Tolan has written and published poetry, plays, and more than two dozen books for children and young adults, including the. If a cheetah was caged and never allowed to run, would it be a cheetah. During a time when i didnt understand how to normalize being a cheetah, i found incredible solace in the pages of welcome to the ark and still, to this day, often think of certain passages in my this is one of my. The child, who does well in school, gets good grades, wins awards, and performs beyond the norms for his or her age.
And the cheetah is the only member of the cat family that has nonretractable claws. I immediately flashed on stephanie tolans classic piece, is it a cheetah. The cheetah stories series by royal fireworks press. As the term gifted and the unusual intellectual capacity to which that term refers become more and more politically incorrect, the educational establishment changes terminology and focus. Her book surviving the applewhites received a newbery honor in 2003. There were many curriculum models that we were exposed to throughout the epse 408 course. If a cheetah has only 20 mph rabbits to chase for food, it wont run 70 mph while hunting. Environmental influences that inhibit or encourage the development of speed and agility in the cheetah are described to encourage schools to provide gifted children with a challenging school environment that provides lively mental prey. Though it might well run on its own for exercise, recreation, fulfillment of its internal drive, when given only rabbits to eat the hunting cheetah will run only fast enough to catch a rabbit. Other cats retract their claws to keep them sharp, like carving knives kept in a sheath the cheetahs claws are designed not for cutting but for traction. However, certain needs must be met for a cheetah to run at top speed. The cheetah cubs are based on renowned author stephanie tolan s nowfamous cheetah metaphor for gifted children. Tolan is a senior fellow at the institute for educational advancement.
If it did, it would flash past its prey and go hungry. Resources quest academy gifted advisory council inc. Though it might well run on its own for exercise, recreation, fulfillment of its internal drive, when given only rabbits to eat the hunting cheetah will. When a cheetah does run 70 mph it isnt a particularly achieving cheetah. Celebrating talents and abilities of highly gifted children and adults. When we think of cheetahs we are likely to think first of their speed. Even when they are not running, they stand out with their unique and distinctive markings. Other cats retract their claws to keep them sharp, like carving. To lions, tigers, leopards to any of the other big cats the cheetahs biological attributes would seem to be deformities.
This paper uses the metaphor of a cheetah to describe the potential of gifted children. Tolan applies the cheetah metaphor specifically to highly gifted learners, but i hope she doesnt mind having it extended to gifted children in generalespecially those currently. For background on hoagies gifted education page, to submit or read feedback, and to answer the question why is it called hoagies. Setting a reading intention helps you organise your reading.
Stephanie tolan at werribee open range zoo 1 stephanie tolan at werribee open range zoo 8 april 2008 stephanie presented the cheetah analogy at the savannah centre and was given a safari tour and a behindthescenes cheetah experience 2 no transcript 3 meerkats 4 no transcript 5 no transcript 6 no transcript 7 no transcript 8. The antelope is not large or heavy, so the cheetah does not need strength and bulk to overpower it. Proper attribution would be appreciated, however stephanie s. In that article she uses the cheetah metaphor to compare trapping the cheetah in a small room where no running is possible, to trapping a highly advanced child in the regular classroom. She lives in charlotte, north carolina, with her husband. Since its publication in 1982, she has served as a consultant to parents and educators about the social, emotional, spiritual, and academic needs of the gifted, with a. I immediately flashed on stephanie tolans classic piece, is it a. However, certain needs must be met for a cheetah to. Available in the national library of australia collection. Written by gifted expert and newberry honor awardwinning author, stephanie tolan, is it a cheetah uses metaphorical language to help us see the problem.
Tolan born 1942 in ohio is an american author of childrens books. Carol bainbridge, ecolumns on gifted children seng brochure, decreasing medical misdiagnosis in gifted children. Ppt stephanie tolan at werribee open range zoo powerpoint. If you have even the slightest involvement with gifted education, then, sooner rather than later, youre bound to come across stephanie tolans article is it a cheetah. But tolans cheetah metaphor is so powerful in discussing learning environments for gifted learners that we are starting this issue of the gec with her article. Those that were read to her and those she read to herself, often late at night with a flashlight under the covers. On the open plains of its natural habitat the cheetah is capable of catching an antelope simply by running it down. Cheetahs are the fastest animal in the world, but if we put restrictions on them and hold them back, tolan posits, would they still be cheetahs. As stephanie tolan explains, cheetahs are designed to run and are impressive in their speed. Inject one juvenile delinquent rumored to have burned down his previous school, add a mad goat, a butterfly school project sadly lacking only one butterfly, and a production of the sound of music, and. As the term gifted and the unusual intellectual capacity to which that term refers become more and more politically incorrect, the educational establishment. Tolan the child who does well in school, gets good grades, wins awards, and performs beyond the norms for his or her age, is considered talented. Hollingworth center history of the center highly gifted.
To lions, tigers, leopards to any of the other big cats the cheetah s biological attributes would seem to be deformities. Though it is doing what no other cat can do, it is behaving normally for a cheetah. Other cats retract their claws to keep them sharp, like carving knives kept in a sheath the cheetah s claws are designed not for cutting but for traction. She always thought there was a special magic in the little black marks on paper that could turn into whole worlds and real people. Is a highly gifted child still gifted if he or she is held back by the environmentin school or outand not allowed to run at optimal speed. Develop a challenging, diverse and enriching curriculum for my highly able runners, while promoting a positive, fun and friendly atmosphere. Its a tough time to raise, teach or be a highly gifted child. Her appearances at conferences on parenting and educating the gifted child are much sought after. Stephanie is well known as an advocate for extremely bright children.
Storyteller is, then, an age old title, one that stephanie tolan adopted for herself when she was a child, caught up in the thrill of using her imagination and excited by the freedom and power storytelling gave her. Tolan has been named a seng educator of the year and a north carolina gifted association outstanding parent of the year. Emotional development of gifted children, adolescents, and adults. Books on giftedness for parents and teachers series by. Door stephanie tolan, vertaald en bewerkt door jan tuijp het is heden ten dage niet gemakkelijk om een hoogbegaafd kind op te voeden, te onderwijzen of te zijn. Its head is small, its body lean, its legs unusually long all bodily characteristics critical to a runner. Stephanie tolan has exceptional knowledge of gifted children and conveys it beautifully though miranda, doug, elijah, and taryn. Emotional development of gifted children, adolescents, and adults, edited by susan daniels and michael m. However, the two curriculum models that i would like to focus on are the understanding by design ubd wiggins, g. Stephanie tolan 1996 points out that its very hard to see the cheetahs blazing speed when we keep it in a cage. While body design in nature is utilitarian, it also creates a powerful internal drive. Tolan very appropriate and succinct article describing the identification and needs of the gifted child. She obtained a masters degree in english at purdue university.
My good fortune continued because that is the focus of this issue. A speech given at the hollingworth conference for the highly gifted, 1992. Giftedness resources san francisco bay area gifted. Aug 22, 2019 the antelope is not large or heavy, so the cheetah does not need strength and bulk to overpower it. To lion s, tiger s, leopard s to any of the other big cats the cheetahs biological attributes would seem to be deformities. Translated into over 40 languages, it has made the cheetah an analogy for gifted students all over the world and has become the logo of many groups working on behalf of.
It is gold with black spots, like a leopard, but it also has unique black tear marks beneath its eyes. Tolan has been a storyteller for as long as she can remember, but she began her writing career as a poet and playwright in the late 60s and published her first novel for children in 1978. Written by gifted expert and newberry honor awardwinning author, stephanie tolan, is it a cheetah uses metaphorical language to help us see the problem with achievementoriented thinking when it. To lion s, tiger s, leopard s to any of the other big cats the cheetah s biological attributes would seem to be deformities. Tolan is the well known author of young adult and childrens fiction, as well as an author and speaker on her topic of passion. Since cheetahs are the only animals that can run 70 mph, if you clock an animal running 70 mph, its a cheetah. In line with his new year resolution, that in 2014 he will increase his efforts to bust the myths surrounding giftedness and advocate for acceleration and ability grouping opportunities for gifted students, and in preparation for a webinar and global gt chat on twitter for the next two weeks, columbus cheetah is updating his myth busting. Is a highly gifted child still gifted if he or she is held back by the. Written by gifted expert and newberry honor awardwinning author, stephanie tolan, is it a cheetah uses metaphorical language to help us see the problem with achievementoriented thinking when it comes to gifted children. Surviving the applewhites is a hilarious book about an eccentric household of wildly different but all apparently crazy artistic geniuses. If a story began to go awry in the telling, it was only a story, and could be changed. Tolan set out as a concerned mother to help her highly gifted son have a school experience that matched his.
746 18 496 1568 764 1015 1289 882 1372 668 29 448 1310 599 1531 375 422 95 300 747 1155 1430 707 1646 790 812 707 1393 1508 287 40 909 1048 310 1219 1041 1203 1147