I always wonder about Gifted and Talented programs. Aren't all children gifted and talented in some way? Wouldn't all children respond to an exciting and challenging program? Why should we save the exciting and hands on lessons and activities for a select bunch of kids? Whenever I hear about children going to Enrichment, or Gifted and Talented, it sends me the message that these children have been selected to have fun with learning and the rest are being punished by being kept in a boring traditional program.
There are obviously a very small group of children in the world who are significantly above and beyond the artificial rigors of elementary school, which isn't saying much in and of itself, but by and large most kids don't fit into this group no matter how much their parents might think they do.
Having said that, I will introduce a program that I have known teachers to implement to small groups or with the whole class (which I think is a more noble act) known as Odyssey of the Mind. This is a highly reputable program that offers children annual challenges to embark upon. Children form small groups choose a specific problem to solve, and then under the guidance of an adult seek to solve these long term problems, either by acting out skits they have made themselves, building a race car, or constructing a structure that can hold as much weight as possible. These are only examples, but highlight the challenges children face. There is another part of the program whereas children have to prepare for a spontaneous problem, which is a problem that is presented to them on the day of the competition that they must solve quickly, using their best thinking.
Odyssey of the Mind does offer opportunities for all grade levels, and the complexity of the problems are altered accordingly. The children generally work on the problems (without any adult intervention--adults are only supervisors, children cannot have any assistance in designing their long term problems unless for various purposes relating to safety) over the course of the year and in the spring there is a huge competition. Children go to the competition, which is noisy and exciting, present their long term problem solutions and participate in a spontaneous problem. They are rated by judges that include teachers and the results are used to determine who moves from the regional competitions to the state and then world competitions. It's huge!
Of course, I'm no fan of competition in the elementary school, but I do like the problem solving opportunities that children are offered. In my mind this program highlights what school and learning should be all about, yet for some reason children are only given sporadic opportunities to participate in learning experiences like this during the year. Why? Perhaps Odyssey of the Mind should pose that long term problem for children to solve? I'm sure it would involve much intrigue and eye-opening realities.