Teachers of the Gifted: Preparation and Supervision

Abstract

Paralleling the growing societal awareness of the educational needs of gifted youth, there is a related concern regarding the teachers of the gifted and talented. Who should teach gifted students? What traits and competencies should the teacher possess? How should the teacher be selected? This article reviews the research on characteristics of the effective teacher of the gifted, expected competencies, and the appropriate administrative strategies necessary for selecting teachers of the gifted. Illustrations of the research applied to practice within the framework of Purdue University's Super Saturday Program are then presented.