Morning Institutes - 9:00 – 11:45 AM
A. Gifted and At-Risk: Implications for Identification Processes, Instructional Practices, and Classroom Interactions
Jaime Castellano, JAC Consulting Services, Phoenix, AZ
Gifted students at risk represent a societal conundrum. On one hand, they are identified as intelligent, bright, and having great potential. The formal institution that has identified them is viewed by many as the only way to escape a way of life that may be unhealthy, confusing, and often dangerous. On the other hand, there are peer and community influences that have such a strong hold on these gifted individuals that navigating through the chaos of their world prevents many of them from actualizing their success. Participants are engaged and provided with information and ideas that will ensure a positive classroom environment that values and honors each student’s unique background while providing them with opportunities to grow academically, cognitively, socially, and emotionally according to their abilities and talents. This is a “must-attend” session for anyone who works with gifted, at-risk student populations.
B. Engaging Gifted Boys in Reading
Thomas P. Hébert, Alexander R. Pagnani, University of Georgia, Athens, GA
Understanding and appreciating the reading interests of gifted boys enables teachers to better address their educational needs. Many gifted boys enjoy fantasy, science fiction, sports literature, and historical non-fiction. Teachers who acknowledge these interests are better equipped to differentiate instruction by using high-level, high-interest books to motivate their students. This interactive session highlights research describing reading interests of gifted males, examines why particular genres of reading appeal to boys, and presents elementary and secondary classroom strategies to address the intellectual and emotional needs of gifted males using the books they enjoy. Participants receive bibliographies, Internet resources, and ideas for curriculum differentiation.
C. Having of Wonderful Ideas: Engaging Students in Long-term Investigations
Jann H. Leppien, University of Great Falls, Great Falls, MT; Marcia Imbeau, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR
The power of having an interesting idea or question is the driving force behind great learning. Questions drive thinking forward. Answers, on the other hand, often signal a full stop in thought. Interesting questions lead to interesting research, which keeps disciplines and fields of study alive. Student investigations provide an avenue for students to express their voice and pursue interesting questions on a topic or issue of personal interest. Successful student inquiries are often facilitated by spirited teachers and community mentors who believe students are capable of great things. They help students navigate through the research process and provide support and encouragement for their ideas. In this session, teachers can: share their success stories and ideas; acquire additional resources and ideas for facilitating high quality investigations; and recommit to the idea that one of the purposes of education is to keep learning intellectually alive.
D. Talent Development through Outside-of-School Programs
Paula Olszewski-Kubilius, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL
Outside-of-school programs are often cited by eminent adults as critical to their success. In this session, learn how outside-of-school programs fit into the talent development process and what the research says about their efficacy and importance. The characteristics, advantages, and disadvantages of various outside-of-school programs such as summer programs, service learning and distance education will be presented along with criteria to judge their quality and the type of student for whom they are most appropriate. Resources for each type of program are presented. Discuss how to design outside-of-school programs specifically for at-risk gifted students.
E. A Protocol for Developing and Assessing Products
Julia Link Roberts, Tracy Inman, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, KY
Although authentic products engage students in learning, teachers are reluctant to offer a variety of products due to assessment challenges. The DAP (Developing and Assessing Product) Tool is a systemic protocol simplifying the assessment process while removing the learning ceiling. This protocol guides both product development by students and product assessment by teachers by offering four consistent components for all products – content, presentation, creativity, and reflection. Three tiers for each DAP Tool make differentiation readily accessible. Encouraging high-level work, the rating scale includes seven possibilities from non-performing to professional.
F. Strategies to Teach More Creatively While Teaching Creativity
Del Siegle, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT
Creativity should play an important role in every teacher’s day. Not only can we teach more creatively, we can also teach our students to be more creative. During this session learn the “ABCs” of having a creative classroom. A number of creativity-enhancing activities are covered that educators can easily modify to fit a variety of grade levels and subjects.
G. Digital Storytelling: Narratives for the 21st Century
Kristen R. Stephens, Susan Wynn, Hugh Crumley, Duke University, Durham, NC
Today’s students have grown up in the digital age. They are accustomed to creating, consuming, and sharing information using an array of technologies. Digital storytelling can be used in the classroom to blend writing, technology, and emotion—addressing both the cognitive and affective domains. Digital stories involve joining personal narratives with images, video, voiceover, soundtrack, and effects and demonstrate what learning should look like in the 21st century. This session focuses on the steps in the digital storytelling process, the technologies that support the practice, and ideas for how digital storytelling can be incorporated in the classroom.
H. Adapting Existing Curriculum for Rigor, Relevance, and Realignment
Joyce VanTassel-Baska, College of William & Mary, Williamsburg, VA
This session provides strategies for redesigning existing curriculum to align with state content standards to differentiate for the gifted in accelerating the curriculum bases and to design relevant elements that respond to individual and group needs for connection. A plan for remodeling curriculum is shared and participants will work through the plan during the session. Use of appropriate assessments is also discussed.
I. Securing the Resources to Support Good Ideas: Crafting Competitive Grant Proposals
Jim Gallagher, Mary Ruth Coleman, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
Do you have ideas that you wish you could put into practice? Many good ideas are not pursued because state and district resources are limited. Funds are available through competitive federal and private grants, yet are not often sought out. As budgets become tighter these sources will become even more important. Securing grant funds, however, means crafting a competitive proposal. In this session we offer guidance on grant preparation including: framing the issues, questions, needs, or problem; creating an effective literature review; designing the research/evaluation methods (i.e. sample selection, instruments to address research questions, and outlining procedures for the study); constructing a budget; and developing concluding thoughts. Participants will have a chance to discuss their ideas, problems, and questions as they think through how to craft a competitive grant proposal.
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Afternoon Institutes - 1:15 – 4:00 PM
J. The Advocacy Journey: Finding Success for the Gifted Student
Katie Augustyn, Connecticut Association for the Gifted, Westport, CT; Gwendolynn Millen, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Little Rock, AR; Diana Reeves, Mansfield, CT
Advocating for the needs of gifted children is something that all of us need to do at one time or another. Because of the lack of understanding and knowledge about the characteristics and needs of our target population, we first need to educate ourselves as parents, teachers, administrators, counselors, community members, and lawmakers so we can begin to influence change where it is needed. This session features a new tool that will not only provide the essential information you need, but also provide a road map for your advocacy journey. We discuss the NAGC Mile Marker CD, show how it can be used, and share strategies targeted to specific audiences. You leave this session knowing how you can begin to advocate at the school, district, state, or national level!
K. A Complete Approach for the Gifted: Response to Intervention (RtI) and the Autonomous Learner Model (ALM)
George Betts, University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, CO; Robin Carey, Douglas County Public Schools, Castle Rock, CO
Response to Intervention (RtI) can provide opportunities for gifted and talented learners, but only if we see this process as a strength model. The Autonomous Learner Model for the Gifted and Talented (ALM) was designed specifically as a basic programming approach for individualizing instruction for the needs and abilities of the gifted and talented. The five dimensions of the model (orientation, individual development, enrichment, seminars, and in-depth studies) are integral for higher-level learning. This session places emphasis on combining RtI and the ALM to provide a process for discovering and developing the needs and abilities of the gifted and talented. The presenters provide information on the development of Advanced Learning Plans (ALP). The handout includes specific forms for use with your learners.
L. Championing Creativity in the Classroom and Curriculum
Bonnie Cramond, University of Georgia, Athens, GA; Susan Daniels, James Kaufman, California State University at San Bernardino, San Bernardino, CA; Kyung Hee Kim, College of William & Mary, Williamsburg, VA; Matthew Makel, Duke University, Durharm, NC; Michael Matthews, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC
Too often creative strategies are taught as stand-alone fun activities that are unrelated to the curriculum and seen as extraneous. However, teaching for 21st century skills requires that we ensure that students learn to solve problems and think creatively while meeting the curriculum standards in each area. Learn how to be a creativity advocate, identify creative strengths, create a school and classroom environment to foster creativity, foster dispositions in educators and students that enable creativity, infuse creative strategies into the curriculum–meeting the standards and ensuring transfer, and evaluate creative products.
M. Meeting Affective Needs: The Often Overlooked Component
Arlene DeVries, Des Moines, Iowa
Gifted students have a need to understand themselves and their relationships with others. Research indicates that when curriculum is not challenging, students may show signs of frustration, anxiety, perfectionism, lowered self-concept, and underachievement. Specific strategies are shared to address these issues both at home and at school. Topics include emotional and physical health, the need for limits, friendship skills, inter-personal and intra-personal stresses, and depression. Bibliotherapy examples are presented and participants are encouraged to share successful experiences using literature to address the social and emotional needs of gifted students.
N. Empowering Identification Efforts: Promising Professional Development Practices That Promote Diversity in Gifted Education
Lauri Kirsch, Hillsborough County Public Schools; Elizabeth Shaunessy, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL
One key to successful identification of gifted under-represented students is providing educators with training experiences that develop both the skill AND the mindset to identify and serve these students. While school populations continue to grow more diverse, the struggle continues to create gifted programs that reflect this diversity. This session focuses on specific professional development strategies, drawn from both online and face-to-face settings, that have been used successfully to cultivate both the knowledge of diverse learners and the mindset toward these learners. Come learn how scenario thinking, simulations, guided film viewing, and online experiences can empower educators to seek and find hidden giftedness.
O. Making Sense of Underachievement: A Counselor’s Perspective
Jean Sunde Peterson, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
Educators and parents often view the complex phenomenon of underachievement narrowly and as something to “fix” – as soon as possible and with some sort of magical intervention. In general, adults may be so preoccupied with academic non-performance that they miss a low-performer’s strengths, learning differences, creativity, developmental struggles, school-systemic and family-systemic issues, and personal crises. This session looks at underachievement holistically, through a developmental lens, with attention also to various systems the underachievers are part of. With a new perspective, based on the presenter’s research and clinical experience, adults may be able to interact with underachievers more effectively.
P. Lively Instruction for Talented Learners: Biography in the Classroom
Ann Robinson, Alicia Cotabish, Bronwyn Macfarlane, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Little Rock, AR
Engage primary, elementary, and middle school talented learners with fascinating books, creative activities, and rich primary sources. Explorers, artists, musicians, scientists, writers, and other memorable people are the subjects of compelling life stories that help children and adolescents understand their own talents. This interactive, hands-on session provides a look at exemplary biographies and encourages participants to engage in differentiated activities from the Blueprints for Biography guides developed at UALR. Participants leave with a template to create a Blueprint for a biography of their own choice and a bibliography of recommended trade biographies for talented learners. New Blueprints developed through a Javits project, STEM Starters, will feature biographies of scientists for readers in grades 2 through 5.
Q. Whatever Happened to Creative-Thinking Skills?
Carol L. Tieso, College of William & Mary, Williamsburg, VA; Patti Wood, Samford University, Moody, AL
Daniel Pink tells us that right brainers eventually will rule the world! Why is it then that the United States lags behind most other nations in the teaching of and emphasis on creative-thinking skills? The era of NCLB has educators looking at creativity in the rear view mirror. But wait! Let’s use our right (as in correct) brains to put creative thinking skills instruction back into our lesson plans. In this session, we illustrate how you can use creative-thinking skills programs to effectively differentiate and still address mandated state standards. Be prepared to learn and play!
R. Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Oh My!
NAGC Math/Science Task Force
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) are critical to our economy, our national security, and our global leadership in innovation and research. An often-overlooked key resource lies in students with promise, making educational initiatives in these content areas increasingly important. This session provides teachers, coordinators, counselors, and administrators an opportunity to explore global, research-based strategies, curriculum, and resources for identifying, developing, supporting, and assessing these promising STEM students. Topics include: international research results; multiple identification methods; exemplary teaching, learning, and assessment practices and resources; rich learning tasks, curricula, games, competitions, and electronic support; out-of-school programs; and other practical suggestions for supporting and developing PreK-16 STEM students from all backgrounds.
S. Using National Teacher Standards for NCATE Recognition and for Program Improvement
Joyce VanTassel-Baska, College of William & Mary, Williamsburg, VA
Are you beginning the planning process for your program submission to NCATE? Are you concerned about what you should be doing to prepare? Are you a SPA program reviewer and need to brush up on the standards? Do you need more information about how to align your assessments to the national NAGC-CEC teacher preparation standards or are you mostly interested in using the standards to improve program quality? This session offers the nuts and bolts of what is expected in an NCATE program report submission as well as practical advice for pulling together the data, the assessments, and the rubrics that demonstrate that your teacher candidates are in fact meeting the national teacher standards.
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