Research On and Activities for Mathematically Gifted Students

Given the breadth of coverage and the short length of this pamphlet, the editors do a very effective job in introducing aspects of the enhanced education of mathematically gifted students. Everything from the changes in brain activity during mathematical processing to the special education that teachers of the mathematically gifted should have are covered. Identifying the mathematically gifted students is also a significant topic. Research in those areas is mentioned; it is interesting even though no solid conclusions can be made.

The research on how brain activity is different when doing mathematics supports the sometimes questionable position that mathematics and the people that do it are somehow “different.” For nearly all professional mathematicians, the research on what the teachers of the mathematically gifted should be able to do is the most critical. All mathematicians have an intense desire to see youth that are both interested in mathematics and capable of doing it at the highest level identified and nurtured. It is a form of intellectual propagation.

Since all people working in mathematics or the training of people that will do or teach mathematics have a stake in the future of the field, this short book is well worth the investment of their time. (As a Springer Open publication, the electronic version is free online.) With 34 pages of text and 6 pages of references in smaller print, this book is a solid primer as well as a set of pointers to any desired depth that you may want to explore. 

Charles Ashbacher splits his time between consulting with industry in projects involving math and computers, and teaching college classes. In his spare time, he reads about these things and helps his daughter in her lawn care business.