A Critical, Place-Based Approach to Summer Enrichment for Gifted Learners From Rural Communities

• In Event: Educational Practices in Gifted Education

Abstract

This study explored a place-based summer enrichment offering for gifted rural students through the lens of a critical pedagogy of place (Greenwood, 2003). To ameliorate well-documented opportunity gaps for rural students, we established a residential camp on our university’s campus where middle school students engaged in STEM and humanities enrichment courses. Inductive analysis of students’ culminating projects revealed two salient themes: (a) students thought critically about environmental and social issues specific to their rural communities, and (b) students expressed strong connections to place through artistic projects. This study suggests a need to honor rural students’ funds of knowledge (Moll et al., 1992) and sense of place when designing and implementing enrichment activities geared toward increasing equity for rural gifted students.

Authors

• Amy Price Azano, Virginia Tech
  Presenting Author

• Rachelle Kuehl, Virginia Tech
  Presenting Author

• Clint D. Whitten, Virginia Tech
  Presenting Author