Challenges in Education of Gifted Children in Australia Essay

Challenges in Education of Gifted Children in Australia - Essay Example But such rigid systems have been found to be counterproductive as far as gifted children are concerned, placing them on a different level as compared to the average child, which results in isolation and/or social problems that affect their grades and produce underachievers. On the other hand, the creation of specialized education for a select few poses the threat of elitism and the eschewing of the social function of schools in favor of competitive education.[1]. While some educators contend that special education is â€Å"a healthy psychological experience† that nurtures talent, others feel that children run the risk of â€Å"narrowing their focus† too soon[1]. In fact, the very concepts of what exactly constitutes â€Å"talent†, â€Å"creativity† and â€Å"giftedness† itself are at issue among educators, adding fuel to the hothouse debate about educational policies and the role of teachers in the classroom, in ensuring that children’s educa tional needs are met in the best possible way. Bragett(1997) proposes that giftedness is the innate ability that remains unchanging over time; but the maturation and development of the innate gifted nature are influenced by the development concept model, which moots that giftedness will be conditioned by the environment. The factors affecting the development process are child-rearing techniques, nature of peers and other influences, the kind of school and teachers, profession and job training and inherent motivation and self-esteem. Tassel (2001) characterizes giftedness as above-average intellect in terms of inherent aptitude, while talent is the demonstration of that giftedness in the form of above average achievement in performance. While giftedness is inherent and requires catalysts such as (a) inner strengths of the individual, i.e, motivation and (b) environmental factors such as parental  involvement in order to develop the ability, talent is developed through the process of learning, training, and practice.