Desirable characteristics for teachers of high ability/gifted students / Caracteristicas desejáveis em professores de alunos com altas habilidades/superdotação

AUTOR(ES)
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

2010

RESUMO

This study investigated the desirable characteristics a teacher should present for working with high ability/gifted students. The participants were twenty public school teachers from a city surrounding Brasilia. Of this group, ten were elementary school teachers working with initial grades and ten were undergraduate Pedagogy teachers. A qualitative approach was used and data were collected by means of a semi-structured interview. A content analysis was then conducted. The study aimed to identify, among participants, the desirable educational background for a teacher to work with high ability/gifted students, desirable characteristics these teachers should present and conceptions on high ability/giftedness. The results indicated that the interviewed teachers pointed out the need of specific formation in order to work in the referred area. This formation should include in its pedagogical proposal, theories related to the topic, information about the typical behavior of gifted students and, if possible, intern periods for observation and teaching in institutions that offer special services for these students. In relation to the desirable instruction for a teacher of high ability/gifted students, participants indicated the need of continuous training, under graduation curriculum adapted to the theme and graduation courses in the area. The desirable features for teachers of high ability/gifted students are related to personality attributes, as well as social, emotional and professional aspects. Although the list of characteristics related to the professional aspects had been longer, personality attributes, as well as social and emotional aspects were quantitatively more often reported. The conceptions on high ability/giftedness presented by participants are, in general, close to those found in the literature and used as reference for this study. However, there was lack of information on how to apply the theory into real practice, as well as several wrong ideas on the topic. Concepts defined by participants, along with the erroneous ideas highlight the relevance of re-thinking the teachers formation, yet during ones under graduation course. This study found that there are major challenges to be overcome for special services to high ability/gifted students happen in a significant way throughout the country, starting with teacher training, the basis of the whole process. This study also pointed out the need of a pedagogical and curricular proposal that includes the desired features teachers should have, by higher education institutions that offer specific formation for those teachers willing to work in this area.

ASSUNTO(S)

formação docente teacher training professor high abilities superdotação teacher educacao giftedness altas habilidades

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