Will, Emma (SEN)
From:	James & Melanie McIntosh [jmmcinto@melbpc.org.au]
Sent:	Tuesday, 27 March 2001 12:22 PM
To:	eet.sen@aph.gov.au
Subject:	Fw: submission to Senate Committee Inquiry on gifted education
 
----- Original Message ----- 
From: James & Melanie McIntosh <mailto:jmmcinto@melbpc.org.au> 
To: eet.sen@aph.gov.au <mailto:eet.sen@aph.gov.au> 
Sent: Monday, March 26, 2001 7:33 AM
Subject: submission to Senate Committee Inquiry on gifted education

Name: Melanie McIntosh
Phone: 03 9762-8309
Postal Address: 38 Mercia Ave 
                        The Basin,Vic, 3154

Yesterday I inadvertently sent 2 submissions. This is the correct one, please disregard the two previous submissions.
 
Questionnaire:

1.  Does your child have access to an appropriate education?
Y/N  [Y  ]  But only through alot of hard work pushing the school

2.  Do you feel that regular teachers at your school have the training that is needed to teach gifted children?
Y/N  [N  ]

3.  Part of the government's strategy for the education of gifted and talented students is that: `After 1995 all schools, where feasible,
should seek to emply at least one teacher who has training in the education of gited and talented students.' Are any of the teachers at your school
trained in the education of gifed and talented students? Y/N  [ Yes, but the teacher concerned teaches one class, and is not used in an advisory capacity to other teachers. ]
                                                                                          The other teacher who advises class teachers has attended conferences, but I don't believe this is adequate
                                                                                          to be able to give teachers the best advice on teaching gifted children.
4.  How many teachers at your school appear to understand the academic, social, and emotional needs of the gifted child?
A = No teachers   B = Some teachers  C = All teachers [ B , very few ]

5. How many teachers at your school are approachable with respect to gifted issues?
A = No teachers   B = Some teachers  C = All teachers [B  ]

6.  Does your school use a proceedure to identify students of high potential?
Y/N  [ Y, not sure how it works ]

7.  Is it common for gifted children in your school to receive a curriculum that is different from the non-gifted students in the classroom?
Y/N  [N  ]

8.  Is accelerated progression through grades an option for gifted students at your school?
Y/N  [  ]

9.  Which subject(s) are taught using ability grouping? 
A = None   B = Mathe   C = Reading   D = Other   E = More than one subject [ B & C ]

10.  Does your school provide mentorships for gifted studnets?
Y/N  [ sometimes ]

11.  Do you believe that your gifted child's education has been damaging to his/her social and emotional well-being?
Y/N  [ Yes, very much ]

12.  Please indicate which of the following you believe would assist gifted children in your school: a)  All teacher qualifications should
include training in the education of gifted and talented students
Y/N [Y ]

b)  Implementing a proceedure to identify students of high potential
Y/N  [ Y ]

c)  Ability grouping in regular classes
Y/N  [Y  ]

d)  Allowing accelerated progression through the grades
Y/N  [  ]

e)  Compacting curriculum within regular classes
Y/N  [ Y ]

f)  Providing mentorships for gifted students
Y/N  [Y  ]

g)  Special classes for gifted children to allow compacting of curriculum and enrichment opportunities
Y/N  [  ]

h)  Extra funding for gifted education  ( y )

Append any other comments below:
 
Other questions suggested on OzGifted have included:
Your gifted child's current school     private 
Your gifted child's current grade  GRADE 3  & PREP
Does your gifted child have access to an appropriate education? Y/ GRADE 3 STUDENT this year has the teacher trained in gifted ed, but previous years were a struggle; 
If yes -  Did you change schools to obtain access to an appropriate education? Y; youngest child in prep this year has just been put into a new school, & is doing well.
If yes - How many times? Once.

Further comments; I believe that schools should be required by law to provide an appropriate differentiated curriculum. Until that happens, many of our children will be
 damaged by inappropriate teaching. Also emotional support should be available. For example schools in USA have counselling available to gifted students.