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From: eric@aplvax.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.kids
Subject: Re: 'Talented and Gifted' program - (nf)
Message-ID: <513@aplvax.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 15-Feb-84 15:54:31 EST
Article-I.D.: aplvax.513
Posted: Wed Feb 15 15:54:31 1984
Date-Received: Sat, 18-Feb-84 03:23:34 EST
References: <862@inmet.UUCP>
Organization: JHU/Applied Physics Lab, Laurel, MD
Lines: 23


	As the product of a T&G program, I thought I would throw in my
two cents worth. I went through a program in the mid-west, shortly after
it was started (I was in the third year). There was certainly no sign of
class bias. My own parents were not particularly well off, and several
of my classmates were from lower income families, or minorities (not
necessarily the same). There are disadvantages to such programs,
such as the danger of elitism, false perception of elitism, etc. But
in ordinary classes, I was "dogging" it to avoid harassment from
my fellow students, that was not necessary in the T&G class. And I think
that most of us ended up to be fairly normal (my own warped self excluded).
That is, no Nobel prize winners, some lawyers, docters, car mechanics,
salesmen, businessmen, unemployed. The T&G programs do not guarentee
riches or super-intellect, but they do give gifted children a chance
to excel, and to learn that they are not abnormal. 

P.S. One difference I do note, I remember most of my classmates from
those early years, and in fact often look them up if given the chance.
This is probably more a product of going through three years of school
together than the T&G program, but it is a nice feeling of camaraderie.
-- 
					eric
					...!seismo!umcp-cs!aplvax!eric