The Effects of a School for the Gifted in Averting the Fourth Grade Slump in Creativity

evidence and expressed concern about a serious slump in creative functioning at the fourth grade level. He notes that the slump parallels increases in school related difficulties in learning and problems in mental health development. Such research findings became a source of concern to this writer due to his recent involvement as a consultant for the development of a school program for gifted children. It is located in Houston, Texas (Houston Independent School District) and is called the Vanguard Program. It began in the fall of 1972 and presently includes two elementary schools and a junior high school. The elementary schools include grades four through six and, thus, begin at a strategic grade level. However, since initial objectives of the schools included an emphasis on both advanced academic achievement and development of creative thinking abilities, it was hoped that any possibility of a slump in creative thinking could be averted. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effects of the special school approach on the creative functioning of gifted fourth graders.