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Abstract
School improvement efforts often focus on students who perform below grade level. These improvement efforts typically focus on improving instruction, often through a framework and professional development. The question remains, how do students who are gifted and talented respond to this type of instruction? We observed 48 students in their classrooms, interviewed them, and then held focus groups to gain their perspectives on the instructional framework being implemented. The students suggested that teacher modeling was valuable, that group work should include accountability, and that homework should be reasonable. They had mixed views on the importance of a clearly stated learning target and did not experience any small group instruction. Recommendations for school improvement that are inclusive of students who are gifted are included.
Keywords school improvement, adolescents, gifted, instruction
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