unlimited potential.  Allow them to grow as much as possible.

Answer 5

They shouldn't neglect to help gifted kids. Gifted children would be very board in the regular classroom. Plus, we need to be giving them a good education so they can challenge themselves and we can help them get even more intelligent because they may be our future scientistics, physicians, or have other jobs that require the person to be smart.

Answer 6

If my daughter was in the public school system she would receive accommodations through the "special" education department. She is severely dyslexic. We choose to send her to a school with no "special" education department for this reason alone. It would be a detriment to her self esteem if she were placed in classes with a child, no matter how bright, with downs syndrome. She is an honor roll student who tests gifted to superior on IQ testing and tests on a college level in many areas. She is a gifted musician. She is in the 5th grade yet, after 3 years of outside tutoring, continues to read on a 3rd grade level. The only accommodations she receives at her current school is having her tests read to her and extra time on standardized tests. In my opinion, the term "special" has no place within a school system. Professionals in the education field claim the system is set up to not place "labels" on a child with a learning difference. By placing these children in "special" education classes is placing the biggest label imaginable on them. The very system that claims to protect them does the most damage.

Answer 7

should they?

Answer 8

The "gap" is not the issue.  The goal should be to assist each student to realize his or her maximum potential.

As a special ed. teacher, all I can say is, well said, Elizabeth.

Answer 9

A 99 on the Raven's isn't in the gifted range, though she may have some of the other qualifications that make someone to be considered gifted. The normal IQ ranges from 80-110.This puts her squarely in the middle and not gifted.

Every child in this country, by law, is to be provided a Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE,) in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE.) That goes for gifted children, special education students and regular ed students.

It is too restrictive for a highly intelligent kid to sit in a class where he or she knows everything. It is too restrictive to have a mildly handicapped child in a self-contained classroom all day. We need to serve all children appropriately.

I would like to see some acceleration techniques used for special ed kids rather than so many remedial efforts. But the idea isn't to bridge any "gap." The idea is to look at each child as an individual and provide the kinds of services that will help them be the best that they can be.