Identifying the gifted can be a daunting task for parents, educators, and the general public, shared Dr. James A. Reffel, director of Valdosta State University’s new Center for Gifted Studies. There is no universally agreed upon definition of a gifted child. As such, a child who is considered gifted, intelligent, and talented in one context and/or culture might not be considered the same in another.

“For decades, myths related to gifted education have had detrimental effects on providing quality instruction for our nation’s high-ability learners,” according to the National Association for Gifted Children (www.nagc.org). “These myths have affected every facet of the field and, in turn, have distorted the perception of not only what gifted students need in the classroom but also what they can offer the nation now and into the future.

“Persistent belief and the subsequent response associated with gifted education myths contribute to an overall lack of attention and challenge for high-ability students in our schools. As a result, gifted education programs remain underfunded, achievement gaps continue to widen, and too many children across the nation who require ‘something different’ have no place to thrive.”

With the recent construction of the new 33,000-square-foot, $5 million Psychology Building, Reffel, a professor in VSU’s Department of Psychology and Counseling, believed the time was right — and the space available — to open a Center for Gifted Studies. He had years of experience in the field of gifted education and knew that gifted children deserve to be better understood; they deserve to be challenged and guided.   

The Center for Gifted Studies strives to develop talent, creativity, and critical thinking in individuals with gifts and talents; support cognitive, social, emotional, and wisdom development in individuals with gifts and talents; study the nature, identification, assessment, and evaluation of individuals with gifts and talents; and create curriculum, methods, and materials appropriate for individuals with gifts and talents. Through the center, teachers can add a gifted endorsement to their current Georgia teaching certificate, parents and teachers have access to a resource library, and students can talk to experts in the field about their unique social, academic, and emotional needs.

Reffel said that he and members of the Center for Gifted Studies staff, including Dr. David M. Monetti, a professor in the Department of Psychology and Counseling, are available to consult with teachers and parents who want to learn more, willing to conduct assessments, and eager to pursue research opportunities to better meet the needs of South Georgia’s gifted and talented population, including men and women of all ages, not just school-age children and teenagers.

From 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 19, VSU’s Center for Gifted Studies will host a Gifted Summit, open to teachers, parents, and others who work with gifted children or who simply have an interest in learning more about the needs of this specialized population.