Borders--places where nations, people, and their cultures come together--are interesting spaces. The meeting may be friendly enough, but borders are by their nature places of "otherness," where those who are moving from one place to another are often conceived of as not belonging. High-ability students in this state of "otherness" have particular…

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…

The United Kingdom (UK) Labor Government launched three major policy initiatives in the past three decades. First was the introduction of gifted and talented education with a special focus on the identification of and provision for inner-city students whose gifts and talents lie submerged in most cases due to their environment of social and…

In 1982, the UC Berkeley Gifted Program took in its first cohort. The initial group consisted of 282 middle and high school students. As was the case with many programs for gifted youths, admission to the program was based on students' SAT scores, and urban students were underrepresented. In this article, the author discusses how the program has…

Gifted education has many challenges, and gifted programs sometimes throw up significant roadblocks. But passionate teachers can still make a difference in developing the gifts of the children. In this article, the author summarizes the challenges teachers face in serving gifted students and the roadblocks preventing a strong, supportive gifted…

Jay, an African American male, was placed in the gifted class in fifth grade. He lined up with his new class on the first day of school, but refused to enter the classroom. He was angry that he had been placed in the class with "those kids" and wanted to be in the other class where his friends were. Each day thereafter, Jay struggled with being…

Gifted learners face many challenges in urban settings. Limited access to enriching life experiences, the challenges of coming from a second language background, lack of exposure to classical ideas, and financial constraints can each individually impose barriers to academic success. On the other hand, the urban setting can offer advantages to…

Basically, the socialization process is the means by which newly identified gifted students are helped to recognize why they are members of the gifted culture and what they are going to experience as members of this cultural group. The introduction to the nature and scope of the gifted culture is a means of eradicating the misconceptions that…

Today it seems that almost anything can be done remotely--most often electronically. Today, from shopping and banking to conducting research and taking courses, people use the Internet and other electronic media as resources and as means of completing a multitude of tasks both simple and complex. Educational institutions have long embraced the…

Online courses specifically designed for gifted students allow these students the chance to work with others who are their intellectual peers. Additionally, the teachers of these online courses for the gifted generally have greater background knowledge in current best practice for gifted students and more substantial experience working with this…

The opportunity to work at a pace consistent with their rate of learning, as well as expanded access to advanced-level courses, make online learning a particularly good option for many gifted students. However, online learning can also present a number of challenges. What are some of the primary benefits and challenges of this fast-growing mode of…

Online learning programs have exploded on the educational scene, growing at a rate of approximately 30% annually. Online programming is here to stay and is changing the face of education. Moreover, this new venue holds great promise for gifted students, with its ability to provide greater access to academically rigorous curriculum, highly…

The traditional model of college is changing, and universities around the country are scrambling to adapt. More students are attending classes online, studying part time, taking courses from multiple universities, and jumping in and out of colleges. Online learning is one of the fastest growing trends in educational technology. About one third of…

The use of online methods for professional development activities is on the rise, with more schools exploring creative ways of providing teacher learning opportunities. Online professional development offers a promising direction for providing increased learning opportunities, promoting professional collaboration, and supporting teacher facility…

Black fathers are important advocates in addressing the underrepresentation of Black students in gifted programs, as well as the achievement gaps between Black and White students. Black fathers increasingly understand the important role that Black mothers have traditionally played in supporting their gifted children's school experiences. As a…