Featured Session: Transformational Giftedness and Beyond

This session looks at "transactional giftedness" versus "transformational giftedness." In transactional giftedness, a child gives something, then takes something in return, then gives something again in an endless spiral. For example, they may excel in school, which leads them to be labeled as "gifted," which leads others to expect performance in certain ways, which leads to new expectations down the line. In this presentation, we suggest that educators pay attention to the development of transformational giftedness, whereby giftedness is directed toward making the world a better place. A world beset by major political, economic, environmental, and health challenges needs transformationally gifted individuals who strive to make a positive, meaningful, and enduring difference to the common good.