Reaching Those We Teach

Abstract

In the quest for solutions to make school as rigorous and relevant as possible, one particularly vibrant source of information is often omitted: the opinions of our students. Yet, by posing specific questions about curriculum, classroom climate, and teacher competencies and attitudes, a rich database of usable suggestions emerges. The author of this article highlights specific ideas for improving school conditions for gifted children and adolescents, which were gleaned from more than 10,000 individual responses to an online survey of gifted students from the elementary through high school age. Clustering these comments into five categories termed “The 5 Cs of Student Engagement”—control, complexity, common bonds, choice, and caring teachers—the author invites readers to implement some of the suggestions offered by education’s primary consumers: our students.