Giftedness Illuminated by Creativity

Creativity and Giftedness are fluid definitions we use to measure students' intellectual ability in order to best support their intellectual, social and emotional growth throughout their schooling. The paradox though is by their very nature creativity and giftedness cannot be strictly defined or measured, and each student's abilities and combinations of gifts as well as familial and cultural environment are different. The idea of what makes ideas or works creative too is subjective and...
More Description

Creativity and Giftedness are fluid definitions we use to measure students' intellectual ability in order to best support their intellectual, social and emotional growth throughout their schooling. The paradox though is by their very nature creativity and giftedness cannot be strictly defined or measured, and each student's abilities and combinations of gifts as well as familial and cultural environment are different. The idea of what makes ideas or works creative too is subjective and open to interpretation based on prior experience and cultural norms. How then, if creativity and giftedness and the way they interact in students cannot truly be measured or defined, can we cater for students demonstrating gifted traits combined with creative potential in the classroom?The contributors whose chapters comprise this book are all educators with broad and deep experience, who combine teaching theory and research with practical suggestions and examples to help educators support all students, especially the creatively gifted ones, to realise their full potential. These writers are educators of widely diverse specialisations, but they all serve as examples of the creatively gifted adult, through their writing and their great passion for their fields. It is in them we see examples of what this book is trying to help teachers inspire: teaching that is informed by the latest research, that supports gifted students of all shapes and sizes, and which encourages creativity and passion both within and outside the classroom to inspire the next generation.