‘Widening Horizons for Educating the Gifted and General Education’ is an eye-opening and inspiring guidebook for educators worldwide - school teachers, teacher educators, researchers, educational policy makers and administrators, and given its simple and lucid style, also parents. The book examines vital issues that are relevant not only for ‘education of the gifted’ but also for ‘education in general’ and ‘widens horizons’ regarding both. 200 out of every 1000 children (who together constitute children who are in the top 10% of their age group on any ability) are gifted in some important way and can make outstanding contributions in various fields. But because most schools focus on the ‘average’ child, the rights and needs of gifted children are ignored, resulting in failure to identify, understand and nurture their talents adequately. As a result, by the time these children leave school much of their talents are lost, often irrevocably, both to themselves and to society. In this enlightening book, Dr. Rao examines comprehensively and in depth the myriad aspects of gifted child education. She also critiques in Chapter 6 gifted programs in her own native India. This serves as an in-depth example, of global value, of what schools are doing in theory and practice to address the educational needs of the gifted. Also very importantly, this critique has been made against the backdrop of ‘education in general’ and the views on education of Indian seer philosophers. This brings to the fore some serious, fundamental lacunae in educational systems all over the world which have led to the lop-sided development of both individuals and societies. This illuminating critique takes the book beyond the boundaries of ‘education for the gifted’ to ‘education in general’ and ‘widens horizons’ regarding both.
