Context
This unit has been designed for middle-level gifted students within the Humanities Department of the Pittsburgh Public Schools gifted education program. The students, though grouped by perceived intellectual strength, have a wide array of gifts and talents. They need academic strength and/or interest-based enrichment and, at times, acceleration to satisfy the curiosity of ever-wondering minds. They are not, contrary to popular assumption, 'all good students', nor do they all 'instinctively know everything'. They are also not capable of 'getting it all right on the first try'. They really like to ask questions. A lot of questions. And though most cherish their intellects, they struggle with the oft-negative reactions that others have to their unique perspectives. Thus, each teacher writes course material suited to the students' specific academic needs and interests. Students select courses similarly to choosing college electives. Thought-provoking units seem to be the most popular.
Good writers write about what they know. So what do my students 'know'? Smart means nerdy; nerdy means uncool. Black means troubled; trouble equals failure. Females need a male; males are the boss. Guess what happens if the student is a smart Black female who has no interest in boys. Grab a life raft! She's drowning in what these kids 'know.' So here sits the quandary: How do I help them unlearn these things without telling them how to think? My students are in the top tier of intellectual functioning and score well on the 'comprehension' section of standardized tests, but they have very limited world views due to limited exposure to cultures other than their own. Most don't tie the analysis of text back to themselves. They do not question their role as readers or the role of writers. Most of them do, however, subscribe to my philosophy that great intellect is tethered to great responsibility. They are tough, but malleable. They are seekers of deeper understanding. Many have already chosen to take my course on Social Justice Debates, which, like this unit, was created because it is both my moral and professional obligation to guide them to become capable leaders. Socially responsible education is a key to creating such leaders. By helping the students to uncover the stereotypes that they hold or have experienced, the students can release themselves from such bias. That release will enable them to empathize without the danger of being absorbed into someone else's truth.
All units created for my program must be reflective of our gifted model of education which places emphasis on cross-curricular, project-based learning. It is my job to make the students aware that how they work toward and through a production is as important as the product itself. The process goals for this course are higher-level thinking, creative thinking, interactive communication, and self-directed learning. These are appropriate skills for gifted learners and connect well to the process of writing. Many of my students deal with issues stemming from perfectionism. They want everything to be perfect the first time, so most are not too excited about the revision process. Writing is not created the moment a pen scratches words onto a paper; it is the revision process by which the author emerges victorious. The students must be made aware that what they produce is as important as how they work toward and through the production.
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