Bulletin Autumn‧Winter 1998

Dissecting earth worms in Nature and me 'Unmasking the Mystery of Biology' class Collecting specimens in 'Nature and Me' B e i n g g i f t ed a n d t a l e n t e d me a n s m o r e than h a v i ng a h i g h intelligence quotient. It also means b e i ng artistic a n d creative, a nd possessing l e a d e r s h ip a n d o r g a n i z a t i o n al abilities. Strong academic aptitude a n d q u i ck l e a r n i n g are n o t the o n ly attributes of g i f t ed a nd talented students. They are also set apart b y a n unsatiable c u r i o s i ty a nd a l o n g s t r i ng o f i n t e r e s t s. T h e o r d i n a r y s c h o o l curricula fail to satisfy their needs a n d often leave t h em bored. I n t h e s u m m e r o f 1997, the University's Faculty of Education l a u n c h ed H o n g K o n g 's f i r s t s u mm e r p r o g r a m me f o r the gifted a nd talented (PGT) t o f a t h om a n d address the needs of the gifted. T he p a r t i c i p a n ts w e r e Secondaries 1 to 3 s t u d e n ts n o m i n a t ed b y t h e ir schools. Professors, g r a d u a t e s t u d e n t s, p r o f e s s i o n a l s, a n d experienced secondary school teachers we re r e c r u i t ed to s e r ve as c o u r se i n s t r u c t o r s, tutors, or p r o g r amme assistants. The contents of the w e e k l o ng residential p r o g r amme were stimulating and insightful a nd were designed to e n a b le p a r t i c i p a n ts to u n d e r s t a nd a n d accept their talents a nd encourage independent t h i n k i n g . T h e y also l e a r nt to t a ke care of t h ems e l v es a n d to interact w i t h p e e rs w i t h c o m p a r a b le intellectual abilities. The p r o g r amme also offers a v a l u a b l e o p p o r t u n i t y f o r researchers t o explore the s t u dy h a b i t s, s e l f - i ma g e, a n d social skills of gifted children, as w e l l as p o s s i b le p s y c h o l o g i c a l or a d j u s t m e n t p r o b l e m s . T h e se observations w i l l serve as an i mp o r t a nt reference i n the d e s i gn a n d d e v e l o pme nt o f special p r o g r ammes for talented students. Secondary School Students on CU Campus 45