The Concept of Giftedness

Gifted is not merely a word. It is an academic designation based on a specific set of, primarily academic, criteria. Intellectual curiosity is not typically regarded as an academic designation; but it is a criterion for being a critical thinker. The explicit attainment of the skills necessary to become a fair- minded critical thinker is the first step toward developing equity in gifted education and in the establishing of educational excellence across every content area and learning domain.

If it this specific designation of the word gifted which serves as the defining label that draws a delineating dividing line which hinders access for far too many students and renders far too many classroom teachers as the unintentional gatekeepers without proper support or training; then by all mean let us find a more nuanced word or phrase which is more apropos. There are a plethora of terms which can serve the same purpose among these are: high- ability, high- potential, high- achieving, academically exceptional, etc.

The current research and statistics related to access to honors, AP, IB, and college preparatory courses for minority and/ or low- income students are abysmal and at a crises level across the nation. This is the driving force behind the Gifted Education Equity (GEE) Enterprises, LLC.