On a recent trip to that part of the world, I expected to see signs of academic and social malaise. These countries, after all, were returning to economic and social freedom for the first time in over 50 years. During my visit, however, I was impressed by the progress that these countries are making, primarily by capitalizing on their vast human resources. While a great deal of work remains for citizens in these countries, the appreciation for talent in all of its manifestations is helping to smooth the transition to democracy, free-market economies, and open societies. As daunting as our own problems are, they are not insurmountable if we begin to broaden our conception of talent and, as a result, reap the benefits sown by the addition of diverse perspectives and abilities to public discourse.
Many educators point out that schools are already places that develop talents.
Perhaps, but the talents that are most valued are academic approaches to language and mathematics. Schools designed to foster the individual, diverse talents of students within the classroom are rare birds, indeed. But there is reason for optimism. Challenge each and every student. Not surprisingly, research suggests that students are bored in school and that a surprisingly large percentage of students are not intellectually challenged on a daily basis.