Date

9-17-2026

Department

School of Education

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Education (PhD)

Chair

Shanna Baker

Keywords

Gifted education, gifted policies, inclusion classes, heterogeneous classrooms, transition theory

Disciplines

Education

Abstract

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of Central Virginia middle school teachers as they accommodate gifted students within heterogeneous classrooms. The theory guiding this study was the transition theory, as it explores how individuals adapt to significant life changes and how those changes influence their overall development. The Central Research Question was “How do Central Virginia middle school teachers describe their experiences accommodating gifted students in heterogeneous classrooms?” This phenomenological study included public middle schools in Central Virginia as the sample; the setting was public middle schools in Central Virginia. The data collection included semi-structured interviews, focus groups, and journal prompts. A thematic analysis approach was applied. There were 13 participants sharing their experiences teaching gifted students in heterogeneous classrooms. The findings revealed challenges within gifted education, including a lack of professional development, difficulty balancing student needs, and behavioral, emotional, and social challenges. Additionally, the results identified academic, social, emotional, and behavioral strategies to support gifted students. Finally, the discoveries revealed teachers' self-experiences, including feelings of isolation, positive classroom communities, and fascination with gifted students. These outcomes demonstrated the need for additional support in teaching gifted students and the lack of urgency from schools to implement support. However, the findings also revealed how adaptive educators can be regardless of the amount of support.

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