ABSTRACT
New attention has been given in recent research to understanding how teachers' beliefs and personal history impact their success in making changes in their teaching to benefit gifted students. Teachers are charged with keeping up with the changes so that the children in their classrooms—whoever they may be and whatever talents and difficulties they may have—are given every opportunity to grow, learn, and become self-assured, self-actualized contributing members of society. Professional development has three important aspects, each necessary to the maturation of a teacher: preservice training, in-service or staff development, and personal professional growth. Preservice teachers are anxious to get to the business of teaching, and most feel they are ready to meet the challenges of the classroom. New teachers often report their first years of teaching to be extremely difficult.
