Work Left Undone:
Choices and Compromises of Talented Females

Women have come a long way over the past century. They have gained the right to vote, entered the workplace in vast numbers, become elected members of government, even gone into space. Why, then, after so much progress do some talented women achieve and gain prominence or eminence while others who had as much or more potential fail to achieve the dreams they had as young girls? Why do some bright girls begin to underachieve in school and why do some women who excelled in school remain in unchallenging jobs?

In Work Left Undone, Dr. Sally Reis explores these questions and the internal and external barriers facing talented girls and women in today's society. She points out that many girls and women downplay accomplishments in order to maintain relationships and blend into the crowd. Perfectionism and the desire to be the best in all areas of life can drain energy and time away from focusing on special interests. Family and the urge to care for others often takes precedence over developing talents. Likewise, a myriad of external barriers (stereotyping, lack of support from families, conflicting messages from parents, and others) cause some girls and women to give up their dreams and aspirations.

Dr. Reis also investigates the different patterns of how females develop and use their talents, various types of creative productivity in females, and the characteristics of successful girls and women including risk-taking, perseverance, and a sense of purpose. She specifically addresses special populations such as talented women in mathematics and science, girls from culturally diverse and economically disadvantaged backgrounds, female artists, and talented women who have chosen a traditionally female career (teaching).

Written for gifted and talented girls and women as well as their teachers and parents, this highly readable book presents a large body of research and a number of case studies, offering insight into specific incidents of success or failure. Not only does Dr. Reis expose barriers to success, she also proposes solutions and suggestions for overcoming barriers. She lists specific ideas for girls, parents, and teachers, along with programs and resources that can help girls succeed. Work Left Undone provides readers of any gender and any age with food for thought. Dr. Reis inspires readers to put her suggestions to use, working for change in our society to help women reach their full potential.

Sally M. Reis is Department Head and a Professor of Educational Psychology at the University of Connecticut where she also serves as Principal Investigator of The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented. She was a teacher for 15 years, 11 of which were spent working with gifted students on the elementary, junior high, and high school levels. She has authored more than 100 articles, eight books, 30 book chapters, and numerous monographs and technical reports.

Reis has traveled extensively across the country conducting workshops and providing professional development for school districts on enrichment programs and gender equity programs. She is co-author of The Schoolwide Enrichment Model, The Secondary Triad Model, Dilemmas in Talent Development in the Middle Years, and a new book published in 1998 about talent development in females entitled Work Left Undone: Choices and Compromises of Talented Females. Sally serves on the editorial board of the Gifted Child Quarterly, and is a past-president of The National Association for Gifted Children.