Tight corset and long leash

Paper

There is hardly a right way to teach gifted pupils, but more often a clear ‘wrong’.
The ideal approach would be to impart knowledge while taking into account a pupil's talents; the wrong approach would be to fundamentally ignore giftedness.

‘Your child could get very good grades if he or she was more diligent’.
How often do parents hear this sentence, how often do children vow to change their working behaviour. And how often happens ... nothing at all?
Sally was not at all different. In English lessons, she would lie with her head on her desk or scribble all over her exercise book. She didn't learn any vocabulary and class tests didn't turn out well. According to the teacher, Sally had absolutely no talent for languages. Yet she spoke the foreign language quite well.
Sally loved history, sporst and music. There were no complaints in biology either. She was not stupid. She had two highly gifted older sisters, pride and joy to their parents and teachers and two out of three siblings ain't bad. Sally could if she wanted to, but she doesn't want to, they said.
This story could go on, as it does for many pupils.
But Sally was lucky.
She found a teacher who was quite similar in her talents and who understood Sally. She turned out to be the game changer in this story.
Different kid, different method, different ideas = high creativity on both sides.
If only it were that simple for all pupils. But it is not.
A teacher's everyday school life does not really leave much room for the creativity that some pupils need. And if it is considered, then even the grading of an alternatively done learning achievement can become a problem.
On the other hand, if you quit managing the lack, but rise to the challenge of a talent with all its facets that a special pupil needs, then this can lead to a high level of satisfaction on both sides and to success for the pupil.
Sally's story is special. It shows that courage and creativity can have a high impact.

In my presentation, I will talk about Sally, her story and the courageous creativity of her teacher. It may serve as an example of how to overcome obstacles creatively.