Creating encouraging learning environment for talented students

Paper

The starting point for creating encouraging learning environment was the discovery that in Slovenia the work with talented students is not efficient enough in terms of planning.
Although we have a lot of literature about the mentioned topic and there are legal documents covering this topic, schools have to rely on themselves when it comes to developing ways of increasing the quality of school work, the teachers’ work and the work of school counsellors in the field of discovering and encouraging the development of the talented students. Until recently, the focus was on the students with learning disabilities. However, we believe that gifted students also need special programmes. That is why in our school we constantly develop and improve special programmes for working with such students. Our school offers:
• creativity workshops,
• programmes for enriching the knowledge and enhancing creativity - working outside, field trips, science weekends, theme week schools for students from 3rd to 7th class,
• project work with school mentors and mentors outside school,
• organizing “ISP” programme (a special programme for gifted students) – Saturday school, weekend for talented students, a night at the library,
• counselling for gifted students, carried out by the school counsellors,
• encouraging the gifted students during regular school lessons,
• “Rap” – extracurricular programme.
Our plan for creating encouraging learning environment for talented students resonates with our vision ”With high quality work we aim to ensure the maximum level of knowledge, sense of security and satisfaction of all participants included”, especially in the early stages of discovering talented students in all grades. We also aim to develop learning and working habits with all our students. Year after year we have been trying to encourage and create children who can think, who will be able to communicate and thus will become more confident. Children must know their true value.