GCT REVIEWS

Magazine Overview

This issue of GCT REVIEWS, dated July/August 1987, presents reviews of three books aimed at educators and parents of gifted children. The magazine is published by GCT and focuses on resources for gifted education.

Book Reviews

Reaching the Gifted

This book, authored by Barbara Dixon, John Meyer, and Allan Hardy, is a resource for teachers and parents focused on the affective development of children aged 8 to 14. It advocates a psychosocial approach grounded in developmental principles to address the socio-emotional needs of gifted children. The book begins with a theoretical base in its first chapter and then moves to practical student and teacher activities. These activities encourage self-analysis and personal growth through language, reading, writing, discussion, and listening. Topics covered include identity, human rights, interactions between seniors and youth, literary extensions, perceptions, and the role of the gifted child in short stories. Barbara Dixon also contributed several short stories designed to promote discussion, research, thinking, and problem-solving, which are suitable for exploring social and moral development. While the quality of activities is generally high, the book's limitation is its strong emphasis on verbal learning, potentially making it less engaging for spatial learners. Despite this, it is highly recommended as an excellent resource for middle grades teachers interested in promoting psychosocial development. The review was written by Douglas E. Harris, Assistant Superintendent of Essex Town School District, Essex, VT.

Inventions, Robots, Future

Published by The Learning Works, this book is part of their Enrichment Series and is intended for gifted children in Grades 4 through 8. It aims to develop higher-level thinking skills. The book is structured into three sections, each serving as a complete study unit. Each unit includes ideas for bulletin boards and learning centers, pretests and posttests with an answer key, background information, activity pages, correlated activities, a bibliography, and an award certificate. The activity pages are designed to allow students to develop and apply creative problem-solving and other higher-level thinking skills, with each activity coded to Bloom's Taxonomy. The book is versatile and can be used for whole-class instruction, small group work, or individual study. The reviewer, Doris Metcalf, a Teacher of Gifted at Florence City Schools, Florence, AL, notes that the book provides everything a busy gifted/talented teacher needs to complete a study unit and considers it an ideal way to spend $8.95 due to its thoroughness and versatility.

Monsters - Mysteries - UFOs

Authored by Linda Spellman and also part of The Learning Works Enrichment Series, this textbook/activity book is written for Grades 4 through 6, with applicability noted for Grades 2 and 3 in gifted programs. Purchasing the book grants the right to reproduce its activities. It is designed to meet the needs of both teachers and students, with many teacher-focused activities also being valuable. Each section includes a pretest and posttest, which are considered valid tools for assessing student progress. Activities and lessons are carefully presented and correlated with Bloom's Taxonomy for difficulty and usefulness. Students in gifted programs will find the information valuable and many activities challenging, particularly those at the analysis or evaluative levels. The text provides historical perspective on myth, science fiction, and modern phenomena, posing thought-provoking questions that require research and creative problem-solving. Each section demands both hands-on and analytical skills. The material effectively develops vocabulary and encourages its application. The author has created activities that enable students to learn language, geography, history, and art skills, making it a valuable consideration for gifted programs. The review was written by David Anstaett, Teacher of the Gifted at Lee's Summit, MO.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring theme throughout these reviews is the provision of resources that support the development of higher-level thinking skills and affective or psychosocial development in gifted children. The reviews consistently highlight the usefulness of these materials for teachers and parents, emphasizing their structured approach, alignment with educational taxonomies like Bloom's, and the integration of various subject areas. The editorial stance appears to be supportive of practical, engaging, and academically rigorous materials for gifted education, valuing resources that offer comprehensive study units and opportunities for creative problem-solving and critical analysis.