Digest of Gifted Research

Welcome to the Digest of Gifted Research (formerly Duke Gifted Letter), published by the Duke University Talent Identification Program. The Digest is a trusted resource for research-based information about raising and educating academically talented children.

Gifted Program Administration: Mission Impossible?

Thursday, September 24, 2009 - 13:04

As a district coordinator of gifted education for over two decades, I was continually surprised by the frequent exclamation, "I sure wouldn't want your job!" Although the reasons given for this utterance varied, the underlying sentiment reflected the perception of the difficulty of the many demands that confront an administrator of a gifted program.

The administrator of the gifted program (AGP) could hold any one of several professional roles in a school system: it may be the designated coordinator of gifted education at the central office; it may be the superintendent or a principal; perhaps a "lead teacher," or it may be the individual teacher who is the gifted resource...

If Only I Had Known: Lessons from Gifted Adults

Thursday, April 2, 2009 - 14:57

Editor's note, winter 2009: One of the most meaningful experiences I’ve had in my years working for TIP’s summer programs has been the opportunity to see gifted kids be in an environment where they can be themselves and to be with people who are like them. Too often, gifted students struggle to find peers who share their age or geographic location. The internet and programs like TIP offer opportunities for gifted students to connect with peers. However, the first step needed to take advantage of such opportunities is the recognition that gifted kids aren’t alone.

Too often, gifted students struggle to fit within the standard academic and social structure. This...

Knowns and Unknowns about the New SAT

Thursday, April 2, 2009 - 14:52

Editor's note, winter 2009: The SAT has changed quite a bit since this article was originally published. In March of 2005, the College Board overhauled the SAT. The bigger changes include:

>> Three primary components: Math, Writing, and Critical Reading, each using the traditional SAT scoring model of up to 800 points.

>> Analogies are no longer part of the test.

>> Total test time is now between four and a half and five hours. The Math section is 70 minutes (two 25-minute sections and one 20-minute section), Critical Reading is 70 minutes (two 25-minute sections and one 20-minute section, and the Writing test is 60...

Competition

Thursday, April 2, 2009 - 14:48

Many parents ask how competition affects gifted and talented students. Should parents and teachers encourage them to compete? How does competition fit into our educational systems at a time when we hear more about cooperative groups and learning than ever before?

In a recent interview I asked a female Olympic medalist how she felt about competition. Until that point in the conversation she had been happy to discuss her experiences as a talented athlete. But it was clear that this question was unsettling to her. She had difficulty answering it and finally exclaimed, “I hate to talk about being competitive. It was a necessary evil in my sport, but I was never, never comfortable with...

The Debate about Using the SAT in College Admissions

Thursday, April 2, 2009 - 11:45

A debate is brewing over the use of the SAT I for college admissions. Richard C. Atkinson, a well-known psychologist and president of the University of California system, is leading the attack. He contends that the SAT I is a poor gauge for predicting college success and is “compromising our educational system.”

Gaston Caperton, president of the College Board, which publishes the SAT, counters that the SAT I is “not a high-stakes test” but is a useful admissions tool when considered along with other evidence of a student’s potential for college success.

We know that the SAT I is not a good measure of mastery of the overall high school curriculum. The SAT II tests (...