Journal Article

Tales from within: Gifted Students’ Lived Experiences with Teaching Practices in Regular Classrooms

Valdivia-Lefort, Marieta, Hébert, Thomas P., Castillo-Hermosilla, Hernan, Conejeros-Solar, Maria Leonor, Gomez-Arizaga, Maria P.

2020

Overview

Gifted students in regular classrooms have fewer opportunities to develop activities that are based on their characteristics as learners and address their needs; however, many of them spend most of their school time in these classrooms. The results presented here were part of a 2-year qualitative project that analyzed 12 Chilean gifted students’ lived experiences in regular classrooms by exploring the factors that foster and hinder their learning through the use of photos, focus groups, and interviews. The results showed students’ discontent with the national curriculum and teaching practices related to rigidity, lack of meaning, and unchallenging assessments. Nevertheless, positive experiences were reported related to teaching strategies, especially when they add novelty and move away from traditional approaches. Waiting experiences were common, but were often seen by students as opportunities for creative production. Methods for engaging gifted students in their learning are highlighted.

• Publisher: MDPI AG
• Subject: Academically Gifted / Case studies / classroom teachers / Conventional Instruction / Creative Teaching / Creativity / Education / Foreign Countries / gifted students / High School Students / Learner Engagement / lived experiences / Methods / Middle School Students / National Curriculum / Peer Relationship / Practice / Qualitative research / regular classroom / Student Attitudes / Student Experience / Talented students / Teacher Student Relationship / Teachers / teachers of the gifted / Teaching Methods