Introduces principles of Total Quality Management (TQM) and proposes incorporation of TQM within long-range planning efforts of gifted education programs. Principles such as involving all stakeholders, working for the long-term, and working systematically are applied in two sample charts organized around the goals of improving gifted…

Presents data on the underrepresentation of black and other minority teachers and provides recommendations for the recruitment and retention of minority teachers in gifted education in the context of affective, philosophical, and cultural considerations. Research needs are identified in the areas of demographic data, career decisions,…

Summarizes current research on ability grouping of academically gifted students. Findings show that advanced students benefit more academically than low-ability students from homogeneous grouping; homogeneous groups are more academically and socially beneficial for all abilities than heterogeneous grouping; continuous progress makes an academic…

School administrators can do much to create social conditions and climates that support talent development. Students will remain interested and motivated in their talent field, if they are challenged by class work and teachers. Administrators should use summer and outside programs to supplement, individualize, and provide a more appropriate…

Examines the characteristics of gifted and talented students and describes three cooperative mentoring programs. They are the Executive Internship Program and the Laboratory Experience Program (both in Hillsborough County, Florida) and university-based summer programs at many institutions. Also identifies risks, such as breaking of close…

This study evaluated the Future Problem Solving Program (FPSP) with 205 gifted students and 32 teacher-coaches. The FPSP is designed to develop skills in group problem solving and awareness of future problems. The study found general support for FPSP, more positive perceptions by teacher-coaches than students, and more positive evaluations by…

Discusses issues in gifted education in the context of the coming turn of the century. These include: (1) mentoring (with emphasis on problem solving and cooperation between mentor and child); (2) results of ongoing brain research comparing gifted and regular students; and (3) the increasing importance of technology and computers in education of…

Describes the pull-out gifted program at the Chinese High School in Singapore, which provides talented students with a differentiated and enriched curriculum in mathematics, science, and computer science. Other program aspects include a mentoring program and a creative computing camp. The program is seen as combining the advantages of both full-…

Describes the methodology used (focus groups, classroom observations, interviews, questionnaires, and surveys) and results of the Greenwich (Connecticut) Public Schools' external evaluation of their kindergarten through grade 8 program for gifted and talented students. Also discussed are the implementation of the findings and recommendations into…

This study used a sample (n=967) of academically gifted adolescent students attending summer enrichment programs and participating in urban school districts' gifted programs to evaluate the reliability and validity of the Adolescent Coping Scale. Results suggest the instrument is sufficiently reliable for group administration and research purposes…

This study compared the attitudes of two groups of academically gifted students and one group of creative students (n=228) with a control group (n=189) of regular students toward a career in teaching. Top-ranked occupations for the gifted groups were scientist or doctor, with doctor and lawyer top choices for the control group. All groups rated…

Reasons for the gender gap on mathematics achievement test scores among the gifted are discussed, including the influence of teachers and peers. Recommendations are offered for changing the classroom environment and for implementing interventions that would affect the external factors surrounding gifted girls. Possible future research areas are…

Analysis of self-nominations on peer nomination forms for identifying classroom peers with superior abilities, completed by 391 students (grades 4 to 8), found frequent (41%) self-nominations. Self-nominations were influenced by type of ability assessed and correlated significantly with peer nominations but much less with teacher nominations.…

This essay examines issues of giftedness and excellence, beginning with classical references to human striving toward the "good," the attraction of gifted children to quality, and the recent discovery of the oldest known cave art with its manifest excellence. Classroom activities related to cave art and language arts, social studies,…

This paper considers the role of intelligence in lifetime achievement, noting the importance not only of general cognitive ability but also abilities not measured by standardized intelligence tests. It urges educators of the gifted to utilize their knowledge of intelligence and talent development to challenge the one-dimensional conception of…