School Reform and Gifted Education - Opportunities and Issues

Abstract

These are times of great dynamism and change throughout education, and many of the forces influencing educators today will also have strong impact on gifted education. Restructuring, school improvement, learning styles, thinking skills, "at risk," cooperative learning, and other issues being discussed throughout education can contribute to strengthening and improving gifted education. Equally important, gifted education can, and should, also bring important issues and lessons to all educators, and make many "school reform" and school improvement efforts more powerful. We need to be the strong voice that reminds all educators of the importance of challenging and nurturing the best potentials of all learners, so that minimum competencies will not become maximum competencies. Without active dialogue and two-way communication between gifted education and other school change and improvement efforts, both will suffer.