Governor's Schools: Fostering the Social and Emotional Well-Being of Gifted and Talented Students

Abstract

Reviewing and conducting research on summer residential program models for gifted and talented students will illuminate the academic, social, and emotional difficulties they face and reveal which practices are effective in addressing these issues. One program model, the Governor's School, warrants particular attention because of its mission to provide an accelerated and enriched curriculum and a positive social environment in a seasonal residential program. To date, few well-designed studies directly assess the effect of attending a Governor's School on participants’ social and emotional well-being. In order to provide a context for an in-depth examination of 8 studies conducted between 1965 and 1991 on participants in Governor's Schools in the Southeast, this review of literature begins with 2 landmark studies conducted on participants in summer residential programs between 1984 and 1993. Significant and tangential findings from all of these studies show that participation in summer residential programs has positive effects on students; the most significant effect is the formation of strong friendship bonds and support networks among program participants. However, the extent of supportive evidence is minimal due to limitations of the research designs, and a considerable lack of current research. Gaps in the literature reviewed are discussed, and suggestions for future research are presented.