Are GT Classes Necessary in Elem. & Middle School, & How Should We Determine Eligibility?: A Howard Cty Student's Response

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"There’s nothing as damaging as the feeling of being “not smart enough” after you don’t get the right score for a GT course.  Most students know deep down that they can do well but the road blocks we put in front of them make them feel like they CAN'T.  Since when is an A in one class better than an A in another?  What’s wrong with an “A” in your regular class?  Why is being on-grade not good enough?  That’s what it seems like when we offer GT and AP classes.  First, don’t call GT “GT!”  It’s like saying you are “more gifted and talented than” someone else.  If we must have it, let's call it “Advanced Learning” or something less competitive.  I don’t understand why HC elem. and middle schools automatically assume that students can’t do well in accelerated courses based on some silly test score when the entry test just annoys and stresses out students.  We shouldn’t test you before the course to determine if you know enough for Elem. Sch. & Middle School GT courses because you really don’t know how good you are at a class until you actually take the course.  It’s best to assess your knowledge a few weeks after you take the course, so that you get a better picture, and not through a single test but more than one assignment in the class.  Oddly, it’s only in High School that we suddenly seem to realize that every student has the ability to take a GT class.  I would offer all students the opportunity to take GT and AP classes so everyone feels equal, and I wouldn’t test students before these course but during or halfway through them.  Sarika Kapadia, 14, 9th grade, Centennial, Ellicott City, Jan. 8th Exchange. [A bird she painted on canvas for my birthday two years ago is showcased here, and I'm thinking about auctioning it to fund my yard signs, so please contact me if interested. Thank you! Merci beaucoup! Shukriya! Toda raba! Xei xei!]