... I have a feeling the people in the school district are just very poorly trained, but there also is an element of trying to get out of things...
Agreed. This may be widespread... educators not knowing what to look for (being untrained in giftedness, or not having seen the broad range of gifted abilities) means they may not recognize giftedness, which may actually translate to them having to do less work in unknown or unfamiliar territory. In addition to a time-consuming learning curve, it is probably the fear of the unknown, knowing they may make some missteps along the way, and concern over the consequences, which make plunging in somewhat unrewarding. Many people like to be safe; it's just so... safe!
Encouraging a growth mindset, and sharing that many of us as parents knew nothing about giftedness until we had kids who did not fit the mold, may go a long way toward helping others hear what we say and subsequently cultivating in them an interest to learn more, and the confidence to "try". So much of supporting a gifted child's education is experimenting and being open to refining and changing direction. There is not one clear path to success.
If teaching degrees required learning about giftedness, what would you want them to know? What books, articles, or resources would you recommend? What topics would you like your state affiliate of NAGC to offer at their conference?
