At first glance, the fields of gifted education and middle school education share some important beliefs and goals. However, a more detailed look at perspectives of the two fields indicates serious conflicts. Middle school beliefs about what and how middle school students learn, effective ways of organizing for instruction, mainstreaming, delivery of instruction, affective needs of middle school students, and the concept of giftedness itself may run counter to the intellectual and emotional needs of many gifted middle schoolers.
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