What is gifted education? Genius Denied differentiates between the elitist enrichment programs billed as gifted education by school districts across the country, and real gifted education, appropriate level curriculum in major subject areas. And it asks important questions, like why is gifted education tied to the student?s age, rather than to his or her educational needs?
The gifted children hurt by our national policy of egalitarianism aren?t the rich kids, the Davidsons points out. Wealthy parents can afford the private schools, tutors, and specialized programs that gifted children need to survive and grow; they can afford to move to other school districts or states when such programs are unavailable. It?s the socio-economically disadvantaged, the immigrant, even the middle-income child who?s family cannot afford such privileges; these are the children who are denied an appropriate education.
Genius Denied is not just a story of educational failures; it details education successes, and how we can duplicate them for other gifted children. And it?s not only the gifted children, but our society as a whole that will benefit. While not every gifted child is a future inventor or political leader or composer or scientific discoverer, every gifted child IS important to the future of our nation and our world, and none should experience the educational misfortune that has been experienced by child after child detailed in the book.
Genius Denied is a book that should be read, and taken to heart, by every school administrator and policy maker, and by every parent of a gifted child. And maybe, with the help of this book, Genius Denied will become just a book title, instead of our national education policy.
Instead, this book helps every reader to understand the educational needs of gifted children and the harm that can result when those needs are not met. It inspires us to ask ourselves what we can do to help, then goes on to help us answer that question and identify positive steps that we can take.
Genius Denied is a book worth reading, whether you are a teacher, parent, community member, policy maker . . . It would be a wonderful book to hand to the parent or teacher that understands gifted children, to share the fact that others care, too. It would also be valuable to the parent or teacher who does NOT understand these children's needs, because it presents these needs in a thoughtful way that may prompt improved understanding.