ABSTRACT
Teachers need to be able to identify children who are gifted only when it is a necessary step toward meeting an individual student’s needs. A good teacher should almost always be able to provide developmentally appropriate learning experiences for students who fall within two standard deviations from the norm. Labels only become necessary when the teacher needs to provide something more than what can typically be provided through differentiation within the regular classroom. Due to their advanced cognitive abilities, gifted students may experience certain issues more intensely than their peers. An understanding and supportive teacher presents the greatest variable in the education of a gifted child. Carol Ann Tomlinson offers a comprehensive guide for teachers to the why, what, and how of differentiating at all readiness levels.
