Novice teachers face formidable tasks of planning and management as they enter the classroom for the first time as professionals. They also bring with them mental imprints of what teaching and learning are like, images gained not from their professional preparation programs, but from their years as students. This qualitative study is part of a larger investigation, and was conducted to examine how student teachers (N=10) address the needs of diverse learners, among whom are the gifted, in their classrooms. Several modes of data gathering were utilized including: a modified version of the Classroom Practices Record, observational field notes, and semi-structured interviews with student teachers. The most common themes reflected across cases which affected interactions with and instruction of gifted learners were: (1) compromised beliefs in the existence and importance of student differences and needs; (2) ambiguity in the identification of individual differences and needs; (3) incomplete views of differentiating instruction in response to student needs; (4) shallow wells of strategies for enacting differentiation; and (5) the presence of factors which complicate and discourage understanding of student differences and needs. Some implications for further research are explored. (Contains 47 references.) (Author/LL)