Educators’ perceptions of mathematically gifted students and a socially supportive learning environment – A case study of a Finnish upper secondary school

Abstract

This article explores five educators’ conceptions of the characteristics of mathematically gifted students and a social learning environment that supports their development in a school for mathematically gifted adolescents in Finland. We conducted this qualitative study through semi-structured interviews and participant observations in a Finnish upper secondary school with a special mathematics program. The research shows that gifted students and their educators form a tight community, the social learning environment of which supports shared motivation, healthy perfectionism, and practicing social skills. The results deepen the understanding of gifted education in the Finnish context and the significance of educators’ shared understanding of social activities as a basis for successful gifted education.