What is the best strategy for a teacher with gifted students who have demonstrated mastery on a pretest?

The best strategy for a teacher with gifted students who have demonstrated mastery on a pretest is to provide curriculum compacting with enrichment activities. This approach effectively addresses the students' advanced knowledge and skills by allowing them to skip content they have already mastered, thus saving time for deeper exploration of more complex topics. Curriculum compacting involves streamlining the curriculum for these students, enabling them to focus on enrichment activities that challenge them and further develop their talents. This strategy promotes engagement, encourages creativity, and fosters a love for learning by allowing students to pursue interests and learning opportunities that align with their capabilities.

In contrast, assigning independent study and presentations may not be as effective, as it could lead to a lack of structure or guidance that gifted students may need for meaningful growth. Cooperative learning can benefit peer interaction but may not challenge gifted students sufficiently. Allowing students to serve as peer tutors could benefit their leadership and communication skills, but it doesn't inherently address their advanced learning needs. Overall, curriculum compacting paired with enrichment is the most effective way to meet the educational needs of gifted students who have already mastered key concepts.