PRESS RELEASE
Giftedness is a term mostly associated with talent. While most believe
the terms are synonymous and interchangeable, Professor Françoys Gagné, Ph. D,
states otherwise. Considered as one of the most prominent names in the field of
gifted education, Professor Gagné is the founder of the Differentiating Model
of Giftedness and Talent (DMGT), a theory identified and used by international
educational authorities to define their target population and plan intervention
provisions.
According to the DMGT, giftedness is a superior natural ability that is
evident without systematic learning or teaching. Professor Gagné uses the term
‘gifted’ to designate any person who possesses a natural aptitude that placed
them among the top 10% of their age group. Whereas, talent implies a mastered
skill that has been developed exceptionally well. Professor Gagné claims that
for gifts to translate into talents, they must be developed through a variety
of catalysts. These catalysts include intrapersonal factors such as perseverance,
general curiosity, intrinsic motivation, and ambition, and environmental
factors like family, school, and quality of the peer group.
Nature and Nurture Working Together
There are over 1.27 million gifted children in the country according to
data gathered by the Department of Education (DepEd) in 2010. A big number of
these potentially gifted Filipinos are overlooked because of the lack of proper
guidance and support.
Gifted child and award-winning violinist and pianist, Ira Aclan |
While environment plays an important role that can aid in developing
children’s raw abilities, it can also present less than ideal influences. Giftedness
and talent do not flourish on their own.
“Nurturing the potentially gifted is a shared responsibility of the
family, as well as both public and private sectors, if they are to be developed
maximally,” shares Dra. Letty Ho, President, Philippine Center for Gifted
Education, Inc.
Celebrating Homegrown Talent and Skill
It is not enough to have the talent – It’s how the talent is utilized to
achieve greater success in a broader scale, like in ones community or even
country. Improvements in economic growth are closely related to the level of
cognitive skills of the population.
Professor Françoys Gagné, Ph. D,
emphasizes that “individuals, young and old, differ in many respects: their
aptitudes or potentialities, their personal qualities, their needs and their
interests, their will-power and their perseverance, their investment in time
and energy in the development of their talents, the characteristics of their
social environment, and the qualities of significant people around them. All
these elements can contribute to a person’s level of professional success; they
are the ingredients of outstanding success, in school and in adult life.”
Professor Gagné’s visit to the Philippines could not come at a more
opportune time, with the Philippine Center for Gifted Education, Inc. bidding
to spearhead the establishment of the ASEAN Association for Giftedness, and the
country showing strong economic growth.
Giftedness and talent could be a driving force for the Philippine
economy to continue the steps it is taking towards becoming a progressive
country. Nurturing homegrown talent can benefit the country greatly by spurring
its development.
Heritage Through Generations
For over 25 years, Promil Pre-School has been an advocate of nurturing
Filipino children’s gifts into talent. With the right balance of support from
parents, proper care through the right learning environment, and proper nutrition
from Promil Pre-School, gifts can be nurtured into exceptional talents that
benefit a larger community.
“We are one with Professor Gagné in
promoting the proper nourishment of children’s gifts to become talents. This is
one of those instances where proper education can really make the world of
difference,” says Dian Yu, Product Manager, Wyeth Nutrition, Inc.
From National Hero Dr. Jose
Rizal to Andrea Veneracion, who gave the world the Philippine Madrigal Singers,
to world-class performer Lea Salonga and boxing champion and politician
Congressman Manny Pacquiao, Filipinos whose gifts were developed into talents
have proven to contribute immensely to the advancement of the country and building
of national pride.
“This is a vision that Promil
Pre-School shares with Professor Gagné. The brand was founded on
the premise of making it easier for people to reach their full potentials and
become gifts not just to themselves or their families, but also to their
community. We believe that well-rounded and fully-developed talented
individuals are those who are able to use their exceptional abilities for the
greater good,” adds Yu.
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