High School Teachers’ Perceptions of Giftedness, Gifted Education, and Talent Development

Abstract

figure, references, 62 titles.In the field of gifted education, there is little research on the perceptions of high school teachers of the gifted about giftedness, good gifted education practices, and the nature and needs of gifted learners. The purpose of this study was to form a deeper understanding of how those educators who guide gifted learners out of high school and into adulthood perceive giftedness and gifted education. This qualitative study, conducted in two phases, took place in a large suburban school district with three large high school systems and was focused on the responses of high school teachers to assess their attitudes, feelings, and opinions about the nature and needs of gifted learners using a grounded theory model of analysis. Data collected from the 11 participants in the first phase of the analysis was combined with that collected from the 13 participants in phase two and validated throughout with continual comparison through memoing. Participants reported a general lack of engagement with scholarly work in the gifted education field as well as a dependence on the school district for effective training in classroom practice. Evidence also suggested a view of giftedness among the participants as an inherent quality of some people who needed to be properly trained in the instructional environment. Implications from this study suggest further research, both qualitative and quantitative, needs to focus on clarifying the perception of giftedness among high school teachers as well as how the delivery of effective training to those teachers can be implemented. , and giftedness may manifest in a variety of forms Konstantopoulos, Modi, & Hedges, 2001). As such, the field continues to struggle over definitions for seemingly simple but, in fact, very complex terms such as gifted, giftedness, and gifted education. However necessary debate and discussion at the researcher level may be, it could potentially lead to confusion and frustration for teachers as they seek to provide the best possible services to their students. In gifted education, competing ideas, approaches, and policies potentially result in confusing and contradictory curriculum models adopted by local school systems, especially in the current climate of high-stakes accountability testing . At the high school level competing priorities may be compounded as teachers of gifted students work to satisfy the requirements of Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate standards to satisfy . High school gifted education is potentially affected by contested definitions, vague policies, and research-to-practices gaps . Few studies have taken a deeper look at the unique perspectives of high school teachers in gifted education programs and how their gifted education practices might be affected by the struggle to define giftedness and the complications for quality gifted education practice associated with it. Gifted Education in High SchoolCompeting Conceptions of Giftedness Experts in the field of gifted education do not agree on what it ...

The Impact of School Environment on Talent Development: A Retrospective View of Gifted British and Polish College Students

“…Tirri (2017) underscores that “teacher education is the key to changing the identification and teaching of the gifted” (p. 1). However, Russell (2018) found shocking results in his research, pointing to the fact that his qualitative study showed that high school teachers “did not read any research or literature on giftedness or gifted education” (p. 291). A notable finding of the study was in fact the overarching lack of knowledge in the field of gifted education.…”

Promoting High-Achieving Students Through Differentiated Instruction in Mixed-Ability Classrooms—A Systematic Review

“…However, previous research also found some facilitators for implementing DI, such as colleagues, mentors, and control in decision-making (Bondie et al, 2019; Puzio et al, 2015). Hence, investigating barriers and facilitators while implementing DI for high-achieving students in mixed-ability classrooms might help support successful implementation in the future (Russell, 2018).…”

Atender las Altas Capacidades en Chile: facilitadores y barreras del contexto escolar

“…Las creencias sobre AC han sido estudiadas en el ámbito escolar, a partir de las voces de docentes y directivos (Lassig, 2009;Long, 2012;Long et al, 2015;Rusell, 2018, García-Cepero & Iglesia, 2020. Respecto de los primeros, Al Zoubi (2018) encontró que algunas creencias se restringían a áreas académicas, mientras que otras incorporaban aspectos socioemocionales, como el desajuste social.…”