Sunday, August 3, 2008

'Gifted' Class

there's a type of class in taiwan high schools widely known as a 'gifted' class. here, students that are supposedly 'gifted' are gathered together in the same classroom and educated differently from their peers. they are given a wider choice of classes to choose from, as well as better teachers and resources.

i have a bone to pick with these types of classes. first of all, i disagree with the term, 'gifted.' by definition, one would think that gifted means kids who are born smarter than most people, and in some cases, geniuses. but kids in 'gifted' classes are mostly just those whose families can afford to send them to expensive cram schools or get them expensive tutors to boost their academic scores. in other words, there are many undeserving kids who get to be branded as 'gifted' though they may not have the actual aptitude.

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