Talent and genius from the perspective of gifted students

Abstract

The recognition and enhancement of human talents in everyone contribute to making a more democratic society (Margiotta, 2018). Based on the question of Gardner J. (1961), we collected the perceptions on talent and genius from 29 gifted children, through a paper questionnaire. The data shows that, although there is little talk on talent at school, the participants admitted that they recognize their talents. Furthermore, most of the participants understand talent as an inclination and genius as ingenuity and a mix of positive qualities and skill. In order that school becomes a more democratic place, it is necessary to favor different perspectives on talent and genius, promoting the development of critical thinking, with mutual respect for differences.