When I asked myself those questions after 20 years of developing and implementing an enrichment program for ‘producers of ideas’ while they remained most of the time in classrooms where they learned to be ‘consumers of ideas’*, we sent out an alumni survey that was designed to measure their perceptions based on the program goals we had set forth. With an excellent response, a statistically significant finding stated early exposure to creative thinking was the most influential and pivotal contribution to their entire education.
True stories that support the statistics:
One young man straight out of college was hired in a large tech company and within the first 6 months obtained his first patent. His proud mother was excited to share the news with the extended family at Thanksgiving, but he would not let her because he said he did no more than exactly what he had done in 4th grade -so that was nothing to brag about! She came into school the next day to tell me.

Another event – Young lady graduated from college with a business degree, was hired as an assistant to the CEO of a company who set up a meeting with all his regional directors and she was there taking notes. The CEO asked everyone to go around the table and describe the company as a particular make of a car. Everyone picked a car stating accolades in common. When my former student was asked, surprised to be included, she said from what she has learned thus far, she saw the company not as a car but as a garage for all of the expensive cars mentioned. Her promotion was quite significant, if memory serves me right it was VP of the company. Again, a proud dad/colleague came to tell me of this amazing application of the concrete realization of our program’s purpose.

There some good resources that provide deep thought on the subject – Abe Tannebaum’s 1983 book “Gifted Children” where the concept of educating ‘consumers’ and (for those with interest and capability) ‘producers’ of ideas is just one of many contributions to the research by a highly respected. The book on programming I find to be the most comprehensive includes the work of many scholars “Best practices in gifted education” edited by Bruce Shore and colleagues. Joyce Van Tassel’s book on curriculum are favorites for helping teachers modify regular curriculum content. I wrote “On Human Potential: nurturing talents, cultivating expertise” to offer a means of moving past the ‘have and have not’ conversation that has been so divisive as well as help teachers recognize and become better instructional strategists for gifted education.

With all the talk of problems with gifted education that has been based on myths, misinformation and misdirection, why haven’t the critics looked at some of the success stories out there? Seeing what works might help others know what might be wrong with theirs. Let’s move forward so all children’s needs are addressed.

Most Sincerely,

Sandra Kay, EdD

LAUSD is the second largest district in the nation. It tests every second grade student. It tests at parent and teacher request. Students can also access services by high achievement on state tests and to the arts via portfolio. It provides programs for 2E children. It provides programs for profoundly gifted students. Students can access services at their home school or attend specialized magnet programs. Students new to the district are offered testing. There are specialized magnets in everything from math, science, and humanities to performing arts and the zoo open to all students. There are three accessible math pathways.

Please start writing stories with deep research instead of reflexive attacks.

Your story, Proof Points: What Research Tells Us about Gifted Education, on the equality and effectiveness of Gifted Education was interesting, but I feel it missed an important point. I have been teaching gifted education classes as well as school-wide enrichment in Oklahoma for nearly 30 years. In my experience, the most effective side of gifted education is to give bright students, no matter their background, an opportunity to use the skills they possess in the school setting. Why is this so important? Because I have see scores of gifted students drop out of school because of lack of motivation, and the idea that they can “do something” more effectively if they strike out on their own like Bill Gates and change the world. MOST of these students, however, are destined to seek out other activities to fill their racing minds. This is where we find the computer hackers, drug dealers and other “leaders” who take their gifts and skills in an extremely negative direction. Motivating gifted kids to see the importance of education, and more importantly the application of education, keeps them in school and on track. This has to start young and it has to include critical thinking, problem solving, teamwork, innovation, entrepreneurship, and all of the other skills that will make school lessons applicable and interesting. IF gifted students learn what they can do with the knowledge they are acquiring in the regular classroom, they will always want more.