Essay 17: A Call for a Critically Conscious Talent Development Model

Critical consciousness in education involves problem-solving, critical thinking, reflection, and action around societal issues and student empowerment. These dispositions are evidenced in gifted learners’ innate abilities to question social problems, to empathize with diverse communities, and to help generate innovative solutions for tomorrow. This paper explores how instructional experiences can be constructed in ways that directly activate, uncover, and nurture the critically conscious talents, passions, and strengths in students.