Gifted first graders in a multi-ability classroom: An interpretive case study

Young gifted students experience school in a variety of ways. They become bored in classrooms where they are not challenged. They can develop disruptive behaviors or underachieve in order to feel accepted by their classmates or teachers. Three gifted first graders in the teacher-researcher's classroom participated in this case study. A variety of assessment tools were used to identify the student participants. Data were collected through teacher observations, videotaped classroom activities, videotaped interviews with students, audiotaped interviews with parents, and portfolios.Data are reported and discussed within the frame of five themes that emerged: high parent involvement, social relationships, characteristics of the learning environment, student-centered learning, and asynchronous development. The classroom context is richly described as it is critical to understanding the data and transferability.