Understanding giftedness in science
One of my publications is:
Taber, K. S. (2019). Watching the plants grow. Understanding giftedness in science. In M. A. Zanetti, G. Gualdi, & M. Cascianelli (Eds.), Understanding Giftedness. A guide for parents and educators (pp. 105-127). Routledge.
Abstract
This chapter considers what might be meant by suggesting that someone, and, in particular, a school-age learner, is gifted in science, and offers some suggestions for how such a student can best be supported by teachers and parents. Observing, and noticing, are therefore important, although not enough by themselves to make a future scientist. The scientific mind does not just make and classify observations, but seeks to explain them. So gifted young scientists show a critical faculty not to simply accept the word of an authority, but to want to think things through and be persuaded for themselves. Giftedness is clearly associated with high intelligence, which is often measured by IQ tests. However, there have been various attempts to offer broader and more inclusive understandings of intelligence, and, given the range of characteristics useful to achievement in science, the gifted scientist is not simply someone with a very high Intelligence Quotient.
Contents:
- Giftedness and high ability in science
- What makes for a gifted scientist?
- Spotting gifted science students
- Scientific interests
- Observational skills
- Awe and wonder
- Inquiring minds
- Testing truths
- The laboratory of the imagination
- Watching paint dry – or plants grow
- Implications for teachers
- Implications for parents
- In conclusion
