The Autonomous Learner Model for the Gifted & Talented
George T. Betts, Jolene J. Kercher
Abstract
During the 1970s, many high schools in the United States were finding that traditional methods of curriculum and instruction were not successful. Students were rebelling and authority was being questioned. The administration and teachers at Arvada West High School, in the Jefferson County Public Schools, Colorado, were determined to provide alternative learning environments for students. It became apparent that there was a need to provide options for students whose cognitive, emotional, and social needs were not being met. Seeking a school climate of acceptance and nurturance, we wanted students to become part of the process in determining the new direction for the school. The first informal discussions paved the way for more organized discussions and the foundation for what became the Autonomous Learner Model. There are three essential levels of learner differentiated curriculum for the gifted and talented: learner differentiated curriculum, teacher differentiated curriculum, and prescribed curriculum.