Handbook of Gifted Education ...tops In Its Field of Talented and Gifted Education

I have been extremely lucky the past few years to have worked with and taken classes from some of the brightest minds in the field of Talented and Gifted education. From Barbara Kerr, the Author of "Smart Boy", to Jan and Bob Davidson the co-authors of "Genius Denied", and of course, the brilliant book appropriately entitled, "Handbook of Gifted Education", edited by Nicholas Colangelo, and written by many authorities in the field of gifted education.

I feel to explain fully this phenomenal book I must first give background on its editor Dr. Nicholas Colangelo is the Myron & Jacqueline Blank Professor of Gifted Education and the Director of The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development at The University of Iowa.

Dr. Colangelo is recognized for his research in the cognitive and affective development of gifted students. He is senior editor of Handbook of Gifted Education, currently in its third edition. In addition to being the editor of this book, Dr. Colangelo has published countless articles in varied professional journals.

Subjects related to gifted education, including counseling gifted students, teacher training, and curriculum development is included in his endless list of additions to the talented and gifted community. In his position as Director of the Belin-Blank Center for Gifted Education, he has secured over 12 million dollars in grants and endowments for the development and study of talented and gifted education.

In 1991, Dr. Colangelo was presented with the Distinguished Scholar Award by the National Association for Gifted Children. In 1993, he received the Distinguished Service Award from the Iowa Talented and Gifted Association; in 1995, he received the Alumni Achievement Award presented at the University of Wisconsin/Madison; and in 2000, he received the State of Iowa Regents Award for Faculty Excellence.

These are but a few of his many and varied accomplishments in the area of talented and gifted education and more than enough reason to read this book with all its information and research in TAG education. In addition to his awards, Dr. Colangelo has traveled the world as an authority in the field of talented and gifted education and is highly regarded as top-most in his field, highly sought after as a speaker on gifted education.

This textbook is widely used around the country by universities and colleges alike, as it covers the realm of talented and gifted education from a historical overview of the field, through chapters on the social psychology of gifted education, giftedness from a multiple intelligence perspective as well as instructional models and practices in the filed of talented and gifted education.

This textbook also includes chapters on talent searches with information and instruction for the student and instructor as well, ability grouping; which is an important part of TAG education in that it allows educators to more fully realize the full potentiality of their students, developing talent, creativity and eminence in gifted education; a subject that some might say is redundant when speaking of gifted education but which Dr. Colangelo points out is of utmost importance in the realization of the true potential of students in the program.

Also included in this book is a section of psychological and counseling services for the gifted child, a subject that most can easily see is pertinent in its importance. We have all known at least one talented and gifted individual whom struggles with the social aspects of his/her life and in this section the reader discovers points of interest on emotional development, family counseling, counseling the gifted student as well as eye opening information on the "underachieving student" and the "super achieving student" and how we as educators can help their growth.

Rounding out the book are sections devoted to "precocity", a term that has long lost favor in the education world but which Dr. Colangelo re-introduces with easy to understand language and information. Also included are sections on, the young gifted children, but gifted adolescents, gifted girls (and boys), and ethnic and cultural issues as applied to the gifted student.

All in all this is a well thought out book and one highly regarded in the field of gifted education, being used at higher education facilities around the world as their primary textbook on the subject. Now in its 3rd edition it is in a constant state of update. It covers issues that educators may not have given thought to when debating the issue of gifted education but which Dr. Colangelo covers with easy to understand language and examples.