The author describes the formation of a self-contained interage class for gifted children in grades one to three. The curriculum was project- and interest-based, and an effort was made to involve other teachers and students, thus avoiding the charge of elitism. (CL)

A private school administrator describes qualities of effective gifted programs that require minimal funding and suggests ways to ensure program success (such as promoting community support, using elective minicourses as enrichment, and allowing students to share course development responsibilities). (CL)

A private multinational school in Columbia established programs focusing on math and language arts enrichment for gifted elementary students. Student selection approaches feature multiple criteria and the cultural mix of the student body. (CL)

The evaluation process of gifted programs in the Los Angeles Unified School District has evolved from a city-wide effort to measure cognitive and affective achievement through standardized tests to a more decentralized approach in which individual schools determine evaluation methods. Plans call for computerized data analysis. (CL)

Creative dramatics for gifted students can be a multidisciplinary effort in five phases: selecting a topic, setting goals, determining activities, planning specific activities, and evaluating the activities. The experience focuses on group process and requires a climate receptive to creativity. (CL)

The Potentially Able Learner's Program in Rockford, Illinois, is a centralized gifted program for students (K-6). The program features self-contained grade-level groupings and emphasis on parent involvement. Evaluation is gathered through achievement testing, parent questionnaires, and student self-report. (CL)

Suggests initial considerations in developing programs for gifted and talented students: identification, program format, community involvement, and curriculum. (SJL)

Last year Marian Leibowitz presented workshops in 27 states on improving instruction for gifted and talented students. In this interview she gives an overview of what she has seen in programs around the country. (Author/MLF)

A parent of a gifted student reviews the development of a gifted and talented program in his school district and makes suggestions for full-time program coordinators, increased role of the guidance counselor, and greater emphasis on career education at the high school level. (CL)

The cumulative learning effect is explained to help overcome lack of coordination and scheduling difficulties in programing for the gifted. An example is recounted of the model's application in an interdisciplinary series on experiencing history. (CL)

An appropriate education is one that identifies students' educational needs and then provides a curriculum that addresses those needs (Benbow & Stanley, 1996). All students, even those identified as gifted, deserve a personalized education. However, many educators outside gifted education believe that "giftedness" is a fancy label and that gifted…

To identify promising practices, issues, and problems concerning education for the gifted in Maine, 239 classroom teachers and 14 administrators from 11 school districts geographically distributed throughout the state responded to questionnaires which profiled teacher personal characteristics and styles, described the educational setting and…

The 13 readings in this book offer guidelines for designing and developing programs for gifted students. An introductory chapter by the editor considers the benefits of special programs for gifted students and the challenges of their development. The following chapters are: (1) "From Needs and Goals to Program Organization: A Nuts-and-Bolts Guide"…

This speech by an educator and parent of gifted children addresses the problem of appropriate educational services for gifted children, concluding that advocacy for these children entails pushing for acceleration, an often neglected but effective option. The paper begins with anecdotes which illustrate the unmet needs of gifted children and which…

Part of a 10 booklet series on talented and gifted education, the booklet discusses developing and administering policy for talented and gifted students. Some aspects to be considered before implementing a new policy are considered, including social issues, administrative concerns, trends in talented and gifted programs, and instructional…