From I to we: The three C's conception of gifted education

Abstract

Gifted education has long focused on meeting individual needs. However, with few honorable exceptions, the field has largely ignored the fact that human lives are intricately connected, and that an individual's development can hardly be viewed as disconnected from their social connections. Small individual actions have large impacts on others, including society and the planet. So, do "individuals" really have an option not to care beyond themselves, especially in an increasingly globalized world rife with growing challenges to human existence? Certainly not. Thus, we propose to shift the focus of gifted education away from preparing children with gifts and talents for individualistic achievements toward inculcating a concern for others so that they can contribute to the common good. The dictum mentioned at the onset of this chapter summarizes our vision of transformational gifted education-education that prepares children with gifts and talents to transform the world-to make it a better place for all. We argue that gifted behaviors be seen as an interplay of three C's: competence in action, commitment to the task, and concern for others. In this chapter, we share our vision of transformational gifted education where we use the three C's conception to identify, nurture, and motivate individuals for prosocial contribution. We believe this conception can be extended to general education and is relevant to all individuals including those with gifts and talents.