Questioning why the Gifted and Talented philosophy of education isn't just the "Philosophy of Education"??!!

I am starting to get back in the thinking mode after a nice summer break and after starting the PLC book.
First let me give you a bit of history about me. When I first got a job a Euclid Middle school in the Spring of 1999, one of the first teachers to befriend me was the amazing GT teacher there (Robin Carey). She was an incredible mentor to me. She gave me amazing ideas for lesson plans including various project grids, critical thinking activities, logic activities, socratic seminar methodologies, etc. Almost every lesson that I truly felt connected to students, individualized learning and engaged students, initially came from her.
This really got me to thinking... Why were these methodologies conisidered GT? Aren't these techniques just good teaching and what is best for ALL kids? What if all classrooms were designed like a GT class? -Small class size, autonomous learning, constant feedback and assessment, letting the students individualize their learning and using their unique strengths to show their knowledge and students having the opportunity on every assignment to use higher level thinking.
Recently I told my friend Robin that I really want to go to the next GT conference. In fact, maybe all 21st century teachers should go.
Anyway, these are just some of my thoughts upon returning to the new school year and thinking of my thoughts for a mission and vission statement. I think my would be that all classrooms run like a GT class. My favorite quote from all of the articles I read was the following...
"Would you have the cyclist who finished the race first continue to ride on a stationary bike until all others finished the race? Or give them the change to enter more races?" - http://www.gt-cybersource.org/
Why should this quote only apply to GT students?