In April 2023 we met in Groningen for our first TLA. In Groningen we had specialists from two of the models, Flex based learning and Honors pedagogies. We all met at Alfa-college in Gronningen, which is a regional training centre in the north of the Netherlands. The school offers vocational and adult education across six campuses. Through its excellence programs, the college challenges motivated and talented learners with opportunities in areas for example sports, arts, personal development and Cambridge English.
How to recognize talented learners and twice exceptionals were presented as an introduction to the TLA since educators need to be aware of who in the classroom is talented to support them.
Inspired by Marca Wolfensberger’s model of honors pedagogy, Alfa-college promotes teaching that builds community, enhances academic competence and offers bounded freedom. Teachers are supported with practical workshops to implement these engaging and empowering strategies in their classrooms.
The Flexbased Learning and Innovative Focus programs, developed by the University of Education Upper Austria, were also presented during the TLA1. Flexbased learning empowers learners, especially the talented and gifted, to develop scientific creativity and real-world problem-solving skills through over 20 hands-on techniques that foster divergent thinking, imagination and innovation.