Visit Steppingstone School: Gifted and Talented Education
A Student All Day Visit to the school is a must to determine if the environment works for you and your child. It is important to understand the school’s culture, curriculum and commitment to education. Your child should feel safe, comfortable, intellectually challenged, and be treated with compassion and understanding. We recommend you use the following checklist, developed by Heather Gutterman, to help you determine whether a school meets your gifted child’s needs.
Evaluating Schools for Gifted Children
Curriculum
- Student academic placement isn’t limited by their age
- Students are able to move at their own pace of learning
- Placement in the curriculum can be adjusted as the needs of students change
- Examples of depth and breadth in daily lessons are present
- Students have access to advanced math – through calculus
- Students have access to advanced science, experimental design, equipment, etc.
- Includes writing in all subjects, for practical purposes, as well as a discrete study
- Students read quality literature appropriate to life experience
- There are opportunities for enrichment study beyond the standard curriculum
- Access to Music/P.E./Art instruction that addresses the needs of gifted students
Environment of gifted education
- Students have access to “mental peers” – other gifted students
- Students have interactions with a range of ages
- Play environments have simple, versatile toys and equipment
- The environment is calming to the senses
- Students have space they can withdraw to if needed (to focus, to feel safe, etc)
- Students do not experience regular stigmatization because they are in the program
- Adults actively support students through conflict resolution
- Adults actively support students through challenge
- Adults actively support students through handling intensities