An Autoethnography of One Parent-Educator’s Crusade for Alabama’s Gifted Students

Abstract

This autoethnographic study explored my experiences with gifted practices in South Alabama. The stories that served as the basis for this study are my own lived experiences and my journey through those experiences. While there were stories prior to my becoming a parent, who is also an instructional leader, it was not until I experienced gifted education as I worked to acquire services for my own gifted child that I saw how little we do to serve students on the gifted end of special education. It is important that the reader understands the interpretations of these stories are my own and that those interpretations have led me to take an active role in helping students receive services and in providing resources for teachers to support gifted, talented, and high-level learners. The knowledge I gained through the process of getting my son’s services has been helpful to other parents of students with gifted and talented propensity at an early age. It is my intent that the narrative of this story compels its readers to engage with their own feelings as they read the stories herein.