The Evaluation of a Pullout Program for Gifted Children in Israel

In a study that was conducted in one of the pullout centers in Israel, questionnaires were given to the participants, their teachers in the program, and in their classes, the principals, their parents, and their friends. The questionnaires were focused on a few topics: the identification of the gifted; the level of involvement of he parents; the teaching styles in the program; the problems related to the separation from the schools, the relationships between the schools and the program, and the attitudes towards the program. The attitudes of the students, who wished to stay in the program, differed significantly from those of the students, who didn't wish to stay. The latter were found to be more sensitive. The parents criticized the identification process, while the principals wished to rely more on teachers’ recommendations. Teaching in the program was characterized by extensive creativity, a great level of activity, more depth, openness, and flexibility.