Framework for gifted pupils is reignited, Senate hears
A programme to help outstanding pupils reach their potential will be revived to help meet the learning requirements of all students, senators heard.
Crystal Caesar, the Minister of Education, said that the Gifted and Talented Education scheme — known as Gifted Education — would recognise and nurture “the diverse gifts of all Bermudian children”.
The Upper House heard on Wednesday that “extensive consultations” were held with people involved in and linked to the ministry and Department of Education to reignite the programme.
Ms Caesar told the Senate: “In simple terms, Gifted Education involves specialised teaching strategies designed to meet the needs of students who demonstrate outstanding abilities in areas such as creativity, intellect or academics.
“While all of our children possess unique gifts and talents, gifted students are those who exhibit advanced intellectual, creative and/or academic performance beyond their peers and require more stimulating or challenging education and services beyond the standard school curriculum appropriate for their same-aged peers.
“These efforts are intended to educate and promote understanding about the importance of Gifted Education, the identification of gifted learners and how to best support them to achieve their potential.
“Like all students, those who are gifted have immense potential, which has to be discovered, cultivated and supported.
“Giftedness may also come with challenges that require attention and support, for example in the area of social skills and integration.
“Some gifted students may also be neurodivergent and have learning differences, which needs to be understood in order to provide tailored education and support not only through this programme but throughout all educational experiences.”
She added: “When gifted learners are not sufficiently challenged, they can become disengaged or frustrated.
“By contrast, when their needs are met, they develop stronger critical-thinking, problem-solving and social-emotional skills — the very skills that will enable them to develop as learners and students in ways commensurate to their potential.”
Senators heard that talks were held with curriculum specialists, principals and multi-tiered system of support coaches to make sure that the programme fits into the Government’s wider education transformation agenda.
Discussion topics included the development of understanding among teachers about the special needs of gifted learners; how to support and challenge potential gifted learners; and how work samples and formal assessments such as the Otis-Lennon School Ability Test can be used to identify students with exceptional potential.
Ms Caesar said that community support came from Nasa’s Cooper’s Island station, where it has been agreed that 15 students would be hosted for a special science learning experience, as well as the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences, which met the ministry to design Stem activities for advanced learners.
She added that partnerships with the Government’s I Am programme were under consideration to identify and develop student leaders at Primary 6 level.
The minister said that talks continued with reinsurance companies on the island to help nurture gifted pupils and that art professionals were also being consulted to determine how best to meet the needs of exceptional visual, music and performing-arts students.
“By reigniting Gifted Education, we are not creating exclusivity, we are creating equity,” Ms Caesar said.
“We are ensuring that every student regardless of ability is supported to reach their highest potential.”
Tawana Tannock, an independent senator, asked about whether additional resources or training would be provided to help to implement the programme.
Ms Caesar replied that the ministry was “at the beginning stage of ascertaining what’s required in order to meet some of the students’ needs”.
Ms Tannock, who noted that she was a former educator, said: “When we talk about gifted students, there are … internationally known strategies for teaching gifted students that your classroom educator, who has a classroom full of kids, may not have the opportunity to implement.
“What I am concerned about, while I applaud the Government for this initiative, is putting an extra burden on our facilitators, on our teachers who haven’t had the training necessary or haven’t been given additional skills.”
She added that educators were “already overburdened”.
“Not only are they teaching kids, they’re bringing kids lunch, they’re bringing kids school uniforms and now we’re asking them to identify gifted students without giving them the strategies and necessary tools that they might need,” Ms Tannock said.
The education minister responded that a team of people, not only classroom teachers, would support the scheme, which she added was the subject of a “school community effort”.
Victoria Cunningham, the Opposition leader in the Senate and the One Bermuda Alliance’s education spokeswoman for the Upper House, backed the Gifted Education programme and asked what key performance indicators would be used to measure its success, as well as how outcomes would be tracked and published.
Ms Caesar said: “In developing this programme, we will be determining what are we expecting, what returns, what do we want to see, how do we want to meet and measure and track how we’re doing in terms of identifying and how those children are progressing through this programme.”
The minister added that she appreciated the feedback from senators.
• To read the ministerial statement in full, see Related Media
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