ABSTRACT
The power of a strong classroom for gifted students is certainly one that focuses on ideas. People are reminded of the importance of ideas in the work of many of the great scholars in our field. Feldhusen, Kaplan, VanTassel-Baska, Renzulli, and Gallagher all speak of the power of great ideas as organizers of lessons appropriate for gifted students. Reading his thoughts reminds us of Jobs’s great mind. They also remind us that forging connections is relatively easy and “normal” for creative people. Additionally, it reminds us that occurrences in class in which students are asked to “connect experiences” are worthwhile in many ways. They allow the chance to synthesize information and experiences, providing the elements that lead to their creation of “new” ideas. Indeed, as Jobs reminds us, gifted and talented students “connect things” because they see things differently from the norm and are able to synthesize these new perceptions with their existing experiences.
