Talented and Gifted Teaching Methods: Are Teachers Prepared to Teach the Talented and Gift

This paper explores syllabi and assignments from the teacher education program at the University of Iowa to determine whether required classes explicitly prepare future teachers to work effectively with talented and gifted students. A checklist is used to determine if the syllabi and assignments include the important topics in gifted education future teachers need to know to be satisfactory teachers of talented and gifted students. The syllabi and assignments looked at show a lack of information pertaining to talented and gifted students and gifted education in general. Preservice teachers leaving the teacher preparation program at the University of Iowa are expected to work with talented and gifted students in their future positions; however, those future teachers are not being educated on the best practices in gifted education. The findings conclude preservice teachers at the University of Iowa are not being prepared to work with talented and gifted students when they leave the teacher education program.