The Gifted and Talented Education Program (GATE) is utilized by public education systems to meet the unique needs of gifted and talented learners. While it has been met with success in the schools in which it was implemented, parents find that it differs significantly from the format offered by a gifted school. Since every talented student requires different types of support, here is what every parent should know about the differences between these two options.
Age Requirements for Identification
Research has shown that early identification of special needs in the academic classroom is essential for helping students reach their full potential. Due to funding reasons, many GATE programs do not begin assessing children for giftedness until the third or fourth grade. A private gifted school, has more flexibility regarding testing, and you can have your child tested as early as first grade. Kindergarten students, however, are not excluded. Due to the unreliability of tests for children under the age of six, a combination of work samples, observations and characteristic checklists may be used instead for admission to the program.
Types of Enrichment Courses
GATE programs receive funding from the community that is meant to be applied to a well-rounded educational program. In these programs, gifted students are encouraged to take fine arts courses such as choir and extracurricular math and writing courses. However, many schools lack the space or staff to offer higher level enrichment courses that appeal to gifted learners. Private programs have more resources to devote to promoting enrichment activities. For this reason, you will find courses such as rocket building, culinary arts and yoga so that kids can take their talents to new heights.
Flexibility Regarding Curriculum Delivery
Although public schools take their GATE programs seriously, they must still take into consideration the needs of other students in the school. This means that all students must work at the same pace, even if they have already mastered a concept. For a gifted learner, this can lead to boredom. At a gifted school, it is understood that some kids learn certain subjects faster than others, so teachers are trained to allow their students to work at their own pace. A private school also offers options for learning, such as online education, that may be a better fit for some students needs.
Depth of Service Learning Programs
Every school makes it a point to teach kids about the importance of being involved in their community. For example, a GATE program may plan a special day when students can help feed the homeless or pick up trash in a public space. However, due to school schedules, these events are usually limited to only a few hours or a single day. Gifted schools tend to work service learning into their curriculum. For example, a student may spend several days working on a farm or work in their cooking class to prepare lunches for low-income families.
Once a child has been identified as gifted, parents have more than one option for supporting their education. When choosing between the two, it is important to take into consideration the child’s temperament, current academic standing along with their future goals. This way, every gifted student will be able to benefit from a program that is tailored to fit the needs of their unique learning style.
