Good Trouble, Necessary Trouble: Adding Culture to Transformational Gifted and Talented Students and Programs

ABSTRACT

Sternberg’s transformational giftedness theory is visionary given its focus on GATE students being agents of change who use their gifts and talents in meaningful ways to address real issues. The theory merges seamlessly with several multicultural or culturally responsive theories and frameworks/models. We introduce the culturally responsive transformational giftedness model that adds multicultural consideration to Sternberg’s theory, particularly for Black students. This article offers recommendations and presents the model to complement and enhance transformational GATE students and education (e.g., identification and assessment, social-emotional and psychological development, instruction/teaching, and curriculum) via a rigorous culturally responsive framework. Undergirding this model is the notion of “good trouble” which is needed to solve real issues and problems to bring about equitable social and cultural change.

KEYWORDS:

• black students
• culturally responsive
• culture
• gifted and talented
• transformational

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Correction Statement

This article has been corrected with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Notes

1. The terms minoritized, culturally different, and students of color are used interchangeably in reference to nonwhites, particularly Blacks and Hispanics.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Erik M. Hines

Erik M. Hines, is a Professor in the Division of Child, Family, and Community Engagement at George Mason University. His major research interests lie in the area of improving academic and career outcomes for Black males. Email: [email protected]

Donna Y. Ford

Donna Y. Ford, PhD, is an EHE Distinguished Professor in the Department of Educational Studies at The Ohio State University. Her major research interests lie in the areas of gifted education and culturally responsive/multicultural/urban education. Email: [email protected].

Tanya J. Middleton

Tanya J. Middleton, PhD, is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Counselor Education in the Department of Educational Studies at the Ohio State University. Her major research interests lie in adolescent and at risk youth, family systems, multicultural education, and social justice. Email: [email protected].

Edward C. Fletcher

Edward C. Fletcher, Jr., PhD, is an EHE Distinguished Professor the Department of Educational Studies at The Ohio State University. His major research interests lie in the area of career academies and the role they play in regarding students’ school experiences and postsecondary and labor market transition—for ethnically and racially diverse learners who come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. Email: [email protected].

James L. Moore

James L. Moore, III, PhD, is an EHE Distinguished Professor in Urban Education and Executive Director of the Todd A. Bell National Resource Center on the African American Male at The Ohio State University. His major research interests lie in the areas of school counseling, gifted education, urban education, multicultural counseling/education, higher education, and STEM education. Email: [email protected].

Brian L. Wright

Brian L. Wright, PhD, is an Associate Professor, Program Coordinator of Early Childhood Education in the Department of Instruction & Curriculum Leadership in the College of Education & Coordinator of the Middle School Cohort of the African American Male Academy at the University of Memphis. His research examines high-achieving African American boys in urban schools (P-12), the racial-ethnic identity development of boys, and STEM and African American boys (P-12). Email: [email protected].

Tarek C. Grantham

Tarek C. Grantham, PhD, is a Professor of educational psychology at the University of Georgia. He has served as Coordinator for the Gifted and Creative Education Graduate Program, and he Co-Directs Project U-SPARC: University-School Partnership for Achievement, Rigor, and Creativity. Dr. Grantham’s research addresses equity for under-represented groups in advanced programs. He is a member of the Board of Directors for the National Association for Gifted Children. Email: [email protected]