Professional stakeholders' perceptions concerning bilingual gifted students during the initial planning of an upper elementary talent pool classroom /
Minority students are becoming a majority in our education systems. As school systems encourage knowledge and talent development, there is a concern for embracing students' differences. Currently, there is an underrepresentation of minority students in gifted education. This has been attribu...
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| Format: | Thesis Book |
| Language: | English |
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[Place of publication not identified] :
[publisher not identified] ;
2002.
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| Online Access: | http://proxy.library.tamu.edu/login?url=http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=726446381&sid=1&Fmt=2&clientId=2945&RQT=309&VName=PQD |
| Summary: | Minority students are becoming a majority in our education systems. As school systems encourage knowledge and talent development, there is a concern for embracing students' differences. Currently, there is an underrepresentation of minority students in gifted education. This has been attributed by some researchers to biased assessments and low levels of understanding that educators have of their minority students (Bernal, 1999; Caubel, Whitley & Goodwin, 1990; Collier, 1989; Felix-Holt & Gonzalez, 1998; Gonzalez & Riojas-Clark, 1999; Lara-Alecio, Irby, & Walker, 1997; Maker & Schiever, 1989b; Mills, Stork, & Krug, 1992; Passow & Frasier, 1996; and Sisk, 1994a). This case study examines 16 professional stakeholders' perceptions of bilingual gifted students during the initial planning of an upper elementary talent pool classroom. Interviews, documents and observations provided information that was used to draw a picture of the participants and setting. By using the constant comparative method, there were four themes that emerged from this study. (a) There are several causes for the frustration stakeholders feel in trying to meet the needs of children. Causes include inconsistent information, school district practices that are in conflict with administrators' and teachers' judgements and lack of cultural awareness. (b) Politics lead to various levels of support such as funding. Politics play a role in how a program is planned and implemented. Parents have loud voices and many times, when the parents speak the administrators listen. This was supported by stakeholders' comments indicating that many children were in gifted programs because of who their parents were. (c) Varied levels of understanding have negative consequences on the initial planning process of a talent pool classroom. The various levels of understanding participants had about the project undermined the success of the talent pool pilot. These levels of understanding were partly due to miscommunication between all stakeholders. (d) Levels of commitment and involvement impact the quality of the planning process. |
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| Item Description: | Vita. "Major Subject: Educational Psychology". |
| Physical Description: | xii, 235 leaves ; 28 cm. Issued also on microfiche from University Microfilm Inc. |
| Bibliography: | Includes bibliographical references (leaves 214-225). |