Forging Talent Pathways: Signaling A Call to Action

ABSTRACT

Although her career was cut woefully short, Dr. Marcia Gentry’s contributions to the field of gifted and talented education will undoubtedly be remembered for years to come. Building on landmark historical events that highlighted the need for talent development, Gentry fervently worked to address complex, enduring questions within our field, namely: Who are gifted and talented students? How do we find them? What strategies will develop students’ emerging gifts and talents? Gentry’s research on enrichment clusters, cluster grouping, access and equity, identification, and scholarly identity development in underserved youth made commendable progress, but further work is needed. Gentry’s enduring body of work signals an important call to action. We must honor her legacy by answering it.

KEYWORDS:

• enrichment
• equity
• gifted and talented education
• identification
• policy

Disclosure statement

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

Additional information

Notes on contributors

E. Jean Gubbins

E. Jean Gubbins, PhD, is professor in the Department of Educational Psychology, University of Connecticut. Currently, she is the principal investigator for the United States Department of Education federally funded grant titled, Thinking Like Mathematicians: Challenging All Grade 3 Students. Dr. Gubbins’ research centers on identifying and serving students with gifts and talents, reading, math, subject and grade acceleration, English learners, professional learning, gifted education pedagogy, and STEM. Email: [email protected]

Rachael A. Cody

Rachael A. Cody is a PhD student in the Giftedness, Creativity, and Talent Development program at the University of Connecticut and serves as a graduate research assistant for Project LIFT and Thinking Like Mathematicians: Challenging All Grade 3 Students. Rachael worked as a substitute teacher and a long-term substitute while she completed her Master’s degree in Special Education. Her research interests involve underserved populations, with an emphasis on the twice-exceptional population and students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. Email: [email protected]

Gregory T. Boldt

Gregory T. Boldt, MEd, is a doctoral student researcher in the University of Connecticut’s Giftedness, Creativity, and Talent Development program. He received his BA (Hon) from the University of Winnipeg before completing his MEd through the University of Calgary. He has worked in various educational and healthcare settings assessing and supporting children with developmental disabilities and behavioral exceptionalities. His research focuses predominantly on the creative process, but also includes broader elements of 21st century learning and talent development. Email: [email protected]