Ronald E. McNair Program
Bertha Buck	SCHOOL: Tougaloo College    MAJOR: Elementary Education    MENTOR: Dr. Fannye E. Love    GRADUATION DATE: May 2000

The mismatch between gifted youth and the curriculum they are forced to study most of the time is nothing short of an American tragedy.  The human waste in terms of both student and faculty time is inestimable, and this waste can be found in both rich schools and poor, and even in schools that have well-established programs for the gifted. (Renzulli, 1991)  This mismatch is attributed in part to the many definitions and myths that exist for the term “gifted,” and “gifted education.”  There is no one definition of “gifted,” and “talented,” or “giftedness” that is universally accepted.  Common usage of the terms even by experts is ambiguous and inconsistent.  (Davis and Rimm, 19994)

The purpose of this study was to address a specific group of students:  the gifted students in primary grades (first through third).  This study was guided/addressed four questions:

• What is a gifted student?
• What are some of the characteristics of a gifted student?
• What are some of the myths of a gifted student?
• Are there advantages/disadvantages of being identified as a gifted student in primary grades?