Teacher beliefs about creativity and creative student characteristics: teachers’ perspectives on Turkish gifted students

ABSTRACT

This study was conducted to determine the creativity perspectives of teachers of gifted students at primary and middle school levels. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with 14 teachers of gifted students. The findings indicate that teachers generally have a limited creativity perspective and emphasize cognitive characteristics more strongly for their creative students. Teachers focused on the person and press (creative environment) dimensions of creativity, but the press remained in the background. Although teachers of gifted students had a general understanding of several of the personality traits, they also expressed contrasting characteristics. Teachers’ beliefs about creativity and characteristics of creative students are also discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Creativity
• gifted students
• middle school
• primary school
• teachers’ belief about creativity

Disclosure statement

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