Rural Futures Institute at the University of Nebraska
Date of this Version
3-2-2016
Document Type
Article
Citation
Surface, J. L. (2016, March 2) Jesse James Syndrome [Review of Serving gifted students in rural settings: A framework for bridging gifted education and rural classrooms by T. Stambaugh and S. M. Wood (Eds.)]. Education Review 23. http://edrev.asu.edu/index.php/ER/article/view/1946
Abstract
Serving Gifted Students in Rural Settings is a superb set of essays that would help practitioners in rural settings develop or enhance services for gifted students. The authors are specialists in Rural Studies, Counseling, and Gifted Education. Dr. Tamra Stambaugh is an Assistant Research Professor for Special Education and the Executive of Programs for Talented Youth at Vanderbilt University. Dr. Susannah M. Wood is an associate professor at the University of Iowa in the Department of Rehabilitation and Counselor Education. The talent of the two editors created this manual for practitioners that brings much-needed guidance for building and enhancing programs to meet the needs of gifted rural students. Leadership in rural settings is a challenge. In my own experience as a rural superintendent and principal, my talent needed to be spread across multiple roles within the district, from expertise in curriculum and instruction to not-so-strong expertise for inspecting school bus routes. Teachers are required to have talent in multiple areas as well. Each day they plan and teach multiple classes and all types of students, from a special needs child to second language learner, an average learner or a very gifted child. Education should meet the needs of all students, but without layers of support, it is a challenge.