Radical Acceleration at Christian School: Will and Randomini

Will
His smile is framed by flyaway curls and light-rimmed spectacles. Quiet confidence marks
his step. Relaxed, bright-eyed and articulate, he shares a laugh with a group similarly
garbed in tie and blazer. He is studious, sporty and social, and appears to thrive in the
context of Christian School.

Randomini
He shakes his head and grins, patiently repeating that he recalls little detail about his time
at school. Leaning back casually, his even-paced speech is modulated by moments of
intensity and passion. Melding various ages in one person, his face reflects peace and
contentment, a sense of „belonging‟ in the world of tertiary education.

Acceleration at Christian School

Will and Randomini are among a handful of students who have engaged in radical
academic acceleration at Christian School in recent years, working to satisfy Higher
School Certificate (HSC) requirements at least three years ahead of their age peers
(Stanley, 1978). 14 year-old Will is currently completing his HSC, while Randomini, at age
16, is in his second year at university. Exploration of their experience provides valuable
insights to inform the positive ongoing development of gifted education at Christian School
and in the broader educational domain.

Christian School is part of a network of non-denominational faith-based schools in regional

NSW. The P-12 campus supports over one thousand students and employs more than
one hundred staff. The school follows a triarchic structure, with a P-4 Junior School, 5-8
Middle School, and 9-12 Senior School. It has a well-established special education faculty
which provides programs and support for the many children with behavioural, social and
learning needs who are integrated into mainstream classes. The school is becoming more
widely known for its gifted education interventions also: single- and inter-campus
withdrawal programs, external competitions, designated Gifted and Talented classes
(Years 3-6), Independent Learners classes (Years 7-8), various co-curricular opportunities,
and flexible learning pathways, including acceleration, are employed to assist students in
their learning. A Gifted and Talented Coordinator, Mrs Donnelly, oversees the provision of
gifted education across the school.

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Will
Background
Will is a cheerful, well-mannered and self-effacing fourteen year-old. Since the age of five
he has played the piano, completing seventh grade requirements for the Australian Music
Examinations Board and playing in the school jazz ensemble, before „slowing down‟ so as
to avoid becoming overloaded. He participates in a variety of physical activities, engaging
in tennis, cricket and semi-competitive swimming throughout the week.
Mathematics, Science and English are the academic strengths of this young man, who
achieved first place in one prestigious regional mathematics contest and achieved
distinctions and high distinctions in a range of University of New South Wales
competitions. He feels positive about school, „except for the [early] mornings!‟, and
particularly values the opportunity it affords to spend time with „mates‟. His most treasured
school memory is of a Year 8 sailing camp, a great time of boating and „chill[ing]‟ with
friends.

Will is the eldest of three boys. His brothers both attend Christian School, where they are
in Years 5 and 7. His eldest brother, Pete, has been accelerated one year in Mathematics,
with further acceleration in that area a future possibility. He has won an international
poetry competition and, like Will, has achieved first place in a large regional mathematics
contest. He is currently coming first in an ongoing nation-wide History competition. Will‟s
youngest brother, Sam, is a capable student who is enrolled in the Year 5/6 Gifted and
Talented class. Will‟s parents actively encourage their sons to pursue interests beyond
academia, and celebrate the efforts and achievements of each of their children.

Will‟s mother, a nurse, has completed a postgraduate diploma, and focuses her energies
on family activities. His father has fulfilled management positions in a multinational
company and a legal firm, and is an accountant and financial manager with postgraduate
qualifications. He has previously worked as a professional musician, and enjoys sport and
family activities.

Will‟s grandmothers both completed their leaving certificates and performed family duties
throughout their lives. His maternal grandfather gained a building trade certificate, worked
as the project manager of a building company, and served as president of his bowling
club. His paternal grandfather was a chemistry professor. He had numerous postgraduate
qualifications, served as the Dean of Science at a large regional university, and was

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internationally acclaimed for his work as a scientist and academic author. Will‟s paternal
grandparents each travelled the globe extensively, both individually and with their family.
Their six children all completed university studies before entering professions.

Will displayed advanced cognitive skills from a young age. His parents recall that he was
an „early talker‟ and could read before the age of four. His giftedness was identified during
his time at pre-school, after staff noted that he „completed the hardest puzzles‟ within a
week of arriving, and mentioned this to his parents. He was assessed prior to entering
school, with results indicating that he had an IQ of more than 150.

Acceleration Pathway
Will commenced kindergarten with his age peers and completed Year 1, before skipping
Year 2 and accelerating a further year in Mathematics. He spent four years in Gifted and
Talented classes, was placed in an Independent Learners Class in Year 7, and condensed
his entire School Certificate into the latter half of Year 8. In that year, Will also participated
in Year 11 Extension English lessons, and met regularly with a senior school science
teacher for ongoing dialogue and discussion about topics such as astronomy and physics.

Having completed a combination of Year 11 and Year 9 classes last year, Will‟s current
studies comprise HSC Physics, Advanced English and 3 Unit Mathematics, and Year 10
Commerce. When not attending timetabled Year 12 lessons, he sits in various Year 10
classes to complete his work. During this time he „keep[s] an ear out‟ for what is being
taught, and „tunes in‟ to content he did not fully grasp during his rapid completion of the
School Certificate.

Responsive Relationship
Will was first accelerated after his class teacher and the school principal broached the
possibility with his parents. Discussion between Will, his parents and executive staff led to
his progressing from Year 1 to Year 3, with an additional year of acceleration in
Mathematics, at that time.

When he was in Year 8, Mrs Donnelly and the assistant principal, Mrs Smith, expressed
concern at a perceived discrepancy between Will‟s learning „capacity‟ and his actual level
of performance and development, and noted the challenges he faced as a consequence of
subject-specific acceleration. They recommended that he complete his School Certificate

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requirements in a single term before progressing to Year 11. Will also recalls telling his
parents that, although he enjoyed school, he wasn‟t enjoying the work. Will, his parents
and teachers agreed that radical acceleration in all subjects would allow a closer match
between his work and cognitive „capacity‟ without increasing pressure, and would simplify
his academic path.

Mrs Donnelly, the Gifted and Talented coordinator, was instrumental in setting up Will‟s
current program of study, and he credits her with „helping [him] to get [his] head around the
entire thing: she sorted it all out and got everything working‟. Will meets with Mrs Donnelly
every fortnight to discuss how his school life is going and to give him an opportunity to ask
questions if there is a problem. He believes that the support of such a teacher is vital to the
success of acceleration: „If something‟s not working, you should be able to talk to a
teacher about it‟.

Will says he is comfortable with his accelerated program, and attributes this to the
preparation he was afforded at school; for example, opportunity to visit the Year 11
Extension English class once a fortnight during Year 8, participation in a cross-campus
enrichment program, and discussion about his views on grade-skipping. Will was also
encouraged and motivated by his achievement of a Band 6 in Mathematics and Band 5 in
all other subjects in his School Certificate – he accedes that he „went fairly well‟ and says it
was a „boost‟ to know that he was working beyond „the bottom‟ of the grade he was
entering.

Additionally, a strong and supportive relationship has grown between Will‟s family and
school personnel. Regular communication, review of Will‟s progress, and the building of
trust and openness have assisted in the development and ongoing monitoring of a
program which catered to the young man‟s individual strengths and needs.

Sense of Self
Will believes that acceleration has been a very positive experience for him, both forcing
and freeing him to „be more of [him]self‟. In particular, acceleration has provided Will with
increased challenge and reduced boredom; it has empowered him to take greater
ownership of his learning, rather than relying on extrinsic, teacher-driven motivation; and it
has enabled him to learn about subjects that interest him, instead of forcing him to jump
through hoops to achieve standard grade-level curriculum. Additionally, Will feels that

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acceleration has given him a goal to work towards – the HSC. Indeed, having completed 7
units by the end of this year, acceleration will allow him to undertake up to 16 units for his
HSC.

Will maintains a balanced lifestyle by engaging in sport, music and other activities so that
„study is not the main thing‟, recognising that an exclusive focus on academics would lead
him to feel too much pressure. While attending to his studies responsibly, he „doesn‟t
stress too much‟, but rather enjoys his life and learning.

Social Development
Will‟s current friendships are based in his Year 10 peer group, one year above his age-
peers. He is pleased that acceleration „hasn‟t really affected [his] friendship‟ with these
students, and says that the most challenging part of school is having to miss out on
spending time joining with them in activities such as group work assignments and sport
due to timetabling constraints.

Will encountered some social issues during the early years of his education. His parents
recall that „there were some occasions where bullying took place [with] some of the older
boys resenting the “smart” little kid in their class. Will generally handled this well and it
abated.‟ At the beginning of Year 11, Will was concerned about his ability to integrate into
a class with students three years his senior, and was worried about how they would react
to him. However, he says, he has „not [encountered] a lot of issues‟. He has become more
confident in asking questions and engaging in cooperative work with his classmates, and
believes that he has „loosened up‟ over time. Participation in Year 11 English during Year
8 helped him to get used to being with older students before transitioning full-time, and
beginning mixed-grade studies upon entering Senior School, when all students
experienced some change and variation in their class groupings, was helpful in limiting
social isolation.

Individual Pathway
Will loves learning and loves spending time with his „mates‟, and his school program is
designed to maximise his opportunity to do both; for example, through sitting in on Year 10
classes wherever practicable. He is able to maintain his close friendships with his Year 10
peers, finishing his HSC with them in two years time. Additionally, Will values the flexibility
which his acceleration pathway has afforded him: completing 7 units towards the HSC this

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year means that he has the option of repeating subjects later if he does not perform as
well as he would like, helping to alleviate pressure, and means he can study a broader
range of subjects than would otherwise be possible.

Will believes that acceleration should be planned according to individual needs in order to
maximise outcomes, recognising that different students will respond positively to different
provisions: for example, he says, radical acceleration „doesn‟t appeal to [him] at all‟ for
social reasons, but has been effective for other students. His parents also cite the value of
student-centred pathway development: „Mrs Donnelly is doing a great job with… tailoring
acceleration for our lads. It is vitally important that there is someone like her individually
monitoring and mentoring the accelerated students and ensuring their needs are being
met.‟

Randomini
Background
Random Domini: Chaotic lord of cyberspace. For this young man, „online reality‟ is far from
oxymoron. The sixteen year-old spends most of his free time engaged in internet-based or
video games, and is driven by a passion to create his own. While he enjoys going to the
movies and socialising with friends, Randomini is typically absorbed by his inner world or
captivated wholly by some external situation.

Randomini is currently completing undergraduate studies in electrical engineering, with

plans to later complete a software degree. He says he chose electrical engineering as „it
was the closest I could get to [a degree in both] software and maths‟. Laughing at the
notion that this is because he likes mathematics, Randomini says that he finds the subject
easy and enjoys finding it easy. He appreciates the university lifestyle with its frequent
breaks from classes, a contrast from the regimented world of school.

Randomini has a younger sister, Kate, a student at Christian School, who commenced one
year before her grade peers and accelerated a further year during primary school. The
siblings have little in common and engage minimally with one another.

Randomini‟s mother, a high-school mathematics and science teacher, achieved well at a

selective girls‟ school before completing one undergraduate and two post-graduate
degrees. Her brother is a physicist. Randomini‟s father is a computer consultant who has

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partially completed three degrees and is described by his wife as „brilliant‟. Randomini‟s
parents were both „youngest children‟ born approximately twenty years after their
respective siblings.

The Great Depression severely curtailed the educational opportunities available to

Randomini‟s grandparents, of whom only his maternal grandmother, now 91, still lives.
Emigrating from Britain in 1926, she had a disrupted education, completing only primary
school, and became a housewife. Her husband was born in Australia. He completed his
second year of high school by the age of eleven, but had to leave school to help support
his family financially. A fitter and turner by trade, he also did some work renovating
houses. Randomini‟s paternal grandparents both completed their leaving certificates. His
grandmother was a housewife, and his grandfather worked as a farmer and sawyer.

As an infant Randomini was active, alert, and required very little sleep. He learnt to read
through watching Sesame Street, surprising his parents when he read „pizza‟ and „exit‟ in
unfamiliar contexts at the age of 17 months. His advanced intellectual skills were noticed
by his pre-school teacher, who expressed shock when he read, „Other titles in this series
include…‟ on the back of a book at the age of 3 ½.

Acceleration Pathway
After much research, Randomini‟s mother concluded that academic acceleration would
benefit her son, but found Christian School to be the only local school which would
implement this. Prior to his enrolment and at the request of the school, Randomini
underwent testing at the University of NSW Gifted and Talented Centre and was identified
as „profoundly gifted‟, and a teacher, Mr Murray, visited the pre-school to learn more about
him.

In Randomini‟s first year at the school, Mr Murray frequently withdrew him from class for
individual science and mathematics activities. His Kindergarten teacher provided extra and
differentiated work, including 5th grade Mathematics. Randomini began Year 2 the
following year. He joined a small group of gifted Year 5/6 students for science experiments
with Mr Murray, remembering still one such lesson involving liquid nitrogen. He moved into
the Year 3/4 Gifted and Talented Class for one year, while completing Year 6
Mathematics, then joined the Year 5/6 Gifted and Talented Class for a year. After
discussion between his parents, teacher and the assistant principal, Mrs Smith, Randomini

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was given and „topped‟ the Years 7 and 8 mathematics tests, and undertook a compacted
Year 8 mathematics program focusing only on identified gaps in his knowledge.

Just prior to his ninth birthday, Randomini entered Year 7 for all subjects except
Mathematics, for which he commenced Year 9 work. He progressed in this two-tiered
fashion to complete his School Certificate and 2 Unit HSC Mathematics exams at the age
of twelve, following this with HSC studies in 3 Unit Mathematics while undertaking Year 11
subjects in other areas. For his HSC, Randomini studied 4 Unit English, 4 Unit
Mathematics, 2 Unit Engineering, 2 Unit Physics and 1 Unit Studies of Religion. He
achieved a UAI in the upper half of the „nineties‟ and began university in the year he turned
fifteen.

Responsive Relationship
Each of Randomini‟s accelerations took place after discussion involving him, his parents,
and staff at Christian School, but the final decision was always his own. Regular
communication between his parents and teachers facilitated „ongoing [personal and
logistical] support, and alteration of any aspect that was not working‟ throughout
Randomini‟s schooling.

Randomini did encounter some „problems with timetable clashes in maths acceleration‟,
however. For a short period, as he was not able to attend maths and other lessons
timetabled simultaneously, Randomini completed a mathematics subject by distance
education, and had lessons with a private tutor off-campus in school time, an arrangement
which proved untenable in the long-term. While acknowledging the challenges
encountered in facilitating complex school timetables, he believes it is vital to „avoid
clashes for accelerants where possible‟.

Social Development
Without acceleration, Randomini says, he „would be dead‟. In particular, he appreciates
having moved more rapidly through his schooling and into the world of university where
age is less relevant and where he can meet others with similar interests. While Randomini
was not challenged greatly in the grades he moved to, he says social issues precluded
further advancement. Randomini faced „some problems from students who resented a
younger student doing the same work‟, a source of difficulty for many years.

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Even in Kindergarten, when Randomini commenced French studies with Year 6, bullying
by older students necessitated that he work instead with Year 3/4, the cohort with whom
he eventually completed Year 12. Indeed, once Randomini joined these students full-time,
he was able to establish several „core‟ friendships with classmates. In the interim, twelve-
month placement in the 3/4 and 5/6 Gifted and Talented classes allowed Randomini to
accelerate with a familiar group of students, moving on with the upper grade of each class.
Randomini suggests creating more stage-based classes, extending these into the
secondary years, to facilitate similar progression for other gifted students.

Individual Experience
Randomini believes that acceleration has „opened doors‟ for him in many ways. At a
university Open Day in Year 11, he received an invitation to lunch with the Vice-Chancellor
and various other professors who were eager to see the young man successfully transition
to tertiary studies. Subsequent access to a university-based plan to support young
students has been immensely helpful thus far. Additionally, Randomini was awarded two
university scholarships and a valuable work-experience placement.

To Randomini, acceleration seemed a normal and natural educational pathway. He says of

the luncheon with university personnel, „I didn‟t know what it meant at the time… I thought
everyone did this. In hindsight… I should have eaten a sandwich or said a word‟. He
values having been accelerated, as this prevented him from being „turned off‟ education
through boredom and enabled him to make more efficient use of his time.

Conclusions
The accounts of Will and Randomini support much of the current research on radical
academic acceleration.

Firstly, the effectiveness of acceleration is maximised when it is individually tailored and

regularly evaluated (Gross & van Vliet, 2005, p.166; Vialle, Ashton, Carlon & Rankin,
2001, p.19). The decision about when and whether to accelerate, and what form
acceleration should take, should be made on an individual basis and in consultation with
the student, their family, and school personnel. A flexible approach, with frequent
opportunities to discuss progress and issues, is essential to the success of academic
acceleration.

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Secondly, there are significant academic advantages for students who are appropriately
accelerated (Swiatek, 1993, cited in Gross & van Vliet, 2005, p.161). Students can be
provided with work which more closely matches their level of ability, helping to reduce
boredom and increase motivation. Additionally, acceleration can allow students to use
learning time more productively, either through earlier entry to university, or through
completing a broader range of subjects for their HSC (Gross & van Vliet, 2005, pp.160-
162).

Acceleration can have great social benefits, but is not devoid challenge in this area (for a
review of the literature see Neihart, 2007). Grade advancement can allow students to
develop friendships with intellectual peers or simply reduce the number of years students
with social difficulties are forced to spend at school. However, social issues arising out of
acceleration (such as bullying by resentful older students) may constrain the amount of
grade-skipping which is appropriate, while students engaging in repeated grade-skips may
find it difficult to „leave behind‟ those with whom they have become friends. Schools can
act to limit social and emotional difficulties through facilitating grade-skips at „natural
transition points‟ (Feldhusen, Proctor & Black, 2002, p.170), arranging preparatory visits to
higher grades, participation in stage-based classes in the year prior to grade
advancement, and flexible timetabling to maximise a student‟s interaction with their
friendship group.

Furthermore, acceleration can be helpful in enabling students to explore, express and

develop their identity in meaningful ways (Cornell, Callahan & Lloyd, 1991, cited in Gross
& van Vliet, 2005, pp.164-165). It can foster independence and self-direction, and can
enable students to pursue learning in areas of personal interest.

Finally, single-subject acceleration can present significant timetabling challenges (Farmer,

1996, para.11). Students may encounter difficulty when forced to forgo lessons scheduled
concurrently with classes in their accelerated subject, or when timetabling forces them to
study independently or by distance education.

Individualised acceleration programs are of great value in serving the needs of students
such as Will and Randomini. Supportive partnerships between families and schools are
essential in working to maximise outcomes for gifted students in all aspects of their lives,
both in their school years and beyond.

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References

Farmer, D. (1996). Acceleration or flexible progression: An overview of the research on

acceleration/flexible progression. Austega. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from
http://austega.com/gifted/accelerationguidelines.htm.

Feldhusen, J.F., Proctor, T.B. & Black, K.N. (2002). Guidelines for grade advancement of
precocious children. Roeper Review, 24(3),169-171.

Gross, M.U.M. & van Vliet, H.E. (2005). Radical acceleration and early entry to college: A
review of the research. Gifted Child Quarterly, 49(2), 154-171.

Neihart, M. (2007). The socioaffective impact of acceleration and ability grouping:

Recommendations for best practice. Gifted Child Quarterly, 51(4), 330-341.

Stanley, J.C. (1978). Radical acceleration: Recent educational innovation at JHU. Gifted
Child Quarterly, 22, 62-67.

Vialle, W., Ashton, T., Carlon, G. & Rankin, F. (2001). Acceleration: A coat of many
colours. Roeper Review, 24(1), 14-19.

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