ABSTRACT
One of the greatest issues facing gifted education is its thriving mythology. From grade acceleration being emotionally and socially scarring to using the gifted child as a tutor, misunderstandings run rampant. Acceleration, the process in which students move at a faster pace through a specific content or grade level than age-based peers, may be one of the most misunderstood concepts in gifted education. Students with intellectual gifts and talents have the potential to be high achieving; whether they are is more of a question of determination, work ethic, and grit than ability and potential. From all children being gifted to no students with disabilities being gifted, myths surrounding gifted learners thrive in our schools and communities. Parents also buy into the mythology, unknowingly letting inaccuracies cloud their decisions regarding home and school for their child. Imagine what could happen if these myths were systemically debunked.
