Balancing excellence, equity and inclusion
Some of the debates about the area are ideological. Some advocates are most concerned about shepherding students of real talent so they are not lost in the system, while others are more concerned about equity and inclusion. My hope is that it is possible to embrace all of these perspectives.
The complexity of identifying high potential students
The situation is complicated by the troublesome issue of identification. Teachers for generations have struggled to identify the most able students, often instead applying that description to those who are good learners, who are very well behaved, enthusiastic, neat and responsive. Conversely, their most able students may be hiding in plain sight, limiting their responses as they don’t want to appear different, in fact deliberately “dumbing down” for social acceptance or because it is easy to simply coast through the work, which, being below their cognitive level, is easily and quickly mastered.
Giftedness: perception and reality
Another complication is the frequency with which Australian parents insist to their children’s schools that their children are gifted and talented. Usually this analysis is entirely subjective, and difficult to dislodge. A survey I conducted of Year 7 parents at a previous school I led, indicated that 50% of parents believed their children were gifted and talented. In fact, the proportion of gifted students nationally is at most 10%, and those who are truly talented (giftedness across a broad spectrum) is no more than 1%.
Beyond IQ: the power of growth and development
A further issue is that in the past parents and teachers have relied too much on IQ (Intelligence Quotient) from a single administration of an IQ test. Recent research has shown that IQ is malleable, that is, IQ scores can rise with cognitive development. This is part of the “use it or lose it” mantra, where we now know from neurological research that areas of the brain which receive regular use actually grow more neurons, which increases capacity in these areas. The recent work of American researcher, Professor Carol Dweck, has made its way strongly into schools, which implement her findings: that a growth mindset becomes a self-fulfilling prophesy in the most helpful way, as distinct from a defeatist philosophy which imagines no improvement is possible and hence puts an effective ceiling on achievement.
Why like-minded learners thrive together
There is abundant research which says that highly able students learn and achieve best in the company of other highly able students. In effect, this research observes that highly able students in similar company push one another to extend and reach greater heights of learning. The less satisfactory alternative is to group them away from one another where they work at the lower pace of the rest of the class.
A Biblical perspective on developing talent
In considering students’ talents and how best to mobilise them, we draw on the theology of the Parable of the Talents. Jesus commended the ones who invested their talents wisely to produce an enhanced outcome. “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much.” (Matthew 25:23); “For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.” (Matthew 25:29). Perhaps we should not be surprised that Jesus’ understanding is consistent with 21st century revelations about the brain (a talent in the ancient world was a large sum of money, and no, I don’t think Jesus was recommending venture capitalism!).
Valuing every gift in God's kingdom
There is no suggestion that intellectually highly able students are in any sense more valuable than other students or people. We know that all are made in the image of God and we know from Paul’s body image that all capacities are valuable and necessary for the body to function. As the French say: “vive la différence”.
Extending opportunities for high potential learners at Covenant
At Covenant Christian School, we have recognised for some years the needs of our high potential learners by conducting streamed classes in English and Mathematics, thereby grouping most able students together in a single top class. This is not a gifted class as such, as a school of Covenant’s size may not have sufficient students who meet the definition of giftedness in sufficient numbers to form a class of like kind. Rather, they have been classes of the most able. We have now decided to extend the streaming for Year 7 and 9 in 2027 in order to include Science, History, Geography, and PD/H/PE. Class placement for these subjects will be by a committee drawing on all of the data including NAPLAN, but most especially the highly regarded and standardised AAS (previously known as Allwell) testing in Year 6 going into Year 7. Mobility in and out of these classes will exist, based on performance. The advantage of this grouping is that it enables the curriculum to be compressed, that is, more able students can complete the work more quickly, which allows for extension activities. It is critical that the extension not be more of the same, which could be seen as a punishment, but rather interesting, creative and challenging work which does in fact extend students, tailored just beyond their level, such that they can stretch to reach it and hence grow.
Caveat one: excellence for every student
There are two important caveats here. Students in the other three classes, which are mixed ability, absolutely must receive an outstanding education. They must be given opportunities to thrive and to demonstrate their calibre as learners. To make it so is the responsibility of our Heads of Faculty. In one school I led, the Dux of the school in his year group was from one of the mixed ability classes. This was evidence that students outside the top graded class were still receiving a fine education. That (not so now) young man is now an Associate Professor at Sydney University.
Caveat two: avoiding academic stigma
The second caveat is that there is no bottom class academically in the conjunction into three mixed ability classes embracing Science, History, Geography, Language and PD/H/PE. Too often in schools there is such a class, which proves to be an amalgam of learning difficulty and poor behaviour, the latter often because these young people cannot access the curriculum and hide this inability behind off-task behaviour. A bottom class can often stigmatise them.
Benefits for learning support and classroom teaching
One of the greatest advocates of extending streaming this way is our Head of Learning Support. The fundamental reason for her advocacy is that most of the work of her staff will be in the three classes per grade rather than four, which allows more concentrated work with students who need this attention. It also reduces the range of abilities teachers need to straddle in the one class, freeing them to give more time to those who really need it.
Helping every student flourish
Our school Executive, Heads of Faculty and Board believe this initiative will strengthen Covenant Christian School’s ability to extend to all students the learning experiences they will need to assist them to flourish, both at school and in the years beyond.
Kind regards
Dr John Collier
Interim Principal
