CONFERENCE ABSTRACTS

Presenter: Ruth McAllum

A Problem Based Approach to Gifted Underachievement: Revealing the ‘Me behind the Mask.’

Gifted underachievement frustrates children, parents, teachers, principals, resource teachers of learning and behaviour and psychologists.

Some gifted children are so turned off by their classroom programmes and school environments that their performance is below that expected for their thinking ability and giftedness is hidden behind a facade of coping behaviours - aggression, social immaturity, disorganization, dreaming, clowning and withdrawal. This myriad of dysfunctional behaviours means that meeting the needs of gifted underachievers is problematic and responses are usually unconnected to giftedness. While they aim to shape behaviour, interventions often meet with resistance and reinforce feelings of unworthiness and unacceptability. Collaborative, problem based methodology enables the sharing of different perspectives and strengths and holds the key to unlocking the potential of underachievers. Learners, teachers and parents work in partnerships to reformulate their perspectives as ‘Theories of Action’ and these form the building blocks of negotiated learning pathways. Through collaboration there is an improved sense of purpose and support for ideas to be implemented. This workshop documents the decisions, tensions and practice directions of six gifted underachievers, their teachers, parents and a novice researcher. Participants will share the journey and tools of collaborative problem-based enquiry to improve classroom participation and motivation.