The Editor's View

Be a Voice for Gifted Education

Volume 6 / Issue 3 / Spring 2006

For those who have witnessed sibling rivalry firsthand, the phrase “Me too!” is all too familiar. Offer one child a glass of chocolate milk and the other chimes in, “Me too!” Marvel over one child’s crayon drawing and the other’s eyes plead, “Me too!”

As new educational policies are developed, supporters of gifted education also need to shout, “Me too!” For too long gifted education has had to march independently and, for the most part, has done so fruitlessly. For the needs of gifted learners to be addressed, parents, teachers, and advocates for the gifted need to take a good look at existing initiatives and join other voices across the educational arena to ensure that evolving state and local policies hold a place for gifted learners. For example, when a state legislature initiates a new policy for recruiting and retaining highly qualified teachers, supporters of gifted education need to be there to make sure that the policy also increases the number of teachers specifically qualified to work with gifted students.

The path to constructive change is shorter and more easily traversed when proponents of gifted education work to modify pending or existing education policy rather than struggle to implement completely new guidelines. No Child Left Behind has forced all states and local districts to revisit their policies. Now is the time to pull the needs of the gifted learner into these important discussions by exclaiming, “Me too!”
—Kristen R. Stephens, PhD