A study of 239 college freshmen found that those who perceived themselves as effective, competent, and in control of their leisure time had a clearer picture of occupational goals, interests, and talents. Those more committed to their leisure role displayed greater competence in career decision making and exploration. (SK)

This nine-year database study examined factors related to the return rate of 316 nontraditional gifted students who participated in a summer program for academically talented youth. Grade point average, achievement test scores, final grade in the first summer of attendance, and socioeconomic status were not significant predictors of returnee…

This article describes an enrichment cluster approach designed to create highly challenging learning opportunities that allow high potential students to identify themselves. The enrichment clusters focus students' attention on authentic learning applied to real-life problems. Guidelines for enrichment clusters are discussed, along with the teacher…

In a two-year program, general educators and gifted education specialists at 10 elementary schools collaborated to provide differentiated educational experiences to gifted learners. Results indicate the Catalyst Program was an effective delivery system for providing differentiated education to gifted learners and had positive spill-over effects…

This article explains how the theory of the motivated mind conceptualizes the productive interaction of intelligence, creativity, and achievement motivation and how this theory can help educators to maximize students' emergent potential for giftedness. It discusses the integration of cold-order thinking and hot-chaotic thinking into fluid-adaptive…

The Schoolwide Enrichment Model is a blueprint for total school improvement that stresses flexibility and creativity and promotes challenging, enjoyable learning across all school types, levels, and demographic differences. The model combines organizational resources with three service-delivery components: the total-talent portfolio,…

This article argues for a redefinition of how secondary music teachers might think about teaching content. Rather than considering performance-based education that reaches only a small portion of the population, music teachers should consider composition, improvisation, and active listening as important additional concerns for a wider population…

This interview with three performing master teachers at the Interlochen Arts Academy features personal teaching approaches that develop the problem solving skills that are essential for advanced musical study. A positive master teacher-student dynamic is revealed that nurtures technical facility, as well as interpretive decision-making. The role…

Describes how the Family Resource Center (FRC), one component of a School-Family-Community Partnership Program (SFCPP), was created and implemented to assist with institutionalizing SFCPP linkages at urban high schools. Data from surveys, focus groups, and observations highlighted four positive impacts (e.g., increasing visits to the FRC and…

Describes research done at the Center for Research on the Education of Students Placed At Risk on the development and evaluation of the Talent Development model, which asserts that all students can learn in demanding, high-expectation academic settings. Focuses on maximizing every child's potential. (SLD)

Township High School District 214 in Illinois has developed a gifted program that provides curricular options that meet students' needs in their talent areas and supports life and career planning. This article describes the program's philosophy, student identification, curricular and co-curricular programs, life and career planning efforts, and…

Describes how teachers can support the learning of the most able elementary students in science in normal classroom situations. (Author)

Researching the men and women who are the namesakes of local schools can be one of the best bridges students can use to cross the gulf of historical time. Granted, some schools are named after trees, flowers, or geological formations, but many of America's public schools are named after people who once walked the ground today's gifted students now…

Talent searches for seventh and eighth graders have extensive empirical support, and the model has been successfully extended to elementary students. Research has focused on participants earning high scores on above-level tests, however, not typical participants. Here, 597 families and 93 schools that participated in the Carnegie Mellon Institute…

During a visit to Williamsburg Elementary School (Williamsburg, Iowa), this author was introduced to J. C. Holz, a 10-year-old boy who had already exhibited the characteristics of a prolific artist. During one of the interviews with J. C., the author encouraged him to have a solo exhibition of his work at the University of Iowa. The exhibition was…