When adolescent girls are also identified as gifted, the problems of conformity, peer acceptance, and low self-esteem often become exacerbated. Middle school girls seem most vulnerable to two competing demands: popularity versus academic achievement. As a result of parental, staff, and student concerns, I have been conducting a “women's issues” group with 7th- and 8th-grade gifted girls for the last four years. The issues discussed, the materials used, and the outcomes I have seen are the themes of this action research paper.
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