The parents who cross our threshold say that the structure we have behind the Gifted4All program is totally different from other educational forms: the selection process, the mode of intervention (by cognitive age, emotional age and biological age), the approach and integration of the family, the teachers, and assessment methods.
With this validation, the next step is to open the school in September 2020. We are often asked how our school system, specifically dedicated to children with high abilities, will work.
The answer is simple: just like any school accredited on the international curriculum, with the major difference in the way the classes and graduation years are organized. Children will not go through the school years linearly, but according to the areas of development on all three levels – cognitive, emotional, biological.
What we rely on:
- anamnesis
- psychological testing to identify cognitive intelligence quotients (fluid – logical and crystallized – acquired through language, processing speed, memorization quotient), emotional / social intelligence, temperament the SEM model, developed by Joseph Renzulli and Sally Reis
- piloting and adapting the SEM model through the Gifted4All program (the program is aimed at children from 2 to 17 years old)
- international assessments – here about the American Baccalaureate, and here about the International Baccalaureate
- the rules of the Ministry of Education for equivalence of diplomas
- lobby and advocacy for a paragraph to be inserted in the Education Act, at art 57 or 77, which would allow these children to take the summative exam starting at the age of 15 (see Education Act in Germany (Austria) 17, paragraph (4 ) APOGrundStGy idF v. 22.07.2011, zuletzt geändert am 28.06.2018)
“The acceleration principle starts with the individual’s strengths and is one of the most effective promotion strategies” (Heller 2001, 37). Acceleration means “going through a faster curriculum” (Ziegler 2008, 78), which in turn means, for example, enrolling in school early, skipping one or more grades, temporarily attending lessons in upper grades, shortening curriculum or learning courses. Richter (2003, 70) also adds curriculum expansion, early school completion, early university admission, self-selected learning pace and tutoring programs. According to Ziegler (2008, 78), scientific studies show that acceleration is the most effective of traditional support measures. If highly gifted students differ significantly from their peers in terms of their learning pace, a rapid succession of teaching steps meets many of their needs, and the content of curricula at all school levels does not meet students’ needs and is a challenge , then acceleration is recommended (Richter 2003, 70).”
“Ability differentiation means that high achievers can attend special classes for them, learning separately from the rest of the class in some subjects, or attend special schools for gifted children. (Winner, Ellen 2007, p.111) . Winner talks about the last option in particular. The success of graduates of special schools for children with high abilities is closely related to the innovation of the learning-education model. Gifted students do better in special schools than in regular schools.” (Winner, Ellen 2007, p.111)
Below we leave you the testimony of a teenage girl from Germany:
„Es hat mir so viel Spaß gemacht! Mich hat das Überspringen immer sehr motiviert. Ich war früher mit der Ausbildung fertig und früher unabhängig (…)“ Katrin, übersprang drei Klassen und machte ihr Abitur mit 16 Jahren. Zitat in: Heinbokel, A. (2016)
(translation) “It was so easy for me! That always kept me motivated. I finished my studies faster and this aspect helped me gain my independence faster (…) ” Katrin skipped three grades and graduated at 16. (quoted from Acceleration: Still an Option for the Gifted Annette Heinbokel)
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In conclusion, the school that linearizes (class 1 – 12th / 13th) does not meet these needs, however good it may be from a methodological point of view and the teaching staff. All the specialists who have been researching the phenomenon for more than 40 years have come to these conclusions.