You Turn up the First Day and They Expect You to Come Back! Gifted Students’ Perspectives on School and Being Smart

Abstract

This qualitative multi-site case study sought to examine the current educational provisions in place for intellectually gifted primary school students in Queensland, and to consider the attitudes and perceptions of a range of different stakeholders, including teachers, parents and students. The perspectives of students towards their school and being smart are reported in this paper. The major findings suggested that while students reported being relatively satisfied with their schools, a significant number were concerned about being teased because of their academic ability and achievements. Implications for practice and directions for further research are suggested.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Selena Gallagher

Dr. Selena Gallagher completed her Ph.D. through the University of New England, Armidale, Australia. She has experience of teaching primary school through to tertiary education in Australia, the United Kingdom and China, and is currently leading a gifted education program in an international school in Thailand. Specific research interests include ability grouping and acceleration as a response to giftedness, and gifted students in international schools. She can be contacted at: e-Mail: [email protected]

Susen Smith

Dr. Peter Merrotsy is Professor of Mathematics Education at The University of Western Australia. His research focuses on the education of gifted students from backgrounds of disadvantage (low socio-economic status, cultural minority status, rural and isolated contexts, immigrant and refugee children, and youth caught up in the juvenile justice system). His current research projects involve curriculum differentiation and creative problem solving in these contexts. He can be contacted at: e-Mail: [email protected]

Peter Merrotsy

Dr. Susen Smith is a Senior Lecturer in Gifted & Special Education at the University of New South Wales, Australia and her previous roles included being a Sessional Lecturer in Special Education at the University of Newcastle, where she completed her Ph.D., Lecturer in Learning, Teaching & Gifted Education at the University of New England (UNE) and Associate Professor for a project at the Hong Kong Institute of Education. She has three decades of leadership, teaching and research experience from Pre K to Tertiary and has a diverse teaching background having worked across Early Childhood, Primary, Gifted and Special Education, Education for Sustainability, TESOL and Aboriginal Studies. Her research interests include Differentiating curriculum and pedagogy for diverse student educational needs in multi-disciplinary contexts. She can be contacted at: e-Mail: [email protected]