Unwrapping Giftedness to Remove Biases, Discover Potential, and Promote Self-Actualization

Given persistent myths about giftedness, how can practitioners recognize its essential qualities, deliver appropriate services, and guide students to achieve their unique potential? This session uses the metaphor of a wrapped gifted package to look beyond appearance, behavior, and background to remove possible biases and stereotypes. After stripping away the “wrapping paper” visible to all, psychometric measures examine cognitive ability and achievement to discover advanced potential, much like “sizing up the gift box” for its contents. Assessment results “open the box” to support giftedness, talent development, and creativity in specific domains. Appropriate individualized instruction over time guides students toward self-actualization.