[senco-forum] Gifted and Talented-PLASC

be recorded on the PLASC data.

I suspect that teachers can identify those who find academic, traditional
learning and the application/s of that learning - synthesis, analysis and
all those other higher order skills.

However - those really successful people out there you mention are gifted
and talented beyond the way we measure our students - and we don't ever -or
are able to measure their drive - ingenuity - the ability to seize the
moment - the ability to blow their own trumpets - to be able to go out on a
limb - in fact to be different - and sometimes "lucky" too.

Which is why we should be far more concerned about educating - rather than
testing children - to be able to provide a breadth of experience - to be
able to "try" as many things as possible so that they can find out "what
lights their fire".

And as to successful schools being measured as to how many children get 5
"good" GCSE's - just what if our government doing - all a "sop to Cerberus"
sort of stuff!

And after watch the two Snows lat night and finding that today - your
earning potential is very likely to be the same as your parents - and that
we no longer have such a "mobile" society - all pretty depressing.

So next time the "awkward" squad are making your life hell - try thanking
God for the fact that we still have children who kick against all those nice
round holes we have waiting for them!

Regards

Ruth

-----Original Message-----
From: senco-forum-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk
[mailto:senco-forum-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk] On Behalf Of Mary Kelly
Sent: 10 January 2008 21:58
To: 'Jean Dowding'; 'Mary Dowson'
Cc: senco-forum at lists.becta.org.uk
Subject: RE: [senco-forum] Gifted and Talented-PLASC

Am I alone in having a real problem with the whole idea that teachers can
identify the gifted and talented?
Michael Flatley was always told off by his teachers for daydreaming ...
about starting a dance troupe.
Einstein's teachers believed he was educationally subnormal.
Billy Connolly's teachers thought he was a behaviour problem.
Stephen Fry was a kleptomaniac and got himself the wrong side of the law
whilst still at school.
Jamie Oliver felt he was a real numbskull at school because he had to go to
a special unit.
Eric Clapton was thrown out of Art School.
I think we may be able to identify the bookish kids, even perhaps the ones
whose special interest/talent surfaces early and is lucky enough to find an
outlet .... but then I have a real problem with labelling in all its forms,
"good" labels as well as "bad".
Isn't our job to ensure that ALL children are fully stretched and stimulated
and given opportunities?

What does everyone else think?

Mary K (because I see we have a few Marys now)

-----Original Message-----
From: senco-forum-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk
[mailto:senco-forum-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk] On Behalf Of Jean Dowding
Sent: 10 January 2008 14:17
To: Mary Dowson
Cc: senco-forum at lists.becta.org.uk
Subject: Re: [senco-forum] Gifted and Talented-PLASC

A couple of years ago there was something about identifying Gifted and
Talented on the DfES - as it then was - website.  I don't know whether
there is still something useful under the new acronym; it might be worth a
try!

Regards

Jean

 Have been told that children identified as Gifted and Talented are now to
> be recorded on the PLASC data.
>
> How are others identifying children in Key Stage 1? It all seems to be a
> bit random and inconsistent....
>
> Mary
>
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