Mental models and the identification of young gifted students: A tale of two boys

The description of one student, at different academic levels, illustrates the need for early identification of, and programming for, gifted students. Factors that influence the reluctance of classroom teachers to identify young students are discussed briefly and mental models are introduced as the underlying reason for this resistance, influencing the attitudes and behaviors that teachers display toward gifted students. Without altering these mental models to some degree, there is little chance that the identification of young children for gifted programs will improve. The article concludes with suggestions in effecting such changes.