Christine Pekatos

Gifted Endorsement
Fulton County Schools
2 September 2014
Individual and Diverse: A Philosophy of Gifted Education
Education is a profession defined by principles. Working with gifted students is a difficult
but noble career, and teachers cite a multitude of reasons to explain their choice. For me, the
decision to pursue a career teaching gifted students, has been a life-long dream, beginning from
my own experience in gifted classes. There are several defining beliefs that have shaped my
overall philosophy of gifted education. Above all else, I believe that these programs must be
student-centered and sensitive to students as individuals, complete with their own cultural
heritages and learning styles. This belief influences every lesson I teach and every interaction
with a student. This belief, combined with transparency between teachers, students, and
administrators, defines my goals as an educator of gifted students.
Having experiences as both a student and teacher in the Fulton county gifted program has
highlighted the diversity of students in urban schools. These experiences have taught me that
everyone in the classroom learns more when students share their cultures with classmates and
teachers. Students should feel safe from judgment and encouraged to bring their cultural
backgrounds into the classroom. The high school I attended had a student body that was diverse
in culture, ethnicity, race, orientation, and economic status. The interaction of these many
individuals prepared me to navigate social situations and relate to others after high school
graduation. It is my goal as an educator to provide that same experience for my students. I want
my students to feel that their social and emotional needs are being met in the classroom through

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a warm and respectful learning environment. Honors students are often expected to have it
together in comparison to their age-peers, and their problems can be dismissed by adults who
assume that giftedness equated to social and emotional health. Their individuality can sometimes
be glossed over, but I firmly believe that every gifted student is gifted in their own way.
Of course, gifted students are also diverse in the ways that they learn. I unequivocally
believe in the necessity of differentiation. Students learn in a variety of ways, and they need to be
instructed and assessed in a variety of ways as well. Unfortunately, I have found that some
people mistakenly believe that gifted students can learn under any circumstances. However, I
believe that gifted students still benefit from a variety of learning strategies. The easiest way to
do this is to offer students choices in what they read and how they demonstrate their
understanding. I offer a variety of assessment options to my gifted students, using techniques like
a tic-tac-toe assessment, which lets students choose three different ways to respond to the unit
out of nine possible options. Students should be able to demonstrate their knowledge and skills in
a variety of ways, including research, formal writing, creative writing, singing, dancing,
debating, drawing, and organizing information. They also need opportunities to work in a variety
of groups: whole class groups, small groups, partners, and as individuals. I believe this is
especially important for gifted students. I often emphasize metacognitive skill with my gifted
students, and allowing them time to reflect on and making choices about their academics can be
extremely rewarding. Students individuality, when embraced by teachers, can be a source of
inspiration that allows students to become more invested in their education.
Additionally, I use transparency in the classroom to delineate the importance of certain
practices and assessments to my students. Gifted students are thinking individuals, and they have
their own goals and perspectives when it comes to their educations. Being transparent in regards

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to the purposes behind the selection of specific texts, rubric contents, and assessments is a firm
aspect of my educational practices. I believe that by addressing the purpose of each assignment,
especially as it relates to the end goal of graduation, higher education, or the job field, I
demonstrate respect for my gifted students and their individual life goals. Answering students
questions about the purposes of certain grammatical practices and text choices demonstrates
respect for student time and interests. I believe that when transparency is employed in the
classroom, students recognize an educator who trusts students with the true and sometimes
complicated answers about what drives specific classroom practices. Again, this is particularly
important for gifted students, who tend to be more globally minded, critical thinkers. Their desire
for fairness and a thorough understanding about their academics makes transparency one of my
goals for teaching gifted students.