Exploring Gifted Adolescence: A View From the Shopping Mall

To prepare for my editorial work on this thematic issue on gifted adolescents, I decided to immerse myself in the latest edition of Laurence Steinberg’s (2020) seminal text titled Adolescence. I spent the morning delving into the latest scholarship on developmental transitions from childhood to adolescence and from adolescence to adulthood.

Shortly after lunch, I decided to run a few errands and spent time at a local shopping mall. I enjoyed my time there as I soon discovered that the mall was a great place to watch adolescence in action. I visited on a day when a student choral group was performing in the center of the mall. I smiled as I reflected on Steinberg’s discussion of adolescence as a developmental period of biological changes and enjoyed listening to the deep baritone voices of several young teenage males who had certainly undergone important hormonal changes and could now proudly enjoy singing in their masculine voices.

As I walked through the mall, I reflected on Steinberg’s discussion of adolescence as a period that often includes a young person’s strong quest for independence and a desire to spend more time with friends. The mall was apparently a haven for many teenagers who were enjoying their time hanging out, experimenting with risky behavior and enjoying their peers in an environment that was free of parents. I was reminded of Steinberg’s reference to adolescence as a time when romantic relationships begin to bloom. As I approached the food court and observed teenagers engaged in flirtatious conversations, it was evident that romance was alive and well in that setting. Steinberg also highlighted how adolescence is a period that involves more dedication to academics and may involve strong competition. I spotted two young women at a table in the food court hunkered down with mathematical textbooks and calculators, obviously engaged in serious study. At a nearby table appeared to be a department store manager conducting an interview with a job applicant dressed in professional attire. I wondered whether the young man in the sport coat and tie would succeed in landing the position. Steinberg described how adolescence enabled transitions to adulthood and I had evidence of this in my observation of the serious conversation taking place. As I walked past the table, I caught the young man’s eye, smiled, and provided him a “thumbs up” to wish him well.

It was clear to me that within one short shopping excursion, I had observed several aspects of the adolescent experience. I was reminded of how the transition from childhood to adolescence is complex and multidimensional, involving change in many different aspects of a young person’s life. I left the mall that day reflecting on just how complicated the challenges of adolescence are for young people today and how gifted adolescents may experience this stage of life differently. I have come to believe that for this period of transition to be smooth requires considerable adaptation on the part of young people combined with authentic support from caring adults.

I am delighted to bring this special issue on gifted adolescents to the readers of Gifted Child Today (GCT), the caring adults who work to support our most talented students. Acknowledging that there are increasing challenges for gifted adolescents, I am pleased that other scholars and practitioners in the field are also recognizing them and working to support gifted students in their development. The authors in this special issue provide us with a strong collection of articles that address several of the complex challenges.

Brittany Anderson explores important issues facing a special population of gifted adolescents in her article titled “‘See Me, See Us’: Understanding the Intersection and Continued Marginalization of Adolescent Gifted Black Girls.” She highlights literature on adolescent gifted Black girls and helps educators in their understanding of the barriers that constrain the identification and development of this population.

Sakeena Everett examines the experience of a high-achieving adolescent Black male student in a secondary English Language Arts classroom. In her article titled “‘Know Who They Have in Front of their Eyes’: A Justice as Praxis Paradigm for Teaching and Learning,” the author addresses the questions: What does it mean “to be seen” from the perspective of a Black male academically high-achieving student? What is needed for teachers to adopt a justice as praxis paradigm to improve their teaching and learning with students who have not been well served in public schools?

In her article titled “Exploring Kerr and McKay’s Beehive of Smart Girls: Understanding the Challenges Facing Gifted Adolescent Females,” Kate Guthrie examines Kerr and McKay’s (2014) typology for understanding contemporary smart adolescent girls. Through this framework, she describes how different combinations of characteristics create rich variations of gifts and talents rather than assuming all smart girls have the same characteristics, experiences, and visions. Building on this typology, the author offers insights into how each type of smart girl may experience gifted adolescence. She suggests potential barriers to self-actualization each type of smart girl may face and she invites the voices of teachers from middle and high school classrooms to share their insights of how they have come to know each type of smart girl.

Michele Kane’s article titled “Enhanced Well-Being Through Mindfulness: Supporting the Gifted Adolescent Journey” highlights how the assistance of caring adults in support of the developmental process of adolescence is critical for optimal well-being in gifted teens. The author provides readers with an understanding of the science of mindfulness with the biological correlates and the art of mindfulness that includes practices and processes. This dual approach of knowledge and practice should help educators in supporting the overall gifted adolescent well-being during a period of complex change.

Susannah Wood and Antonia Szymanski offer GCT readers a timely article that examines an important issue. In their work titled “‘The Me I Want You to See’: The Use of Video Game Avatars to Explore Identity in Gifted Adolescents,” the authors provide an overview describing what avatars are and explain how they can be a venue to explore concepts of identity for gifted adolescents. Moreover, they offer recommendations for how teachers can utilize the concept of avatars in classroom activities and provide questions that educators can use to facilitate dialogue with gifted adolescents about avatars and identity.

My hope is that GCT readers enjoy this special issue on educating gifted adolescents and find the featured articles useful to them in their practice. Our featured authors remind teachers and counselors to work collaboratively in providing the best educational experiences possible for gifted students to grow intellectually and emotionally as they move from childhood to adolescence and beyond.