Dr. Joy Lawson Davis

Davis’ framework for rigorous culturally responsive curriculum will be discussed during this session with practical strategies that educators can adapt to meet the framework’s goals of addressing relationships, rigor, representation & relevancy in the teaching & learning process for all gifted & advanced learner programs.

Dr. Susan Baum

Many bright students who are twice exceptional have difficulty putting their ideas in writing. In this session we will identify the reasons why writing can be problematic and offer practical strategies to for 2e students to become authors and producers.

.

Dr. Jann Leppien

A focus on developing thinking skills allows students to take charge of their own learning, deepen their understandings, and become more engaged. To cultivate student thinking and alertness to cognition requires tools and strategies for educators to use in their classrooms. This session will focus on the varied practices/strategies/and routines that can be used to deepen understanding and foster the desire for students to make their thinking visible as they interact with peers. Participants will work on developing learning prompts that escalate the level of critical thinking and enhance student discourse as they interact with meaningful content and engage in deeper learning.

Colin Seale, Founder ThinkLaw

Underrepresentation of BIPOC students in gifted education persists nationally, even for concerned leaders who are committed to addressing this disparity. Talent development programs in lower grades is an increasingly common strategy to increase identification rates for these underrepresented populations. However, the deficit framing of this approach may limit its effectiveness by seeing their giftedness as something that must be developed rather than an innate asset. To help educators understand how to unleash these unique qualities to fit into our constructs of who a gifted student is, this powerful, but practical workshop provides three strategies help educators leverage BIPOC gifted children’s “because, not despite” assets.

Julie Skolnick, M.A., J.D., Founder of With Understanding Comes Calm, LLC

Educators and parents often struggle with twice exceptional children. Frustrated teachers and parents experience self-doubt and their self-confidence is often compromised. Emotions and ego can get in the way of collaborative communication and effective strategies. This session provides the top 10 strategies that encourage meaningful interactions for educators and parents of 2e students.

Nicole Belden, Teacher of the Accelerated Learner, Cartwright School District
Cathy Field, Gifted Resource Teacher, Cartwright School District

Walk away with metacognitive strategies that you can implement tomorrow! Explore specific ways to engage students as readers and writers in metacognitive practices that ensure equitable instruction for all gifted learners. These versatile strategies can be used in any content area to build strong readers and writers.

Karen Brown, Director of Gifted and Accelerated Learning in Scottsdale Unified School District

Focus on cultivating potential in our underserved populations, promote equity and excellence for learners often left behind! Learn proactive strategies to identify evidence of potential and confront issues that hinder identification of underserved gifted learners. Know your underserved gifted learners AND what they need to reach for the stars!

Erik M. Francis, M.Ed., M.S

What is the difference between inquiry and good questioning? How could good questions be used to prompt and promote inquiry-based learning experiences? Learn how to rephrase the learning intention of academic standards and learning targets into good questions that will engage and encourage to demonstrate different levels of thinking and understand and use their depth of knowledge in different and deeper contexts.

Shirley Fortenbaugh, Kendall Hunt Consultant

Mathematics is rarely taught as a subject of creativity. What does math instruction look like when it is taught with the idea of promoting creativity? How does creativity foster an equitable learning environment? Workshop participants will investigate these questions and explore ways to promote mathematical creativity in their classrooms.

ALISA M. JOHNSON, M.Ed.

Equity. Social justice. Diversity. These are three of the most compelling topics being discussed today in congressional rooms, boardrooms, and family rooms across our country. Using the acrostic R.E.S.P.O.N.D., the discussion in this breakout session will cover seven essential components and incorporations necessary in creating culturally responsive gifted students who, in turn. will become culturally responsive global leaders and neighbors.

David Simmons, Founder and Executive Director of The UBU Project

During this engaging, interactive arts integration presentation the participants will explore events in local, national, and global culture as they relate to Social Justice/Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Join us and discover how you can engage the arts to be part of the solution by learning to celebrate and embrace our differences and similarities.

Aimee Sulit, Ed.D., District Gifted Coach for Scottsdale Unified School District.

Research shows that students’ zip codes may be more influential in their gifted identification than scores in reading or math. This interactive session provides educators with specific strategies and online resources for interrupting the cycle of underrepresentation and creating an environment where ALL students are stretched to learn.

ElizaBeth Warner, M.Ed, NBCT is the Gifted Program Mentor for the Paradise Valley Unified School District
Eryn Frank, M.Ed, is a district beginning mentor for the Paradise Valley Unified School District

Recharge your practice with ideas and strategies that guarantee to ignite student engagement. Revive enrichment menus with technology tasks that spark student creativity. Refigure and reorganize your toolbox to include new interactive technology tools that equip gifted scholars to project their voice, encourage productive discourse, critical thinking, and problem-solving.

Matthew Zakreski, PsyD

Creativity is the mark of an engaged learner. But what is creativity? How do we foster it? And how do we allow our students to be creative while also following best practices in education and assessment? This interactive, hands-on webinar is about understanding what creativity is (and what it isn’t) and how to use it effectively in and outside the classroom. We will discuss manifestations of creativity, skills to make space for creativity in assessment, class discussion, and social-emotional learning.

Kate Garis, Gifted Education Specialist, Cartwright School District
Cathy Field, Gifted Resource Teacher, Cartwright School District

How can you develop your students’ gifted potential when they are still learning English? Discover how to leverage your students’ gifts to support their language-learning needs. Join us in this engaging workshop and learn language-supportive gifted strategies you can apply in your classroom tomorrow!

Kimberly Lansdowne, Ph.D., Executive Director of the Herberger Young Scholars Academy
Dr. Jack A. Naglieri, Ph.D., Research Professor at the University of Virginia and Senior Research Scientist at the Devereux Center for Resilient Children

It is well documented that students of color are underrepresented in gifted programs. Researchers estimated 700,000 minority students could have been identified but were not. Why not? Despite well-meaning efforts to achieve diversity, the Language demands of some ability tests can block students with limited background knowledge and English skills.

Jason S. McIntosh, Ph.D., Gifted Services Coordinator for the Washington Elementary School District

African American, Native American, and Hispanic students have been underrepresented by up to 40% in gifted programs for decades. The reasons for this will be explored and a proven strategy called front loading outlined. The sequence is simple: front load with enrichment, watch and support, and THEN measure and identify. Don’t get the cart before the horse, especially if the cart is still being built.

Matthew Zakreski, PsyD

Impostor Syndrome is a psychological phenomenon that causes people to doubt their accomplishments and fear being “discovered” as a fraud. It is very common within the gifted population and has seriously negative impacts. This session will explore the maintaining factors of this Syndrome and outline strategies to undo it.

Jason S. McIntosh, Ph.D., Gifted Services Coordinator for the Washington Elementary School District

Due to the pandemic, virtual learning was thrust upon us whether we were ready for it or not. This session will provide an overview of the SAMR model for creating online learning experiences and offer suggestions, tools, and strategies for creating engaging online learning experiences for gifted students.

Stephanie Shamy, Laguna Elementary, K-5 Gifted Specialist
Laura Boone, SUSD, Technology Coach

Join us – a gifted teacher and tech coach – learn how we used the COVID19 shutdown to find innovative ways to engage students virtually and f2f. We’ll share what we did, how we did it and you’ll leave with new ideas to take right back to class.

Dr. Renu Singh, Program Director of the Gifted & Talented Academy at Maryvale High School

Empowering equity in gifted education by enhancing transformational giftedness in the most vulnerable urban public school of Arizona. It is a myth that gifted learners do not need support and they should be allotted all advanced placement courses irrespective of their gifts and Talent. The story of PXU Gifted & Talented Academy is to bring appropriate opportunities for diverse gifted learners to succeed in high school and beyond via holistic education with focus on transformational giftedness.