Qatar Foundation is hosting the World Math Team Championship in November
- 3 years ago
The Pre University Education (PUE) at the Qatar Foundation (QF) will host the World Math Team Championship towards the end of this year with the participation of over 1,500 students in order to cultivate and inspire bright learners in the region.
“We continue to develop specialty opportunities, enrichment programs, and focused courses with gifted students in mind. Our upcoming big project will be the World Math Team Championship event,” said Cynthia Lynn Bolton, head, Gifted Education, PUE Academic Affairs.
“We will be hosting the mega event in November this year with an expected attendance of over 1500 students coming to Qatar from all over the world. At Qatar Foundation, gifted education is a primary focus,” continued Bolton.
To recognize and meet the needs of brilliant, young students in Qatar, the Qatar Foundation Gifted Enrichment Programs' was officially unveiled and is supported by the Johns Hopkins Centre for Talented Youth.
Bolton said that PUE is always searching for potential partners in any possible ways to help gifted students.
“We have already signed the cooperative agreement with Johns Hopkins Centre for Talented Youth. It is our hope that this cooperation will lead to the development of many future opportunities for our gifted students both locally and internationally. Our partnership with the World Math Team Championships is another example of an exciting premier event that fosters and promotes the development of our bright students in Qatar,” she explained.
A total of 260 students are currently accepted in QF Schools as academically gifted, which is about 6 percent of the total school population for grades K-12. Qataris are about 75 percent of the identified gifted students at QF Institutions.
According to Bolton, better school environments can provide chances to pass through the program at a faster rate, miss or condense subjects that the student already learns and discuss certain subjects that are of high interest to the student at a deeper level.
“Teachers should make pre-testing part of their regular instructional routine and be prepared to offer alternatives for those gifted students who show mastery in the subject that will be taught. Gifted students should not be required to repeat curriculum they already know and should never be given busy work to keep them occupied while they wait for other students to catch up,” she pointed.
The official emphasized that the most important part of the initiative is the recognition of gifted children. She noted that gifted children require teachers, like all children, who can comprehend giftedness and a personalized educational environment that lets them learn in the most optimal way.
“For some students, this may mean access to an accelerated curriculum; for others, it’s the opportunity to dive deeper into a subject and learn at a more in-depth level. QF gifted students need time to work with other gifted children. This opportunity to learn with their intellectual peers and be challenged through a healthy level of competition is the key to the success of gifted children,” she maintained.
"Our goal is to provide gifted students with a place to learn and engage with like-minded peers and engage in high-interest enrichment opportunities under the guidance of teachers trained to encourage, motivate, and support gifted students. Gifted students, like all students, deserve to grow academically at the pace they feel most comfortable,” added, Bolton
Comments