Product reviews for Young, Gifted and Bored

The ability to think is without doubt the most important skill for schools of the twenty-first century to develop and nurture in our pupils. Who knows what the world will expect and require of our current pupils when they complete their compulsory education. What is certain is that they will need to be able to think for themselves and to think creatively. This is David George`s philosophy and spur for this book; another, which will be welcomed by teachers, parents and carers alike. David George, as always, writes with conviction and offers both theory and practice.

Honing the skills of thinking does not just happen, not even amongst the most gifted and talented children in our schools, who, if not challenged will become bored and often challenging. George argues cogently that best practice and provision for the gifted and talented enhances the education of all children, and that it is the responsibility of schools to have identification strategies. He makes it clear that there is no quick fix for best provision for the young, gifted and bored, but offers a variety of multidimensional approaches to identification and many ideas for enriching, extending and differentiating the curriculum for pupils of all ages. The latter point is worth emphasising as teachers, and indeed parents and carers, of children of all ages will find this a must read if they are committed to nurturing their charge`s thinking abilities and win back the hearts, minds and brains of able, but underachieving, pupils.

In essence, a readable book, written with clarity and deploying evidence that demonstrates George`s real enthusiasm for developing pupils` thinking and that his insights and understanding of pupils remain firmly rooted in his regular engagement with pupils in schools across the country.