Gifted Teaching: Thought and Action.

A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.

Henry Brooks Adams, The Education of Henry Adams, 1907

While our contemporary language is gender neutral, Henry Brooks Adams nevertheless captured the essence of the power of teaching. A teacher's influence is wide reaching, for better or worse. The verb teach has, been part of the English language for over a millennium. The Oxford English Dictionary (2nd edition) records its use by King Alfred, circa 888. Over the centuries, usage included both teaching the subject (e.g., I teach Science.) and teaching individuals (e.g., I teach preschool children.). The latter is now the leading definition (Simpson & Weiner, 1989). With this placement of the learner at the center of teaching, it is essential that we identify what makes a teacher most influential in the positive sense. In this article, we consider what comprises gifted teaching - the kind of teaching that inspires, connects with the minds and hearts of students, and celebrates the joy of learning.

State of knowledge

Gifted teaching is central to the educational enterprise, yet there is a startling lack of literature on the subject. A search of relevant databases produced many citations on teaching gifted learners. The abstracts associated with these citations were similar to those found on effective teaching, focusing on strategies and resources rather than what moves teaching beyond effectiveness to deserving of the descriptor gifted. This article takes a different approach by describing what we do know about gifted teaching and offering examples of such teaching in action. It assumes that it is gifted teaching that is essential in inspiring all learners and ensuring excellence in their education.

Gifted teaching as interpersonal intelligence

Howard Gardner (1983) proposed interpersonal ability as an intelligence that is valued in our culture. In its advanced, or gifted, form, interpersonal intelligence is the ability "to read the intentions and desires - even when these have been hidden - of many other individuals and, potentially, to act upon this knowledge ..." (Gardner, 1983, p. 239). Gardner identified skilled teachers as being among those individuals who demonstrate highly developed interpersonal intelligence. Gardner's work is highly influential in current conceptualizations of intelligence and educational methods that account for different ways of being intelligent, but it does not specify in any detail what gifted teaching looks like in action. Gardner's definition does, however, provide a framework for understanding what makes a gifted teacher. At the core of the following conceptions of highly able teaching is the consideration of learners' intentions, desires, and understandings in informing practice.

Gifted teaching as wisdom

A wise teacher (Arlin, 1993, 1999) is one who reflects "an orientation toward self, students, and teaching that highlights the teacher as learner in the act of constructing knowledge with her students. She defines teaching, in part, as revealing the students' points of view" (Arlin, 1999, p. 12). Arlin (1999) defines wise as a profound, developmental phenomenon rather than as cleverness. Drawing on current work on wisdom, she equates the characteristics of wise teachers with those of wise people. What it means to be a wise person is to demonstrate the following characteristics:

* An understanding of meaning and the limits to what is known;

* The search for the understanding of others' thinking;

* Judiciousness;

* Understanding of ambiguity;

* Interest in understanding what is known and what meaning to attach to it; and

* An appreciation of context. (Sternberg, cited in Arlin, 1999, p. 12).

Using the above characteristics of wisdom as a framework for thinking about teaching, Arlin's (1999) studies of wise teachers show that they possess:

* Rich factual knowledge about teaching and about their subject matter;

* Rich procedural knowledge about teaching strategies and the practical knowledge of how and when to use them;

* A sense of the context of instruction and the context in which the students are being instructed;

* An awareness of the relativism associated with variations in values and priorities of both their peers and their students; and

* An uncertainty about the effects of specific teaching decisions coupled with a willingness to take risks and to try a variety of ways to actively participate with the students in the learning process. (p. 13)

Understanding learners' perspectives. In Arlin s framework, point of view is a critical notion. It involves the ability to take the perspective of others, as suggested by Gardner's (1983) definition of interpersonal intelligence, and to be comfortable with the uncertainty engendered by different understandings. Arlin considers that wise teachers are expert teachers with the important additional sense of relativism and contextualism. "They have the humility and courage to live with uncertainty and take the risk of questioning whether they can do better and become active participants with their students in the learning process" (Arlin, 1999, p. 16).

The teaching

What follows is Elizabeth Towers's description of her early teaching experiences in Vancouver, British Columbia, a large, multicultural city in Canada. While the city's largest cultural groups are of Canadian, European and Chinese origins, there is much diversity in the population, including people of South Asian, Korean, Japanese, Filipino, Aboriginal, East Indian, Middle Eastern, African, Caribbean, and Latin ancestry (Statistics Canada, 1996). It is not uncommon for many languages and heritages to be found in any one Vancouver classroom. The students described in this article are representative of the cultural diversity in the city.

Linking thought and action. When presented with the task of teaching a multicultural group of students whose learning styles also varied, I chose a multidisciplinary approach in planning the language arts unit. In an inclusive classroom setting including Grades 5 and 6, I developed a poetry unit that satisfied Language Arts and Fine Arts curriculum requirements. The prescribed learning outcomes for Language Arts 5 and 6 were:

* description of information in graphic representations

* demonstration of pride and satisfaction in using language to create and express thoughts, ideas, and feelings in written form

* creation of a variety of personal and informational communications

* application of the basic rules and conventions of writing for the visual and written forms selected

* description of how particular works evoke personal images, memories, and responses

* use of language to explore thoughts, ideas, feelings, and experiences for preparation for roles in the world (British Columbia Ministry of Education, 1996, pp. 80, 82, 90, 92, 94, 114).

These goals for Language Arts were integrated with some goals for Fine Arts, namely drafting ideas for images using feelings, observation, memory, and imagination; responding to color; and making images to communicate ideas, express emotions, and engage the senses (British Columbia Ministry of Education, 1998, IRP 42). An additional goal of mine was the exploration of cultural expressions and the sharing of cultural traditions.

Several of the exceptional children in the classroom were identified as gifted and acknowledged by the Ministry of Education through funding. British Columbia funds up to 2% of a school's population who are identified according to the following definition:

   A student is considered gifted when she/he possesses demonstrated or
   potential abilities that give evidence of exceptionally high capability
   with respect to intellect, creativity, or the skills associated with
   specific disciplines. Students who are gifted often demonstrate outstanding
   abilities in more than one area. They may demonstrate extraordinary
   intensity of focus in their particular areas of talent or interest.
   However, they may also have accompanying disabilities and should not be
   expected to have strengths in all areas of intellectual functioning.
   (British Columbia Ministry of Education, 1995)

The educational implications of this definition are that programs need to be carefully matched to gifted learners' developmental profiles, respecting their individual needs. However, the Ministry of Education suggests general guidelines. Programs should:

* be different in pace, scope, and complexity, in keeping with the nature and extent of the exceptionality;

* provide opportunities for students to interact socially and academically with both age peers and peers of similar abilities;

* address both the cognitive and affective domains;

* incorporate adaptations and/or extensions to content, process, product, pacing and learning environment; and

* go beyond the walls of a school and into the larger community. (British Columbia Ministry of Education, 1995)

Exploring cross-cultural expressions. In the language arts activities, I presented the following progression of poetry types: biopoem, emotion poem, haiku, acrostic style, and free verse. Demonstrating that poetry may be an excellent vehicle for self-expression, I began with an informative poem (Gere, 1985) that uses precise words describing the individual (the biopoem). This formula poem [11 lines, each providing starting words, for example, "Three traits that describe character"; Lover of -- (list three things or people); Who feels -- (three items) (Gere, 1985, p. 222)] provided an immediate sense of satisfaction among the students.

The use of the emotion poem (Kasbaum, 1994) coincided with a field trip to the Vancouver Art Gallery to study the works of Edvard Munch. The students were asked to explore the emotion they felt when they looked at the artwork titled The Scream and then illustrate their own version of The Scream using a blank form of the central image that was provided by the art gallery. They were then asked to use the formula for the emotion poem (Kasbaum, 1994). The illustrations and poems clearly expressed the individual's expression and color of fear.

Figure 1. Emotion poem by Nell Towers, Grade 8 student.

   Fear

   Fear is the enveloping cloak
   It smells like mass paranoia
   It tastes like rancid thoughts
   It sounds like an empty room
   It feels like envious eyes
   It looks like nothing
   Fear is our imagination
   NET

It was clear that combining art appreciation and poetry enhanced the students' diverse expression; they were engaged and excited about the work they produced. Regardless of their cultural perspective and/or special learning needs, they all proudly displayed their poetry.

Haiku was linked with a Social Studies unit on Japan. Students were asked to express nature with calligraphy brushes and black ink in an outdoor setting, a local Japanese garden. They were then asked to express the experience by writing a traditional haiku that reflected the feeling generated by their brush art. Together with the other poetry the children had written, their work gave me insights into their perspectives and their potential.

"Listening to what the children say"

Anyone who has read Vivian Gussin Paley's eloquent, sensitive accounts of the points of view of preschool and kindergarten children (e.g., Mollie is Three, 1986; Wally's Stories, 1981) knows that students' and teachers' lives are enriched through their mutual construction of understanding. In Paley's books, there is a joy in uncovering children's points of view along with a remarkable curiosity about children's understandings and intentions. This joy and curiosity manifest themselves in Paley's remarkable reflections on her own practice as she demonstrates the courage described by Arlin (1999). The joy and curiosity also are evident in the rich learning environment created together by children and teacher.

In discussing codes of classroom behavior, Paley (1986) described how "the need to make friends, assuage jealousy, and gain a sense of one's own destiny provided better reasons for self-control than all my disciplinary devices. A different reality coexisted beside my own, containing more vitality, originality, and wide-open potential than could be found in any lesson plan" (p. 124). Paley's passion to understand that different reality led to her truly gifted teaching of young children. Understanding the learner's reality is not an approach that is limited to young children, however. Paley (1986) argued that, no matter what a student's age, "someone must be there to listen, respond, and add a dab of glue to the important words that burst forth" (p. 127). In the acts of listening with true respect for what learners have to say, responding with genuine curiosity, and knowing how and when to apply the dab of glue lie the essence of gifted teaching.

The teaching: Constructing understanding

Listening to the pulse of everyday interactions on the playground, one can respond by using the idea of the acrostic form of poetry. For instance, there was an incident of disrespect to a person and their property that involved students in the classroom. I proceeded to develop a lesson plan that was about RESPECT. I brought music into the classroom and played a musical selection entitled Respect by Aretha Franklin. The music prompted a very lively discussion about respect. Using an acrostic form the students explored what respect meant to each of them in very precise words. I followed up with an acrostic using the school motto to reinforce the concept of respect for the school community as well as respect for each other.

The culmination of the language arts unit was self-expression by writing in free verse. Avis Harley (2000) defines free verse as "lines of poetry that are written without a regular rhythm or rhyme scheme and are freed from any one metrical pattern" (p. 18). My primary reference was an anthology of poetry entitled Talking to the Sun, selections by Kenneth Koch and Kate Farrell (1985). This reference has selections of poetry that reflect the impressions of the artists' works included in the anthology. The multicultural selections of art and poetry were excellent references for the students. The students were asked to select one card from a large selection of art cards and write what they felt when looking at the card. The art cards are a part of a private greeting card collection. The following selections of work show the students expressing themselves with feeling and with a grasp of the poetic form of expression. The poem entitled The Explorer by Tom Drance, age 11, expresses the mystery of the person who journeys into dark and forbidding places (Figure 2). Ben Outerbridge, age 12, (Figure 3) captures the feeling of freedom and flight of the caribou in winter. Even with the spelling and grammatical errors, Ben Outerbridge gives one the feeling of being present when the caribou take flight. He evokes a sense of freedom and joy in the flight of caribou.

Figure 2. "The Explorer" by Tom Drance, Grade 5 student.

The Explorer

   Here is a brave explorer
   Searching in the night.
   He has nothing to guide him
   But his candle's light.
   The air is getting colder
   It's at least minus degrees
   But this brave explorer is as warm as can be.
   He will not leave 'till all is done or
   Until there is no sun.
   And even after that -- this explorer will trek on,
   Until he has what he wants,
   And that won't be too long.
   For he feels he is near to the treasure that drives him on.
   CRASH -- he hears the water splashing against the shore
   The land is getting smaller and soon will be no more
   But this explorers smart with wits
   Dressed in his black ragged coat
   He thinks he can outsmart this water acting as a moat
   A moat, oh yes surrounding what he seeks
   With many stairs upon it leading to the peak.
   But what he's not prepared for lies on the hill
   He must cross the water but with him it might kill
   He thrusts forward barefoot the rocks are slippery
   He knows if he slips the end will come to be.
   His struggling arm grabs the ledge.
   As he pulls himself on to the edge.
   Up up the stirs he climbs, this explorer proceeds
   His limbs hurting, he sits on a rock
   He hears a growl, a curdling scream
   Is this the future or just a dream?
   Out of his pocket he pulls out a knife
   He sees the treasure -- it was worth the strife
   But all of a sudden he feels a pain
   He turns around -- a monster! -- he thinks he has gone insane
   The growl is familiar, the atmosphere is blank, bones are around him
   And it scares him to death.
   This purple monster won't turn his red eyes
   His long yellow claws the explorer does despise
   The cold explorer with an expressionless face
   stabbed the monster
   Then reached for his mace.
   The stab which awoke the monsters claws
   Hit the explorer hard and strong
   The dizzy explorer had not much to do but stab the monster
   Good and true. With this the monster fell
   The explorer laughing with glee
   Had beaten the monster triumphantly
   But turning his head on what he had slain
   He came for the treasure
   Which he now had plain
   Rubies, Sapphires, Diamonds and all.
   But on a sheet wrote in blood to meet the entrance
   up ahead with millions on and a key,
   He opened the door and he was free.

   By Tom Drance May 20, 1998

Figure 3. "In the Arctic Twist" by Ben Outerbridge, Grade 6 student.

   In the Arctic twist

   In the bitter twist of the arctic mist
   The caribou glide with the arctic's pride
   The northern lights shine high above
   Oh boy Oh boy that sight I love
   The caribou I swear do fly over there
   They look like Michael Jordan just hanging in the air
   There eyes can glare into the winters air
   Their tails just wag as if they were flags
   Their ears, their ears are as sharp as a deers.
   They make not a sound as they fly around
   The snow hairs glare as they pass by their lair.
   I can't imagine how it must feel to capture
   The wind as if it was a meal.

   by Ben Outerbridge

Another student, Arash Rowshanzamir, age 12, expresses the might of the ocean as he writes a clever ending to the poem entitled The Waves (Figure 4). Yet another example of a poem that expresses the feeling of the art card is The Cat in the Bag by Brendan McConnachie (Figure 5).

Figure 4. "The Waves" by Arash Rowshanzamir, Grade 6 student.

   The Waves

   The waves go rolling along the sea
   Crashing into everything
   The waves are careless that may be
   But the ocean is the king
   The rocks stand still as they pass
   As the coarseless waves crash
   Waves, waves rolling by
   Not caring what they hit
   The ocean king gives out a big loud sigh
   And the waves start slowing down a bit
   The waves are careless that I said
   But they still can be controlled
   For if they ignore the king's command
   They will be destroyed
   The waves don't know what's in store
   for them
   Even though they stop
   The ocean king comes out to yell
   But his voice was caught in shock
   For when the waves stopped still to look
   They had caused a shipwreck by the rock
   We're so sorry!
   The waves exclaimed
   Not knowing it was too late.
   Because on the ship trapped somewhere
   Was the king's best mate.
   Arash Rowshanzamir

Figure 5. "The Cat in the Bag" by Brendan McConnachie, Grade 5 student.

   The Cat in the Bag

   The cat in the bag is looking kind of down,
   In a bag on the lawn in the afternoon
   at 12:01.
   He doesn't know where he is,
   He's not making a sound.
   He doesn't want to be there.
   You can see it on his face.
   But once he gets out of there,
   He can go back to his place.
   The sun is out, it's a beautiful day,
   but for the cat, he's stuck in the bag,
   for the rest of the day.

   By: Brendon

Kenneth Koch and Kate Farrell (1985) wrote, "We chose poems and works of art that we thought would appeal to young people, but we didn't choose works that were intended specifically for them. Those kinds of works are rarely examples of great poetry and art and it is only good poetry and art that move and excite people and inspire them to want to know more" (p. 106). I want students to be excited by the expression of art and by their own expression of language by using the different forms of poetry. I want to introduce art appreciation that inspires a thought or feeling that they would want to write about.

There are many references available in the recent years that could be used to enhance this method of teaching: The Tree is Older Than You Are (a bilingual gathering of poems and stories from Mexico with paintings by Mexican artists) selected by Naomi Shihab Nye (1998), Images of Nature (Canadian poets and the Group of Seven painters) selected by David Booth (1995), Fly with Poetry written and illustrated by Avis Harley (2000), Knock at a Star compiled by X.J. Kennedy and Dorothy M. Kennedy (1999) (revised edition), and Fishing for a Dream, poetry collected and illustrated by Kate Kiesler (1999). As a first year teacher, I found success in teaching poetry to students with this interdisciplinary method. The next step is to introduce art, poetry, and science. For this I would use examples of the art of Remedios Unexpected Journeys: The Art and Life of Remedios Varo by Janet A Varo found in the book. Kaplan (1988).

   A teacher who can arouse a feeling for one single good action, for one
   single good poem, accomplishes more than he who fills our memory with rows
   on rows of natural objects, classified with name and form (Goethe, from
   Iphigenie auf Tauris, 1787).

Discussion

The question often asked when considering the important variables in teaching gifted children is whether or not the teachers themselves should be gifted. Current research suggests that it is more than intelligence that makes a wise teacher. Baltes and Staudinger's (2000) research demonstrated that intelligence on its own does not predict wisdom. What is required is an interplay of intelligence, personality (openness to experience, personal growth, and "psychological mindedness"), and what results in the interface between intelligence and personality (creativity, cognitive style, and social intelligence). There is no relationship of age to wisdom, and experience contributes only when it interacts with intelligence and personality (Baltes & Staudinger, 2000).

Teachers who are truly excited about their students' thinking and the meaning they make of the curriculum, who are willing to make discoveries with their students, and who have "a sense of what is important and what is not" (Arlin, 1999, p. 14) are the wise teachers. They also are experts in that they possess solid discipline-based knowledge and a repertoire of effective teaching strategies. Seeing the children's brush strokes in their artwork and taking the Haiku lesson to the outdoors for the children to experience nature directly opened up many possibilities to Elizabeth of learning from different perspectives and of combining disciplines in her teaching. It is this willingness to risk pushing the boundaries of their practice and to become actively involved with their students in learning -- their comfort with uncertainty and their awareness of relativism and context -- that moves some teachers beyond expertise and earns them the distinction of wisdom.

Have you ever really had a teacher? One who saw you as a raw but precious thing, a jewel that, with wisdom, could be polished to a proud shine? If you are lucky enough to find your way to such teachers, you will always find your way back.

Mitch Albom, Tuesdays with Morrie. An Old Man, a Young Man, and Life's Greatest Lesson (1997, p. 192)

REFERENCES

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Elizabeth Towers is a teacher in the Vancouver, British Columbia School District and Marion Porath, Professor, Department of Educational and Counseling Psychology, and Special Education, at The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.

Manuscript submitted September, 2000.

Revision accepted Apric, 2001.