Gifted Students Living in Rural Areas
Students in rural areas face unique obstacles in their education due to factors such as small populations, lack of resources, distance from school, and sometimes poverty. Gifted individuals living in rural areas have even more difficuluties due to their diverse learning needs.
Articles
Challenges Facing Rural Schools: Implications for Gifted Students This article by Aimee Howley, Megan Rhodes, and Jimmie Beall (2009) discusses common issues for gifted students in rural areas. The Gifted Kids Network: 2008 Pilot Michelle Eckstein's (2008) article discusses the Gifted Kids Network project - a collaborative social network that can be used to enhance the curriculum in rural areas. Impoverished Students with Academic Promise in Rural Settings: 10 Lessons Learned from Project Aspire This article by Virginia Burney and Tracy Cross (2006) gives information about Project Aspire and possible issues and solutions for implementing programming in rural areas. Meeting the Needs of the Gifted in Rural Areas through Acceleration This article by C. Benbow, T. Argo, and L. Glass (1992) discusses the success of acceleration for gifted students in rural settings. Websites
Center for Rural Gifted Education - Indiana University of Pennsylvania This website features a downloadable menu of intervention ideas as well as readings targeted specifically to parents and educators of gifted students from rural areas. Books
The Challenges of Educating the Gifted in Rural Areas By: Joan D. Lewis, Frances A. Karnes, & Kristen Stephens Patterns and Profiles of Promising Learners from Poverty By: Joyce VanTassel-Baska |
Strategies for Gifted Students who are from
Rural Communities ▪ Programs that use technology or other creative approaches to gives students access to gifted programming ▪ Balance of gifted services and maintaining community identity ▪ Mentors and support services that value higher education ▪ Aid in prevailing over lack of resources ▪ Challenging curriculum activities based on interests ▪ Multifaceted identification strategies that combine nonverbal ability tests, portfolios, rates of language acquisition, and observations |