This article expands the notion of culturally responsive learning environments by including Purkey and Novak's (1996) work on invitational learning. Their typology of four types of schools is described and applied to gifted education classrooms, along with associated characteristics of each. Specific attention is focused on implications for…

The United States is considered the land of immigrants and cultural diversity, and our nation's ever changing demographics attests to this. Yearly, our nation and schools become more racially and linguistically different. In what ways, we must ask, are schools welcoming and providing for students who come from different cultural backgrounds,…

Every school district shares the pervasive issue of having males under-represented in the teaching profession. Likewise, most have a paucity of teachers who are African American. Combining both gender and race, only 1% of teachers are Black males. In the article, we rely on scholarship regarding the lack of diversity among teachers and among males…

Gifted education has faced numerous criticisms regarding the extensive and persistent underrepresentation of Black and Hispanic students. In the April 2013 issue of "Gifted Child Today," this author wrote about prejudice and discrimination in gifted education, and argued that in the past and now, discrimination exists in gifted education…

Gifted education consistently comes under scrutiny and criticism regarding the persistent and pervasive underrepresentation of Black and Hispanic students in gifted education. Their underrepresentation is one of the most significant problems facing schools, along with the achievement gap and special education overrepresentation. It cannot be…

In this article, the author summarizes a relatively recent report that has taken the road less traveled by focusing on the achievement gap among high-achieving students from low-income backgrounds (Wyner, Bridgeland, & DiIulio, 2007). Although the report does not focus on minority students directly or exclusively, these students nonetheless…

Each year, the U.S. Department of Education publishes its comprehensive report "The Condition of Education." As the author perused this year's edition, she was reminded of an important reality, one that all education professionals must be mindful of: America and its schools are more racially and culturally different than ever before. The term…

For almost two decades, the author has devoted her professional life to the field of gifted education, as have others. More than any time in her career, she finds herself reflecting even more so on the persistent or stubborn problem of underrepresentation among Black and Hispanic students in gifted education. Is this more frequent self-reflection…

In this article, the author contends that, in many ways, our classrooms are like our homes. How much time, energy, and thought do educators devote to making the classroom (or school) environment welcoming for the students (their guests)? Expanding upon this analogy, the author equates preparing a meal for guests at her home with preparing the…

Educators need to be more aware of and sensitive to the implications of diversity for themselves and their students. The student population is becoming more diverse at a faster rate than the teacher population. Teachers must understand other cultures in terms of concept of self, concept of time, personal vs. social responsibility, locus of…

Explains the Ford-Harris Matrix model of multicultural education in teaching literature to gifted students. This matrix combines levels of infusing multicultural content (contributions, additive, transformation, and social action) with the thinking processes of Bloom's Cognitive Taxonomy (knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis,…

Looks at the problem of underachievement in gifted students and offers a five-step process for planning, setting, and evaluating "motivation traps" in a student-centered curriculum. Offers examples, such as utilizing students' heroes, particular passionate interests, and interest in clubs. (DB)

This paper offers a brief examination of the educational rights of students with disabilities, compares federal initiatives on the rights of gifted students and the rights of students with disabilities, and recommends that all teachers working with gifted learners receive specialized preparation in gifted education. (JDD)

This article offers an overview of educational reform and outlines its implications for gifted African-American students. The lack of attention to equity issues in reform reports is documented and prerequisites for success in educational reform are cited, such as performance-based assessment and site-based management. (JDD)

This article examines barriers to recognition of and assistance for gifted and talented Black students. Rationales for reexamining current theories and definitions are discussed and arguments made for broadening theories of giftedness to better include Black students. Suggestions are made for change and a list of considerations for educators…