Editorial

Gifted and talented

The term ‘gifted and talented’ in education has come to be synonymous with ‘high ability,’ used to indicate "high potential and/or performance across the full suite of human abilities" (Department of Education, 2021). Schools rightly seek to recognise and accommodate these students in meaningful ways. Yet, as with many things in education (and life), the way we frame and steward these gifts matters.

If misused and misunderstood, the ‘gifted’ label can create an elite class within the student body. Those who are identified as highly capable can be privileged and given high status, leading them to look down on their peers. Internally, they can feel the immense pressure of expectation, perpetually afraid of failure and unable to live up to their perceived potential. The result? Anxiety, perfectionism, and, paradoxically, underachievement.

In its healthy form, recognising giftedness is an act of stewardship. Some students have different learning needs which, if unmet, can lead to disengagement, poor mental health, or existential malaise. Properly supported, these students can flourish, not for self-glorification, but for the service of others.

Biblical gifts and talents

In a Christian school, the discussion around giftedness becomes even more interesting because Scripture speaks about gifts and talents in a way that reframes their purpose.

Firstly, spiritual gifts are given to every believer (1 Corinthians 12:7). Unlike academic giftedness, which can sometimes create an exclusive club, spiritual gifts are distributed to all. They are not earned but granted by God, enabling individuals to do what they could not in their own strength. More importantly, these gifts are not for personal glory: they are given "for the common good" (1 Corinthians 12:7). The biblical vision is one of interdependence: we all have a part to play, and the body of Christ needs every member to function properly.

Then there’s the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30). Here, Jesus presents a challenge: what will we do with what we’ve been given? While the word ‘talent’ in this passage literally refers to a sum of money, the broader principle applies to our abilities, privileges, and opportunities. Those who invest and steward their resources see them multiplied. Those who bury them out of fear or complacency find them wasted.

The Courage to Use Your Gifts

Exercising our gifts (academic, spiritual, or otherwise) requires courage. It’s easy to either downplay our abilities out of false humility or to use them selfishly. Both are distortions of God’s design.

As C.S. Lewis puts it in Mere Christianity, following Christ is both harder and easier than not:

“Christ says, ‘Give me all. I don’t want so much of your time and so much of your money and so much of your work: I want you. I have not come to torment your natural self, but to kill it. No half-measures are any good… Hand over the whole natural self, all the desires which you think innocent as well as the ones you think wicked, the whole outfit. I will give you a new self instead. In fact, I will give you Myself: my own will shall become yours.’” (Lewis, 1944).

So, for students, parents, and teachers alike, the question is not simply, "Am I gifted?" but rather, "How am I stewarding what God has given me?" The measure of success is not high achievement for its own sake but faithful service in the hands of a God who multiplies what is given to Him.

The promise from scripture is both a challenge and great encouragement. If we invest our gifts and talents in worshipful service to others, they will be amplified and blessed. Everybody wins. If we bury them and refuse to use them, they will wither and become useless. No one benefits.

Daniel Symons

Director of Teaching and Learning