In many states (including my own), NO prior knowledge about gifted kids and their learning needs is required to fill a gifted specialist position. We don�t hire football coaches who don�t know what a touchdown is. We don�t hire band directors who don�t know what an eighth note is. We don�t hire special education teachers who don�t have the required extra certification, knowledge, and expertise about struggling learners. We don�t hire biology teachers who don�t know the structure of a cell. And yet we�re somehow apparently okay with hiring gifted teachers who don�t know about twice exceptional, curriculum compacting, telescoping, asynchronous development, and perfectionism, let alone common characteristics of the gifted.
That was wonderful, Dazey! Thanks so much for bringing that to my attention. I jumped up and down and cheered while reading the above quote. You just made my day!!
