Challenge Program Philosophy

The Raytown C-2 School District is committed to an educational program that recognizes the unique value, needs, and talents of each student.

The academically gifted program is based upon this commitment. The purpose of gifted education is to develop the special talents of the student. The program is designed to challenge the student through the interaction of all subject areas in developing skills of leadership, problem solving, creativity, and critical thinking.

The educational approach will stress the cooperation and integration of skill areas as a base of extension to learning. The program is not a substitute for or a replacement of the excellent classroom enrichment activities already provided in the district.

The gifted student will have opportunities to assume a more active role in his/her education, taking time to investigate, working at his/her own pace to a greater level of complexity, and coming to a greater understanding of what it is to be gifted.

"Failure to help the gifted child is a societal tragedy, the extent of which is difficult to measure but which is surely great. How can we measure the sonata unwritten, the curative drug undiscovered, the absence of political insight? They are the difference between what we are and what we could be as a society."
James J. Gallagher

Needs of Gifted Students

• Activities that enable them to operate at complex levels of thought and feeling
• Opportunities for divergent production
• Challenging group and individual work that demonstrates process/product outcomes
• A variety of experiences that promote understanding of ethics
• Discussions with intellectual peers
• Opportunities to see interrelationships in all bodies of knowledge
• Special courses in areas of strength and interest which accelerate the pace and depth of the content
• Greater exposure to new areas of learning within and outside the school structure
• Opportunities to apply abilities to real problems
• Development of skills in critical thinking, creative thinking, research, problem solving, coping with exceptionality, decision making, and leadership

Characteristics of Gifted Students

Although much has been written about the characteristics of gifted children’s “telltale” signs, there is no stereotypical gifted child. These characteristics are simply signposts, which serve as indicators of gifted behavior. While the following characteristics may seem to describe gifted children in general, they will not be present in every gifted child.

• Learns rapidly
• Retains and applies what is heard or read without appearing to need much drill
• Has an advanced vocabulary
• Appreciates the subtleties of humor beyond his/her age
• Thinks clearly, recognizes relationships, comprehends meaning, draws accurate generalizations, and thinks abstractly
• Asks penetrating questions
• Is intellectually curious
• Is independent and self-sufficient
• Produces original ideas or products
• Becomes passionate about specific areas
• Prefers complex ideas
• Demonstrates proficiency in basic skills beyond his/her grade level
• Has varied interests
• Is more aware of national and world problems and events than his/her peers
• Sees the relationship of self to the world
• Reads earlier than most children, often before entering school

"Failure to help the gifted child is a societal tragedy, the extent of which is difficult to measure but which is surely great. How can we measure the sonata unwritten, the curative drug undiscovered, the absence of political insight? They are the difference between what we are and what we could be as a society."
James J. Gallagher