Laura Belthchenko: Encouraging Intellectual Curiosity, Using Picture Books with Young Advanced and Gifted Readers

Description: In this book rich presentation, we will explore the many ways that picture books can challenge our advanced, accelerated, and young gifted literacy learners. Among the topics discussed in the session will be books selections to conduct a Mock Caldecott Award, exam books using the "whole book approach,” as well as a look at books that are categorized as metafictive. This type of picture book provides a challenging break from the traditional narrative structures using alternative constructs to challenge the reader as well as provide a model for critical/ creative thinking, perspective, and point of view. Audience: K-3 educators, gifted coordinators, librarians, and administrators Complexity: Beginning

Whitney Coake: Value of AP

Description: Advanced Placement (AP) courses give high ability students the chance to reach their highest level during high school. Research shows the impact of AP coursework and exam success have on college admission and degree completion. Qualifying exam scores are nationally recognized. Colleges and universities provide students college credit, or an advanced placement in college coursework for qualifying exams, often eliminating the need to take introductory courses. The College Board has new AP courses that are changing the invitation to AP and provide an opportunity to expand access to AP for all high ability students across Indiana. Audience: High Ability Coordinators and Secondary educators Complexity: Beginner

Christine Deitz: Saving Grace: A Language Arts Adventure in Preserving the Legacy of Grace Hopper, the Queen of Computer Programming

Description: A computer “bug” has had its revenge in the Grace Hopper archives! Grace was a famous mathematician, the creator of COBOL computer language, a Rear Admiral in the Naval Reserve, and discovered the first computer “bug.” With records in complete disarray, help us sort through the amazing photos to prepare an exhibit for Grace Hopper Week – December 11 – 15. Which of Grace’s story will you choose to save? Will it be Grace, the Queen of Computer Science, or Grace, the first woman mathematician to graduate Yale University, or Grace, discoverer of the first computer "bug"? Let's see what the evidence suggests! Participants receive engaging, research-based strategies and an electronic collection of photo-documents to ignite lessons and transform children into investigators and storytellers. Audience: Grades 3-10

Dante Dixson: Embracing Radicalism to Overcome Underrepresentation in Gifted Programs

Description: One of the most prominent issues in education today is that the academic talent of minoritized and disadvantaged students is not developed at the same rate as majority or advantaged students. In this talk, Dr. Dante D. Dixson is going to discuss how the American educational system can start to turn the tide and make academic talent development more equitable. Specifically, Dr. Dixson is going to discuss how compounding factors result in excellence gaps. In addition, he is going to discuss the importance of leveraging high quality research, implementing interventions proactively, and being radical in increasing equity within gifted programs. Finally, Dr. Dixson is going to discuss several specific, evidenced-based strategies that schools and school districts can implement to close excellence gaps within their gifted programs. Audience: School administrators, teachers Complexity: Intermediate

Doris Fulwider: Clock Arithmetic: An Artistic Mathematics Experience

Description: Are you looking for a way to ignite curiosity, encourage critical thinking, and inspire a love of mathematics in your young high ability students and, at the same time, effortlessly decorate your classroom with meaningful student artwork? If so, this session is for you! Participants will learn the basics of modular arithmetic, apply that knowledge to discover mathematical patterns during a line design activity, and engage in a culminating hands-on string art project. While drawing lines and stringing beautiful designs, participants will be practicing mental addition and subtraction and conceptualizing multiples. The string art project connects with several elementary content standards and is adaptable for use across the grades. Mathematics process standards will be highlighted, and relevant resources will be shared. Mathematics has never looked (or felt) this beautiful! Audience: Elementary Complexity: Beginning

Angela Housand: Fail Early! Fail Fast!

Description: “Fail Early! Fail Fast” is a dynamic and immersive session that delves into the power of embracing failure as a catalyst for growth and innovation. We will explore the concept of failing early and failing fast as a strategic approach to learning and iterating. Through active participation scaffolded with practical insights for learners, participants will gain new insights on failure and its potential to drive success. We will dissect the iterative process so that students can understand the component parts in order to learn the skills of calculated risk taking and learning from failures in a safe and supportive environment. Attendees will discover how to help gifted students learn about how early failures can provide valuable insights, allowing for quicker course corrections and the development of more robust solutions. Join us as we practice the skills to inspire students to embrace failure as an essential part of the creative process and help them understand the benefits of adopting a mindset that encourages learning from mistakes and pivoting towards success. Armed with practical strategies and a renewed perspective, attendees will be equipped to foster a culture of innovation, resilience, and continuous improvement in their classrooms. Audience: Teachers Grades 4-12 Complexity: Beginning

Brian Housand: CONNECTIONS: Creativity, Critical Thinking, and Collaboration

Description: Enter this immersive exploration of CONNECTIONS where innovation, intellect, and teamwork converge to unlock limitless possibilities. Through a series of interactive learning experiences, participants will collectively engage with ready to use classroom activities designed to provoke creative and critical thinking. Together we will examine what can happen when a group of individuals with diverse talents come together to transcend barriers and discover the beauty of collaborative innovation. Don't miss this chance to forge meaningful connections and unlock the potential within you and your gifted learners. Audience: Teachers 3-8 Complexity: Beginning

Andi McNair: A Meaningful Mess: Utilizing Passion Projects to Make Learning Meaningful

Description: This workshop aims to inspire educators and educational professionals to harness the power of passion projects as a transformative tool for creating engaging and purposeful learning experiences. Discover how embracing a "messy" approach to learning can ignite students' curiosity, foster their creativity, and cultivate a deep sense of meaning and ownership in their educational journey. Throughout our time together, we will also explore how Genius Hour unlocks the potential to identify and nurture gifted qualities such as creativity and leadership. Through practical strategies, personal examples, and collaborative discussions, participants will gain valuable insights on how to integrate passion projects into their teaching practices, empowering students to pursue their interests while developing critical skills and achieving meaningful learning outcomes. Audience: Teachers, Coordinators, Administrators Complexity: Beginning

Laura Beltchenko: Using the Question Formulation Technique (QFT) to Foster and Advance Metacognition and Student Collaboration

Description: The Question Formulation Technique (QFT) provides a structured approach to advance students’ development of thought-provoking questions and engage in more meaningful discussions. By utilizing the QFT, students become active participants in their own learning, as they learn to ask questions, consider multiple perspectives, and explore complex topics. By equipping students with the skills to ask effective questions as well as providing access to rich educational resources such as the Library Congress, QFT initiates the development of critical and creative thinking and fosters their natural curiosity, motivation, and engagement in learning. This is an interactive session so get ready to collaborate! Audience: All Complexity: Beginning

Christine Deitz: Building a Better Curriculum: Meaningful Ways to Enhance Student Learning

Description: Should we “project-base” or “problem–base” this topic? With so many curriculum options available for student learning, choosing the appropriate approach can be an “un bearably” burdensome task. If curriculum is the stuff we teach gifted and talented children, how can we be assured we are teaching the “right stuff?” Not to worry! In this workshop we will follow the particularly rigorous, scientifically researched, and “kid-approved” Build-a-Bear construction process as we critically review research-based curriculum options for gifted children, select the best strategies for delivering the “stuff”, and analyze each curriculum option for “what works” with our gifted kids. In this hands-on curriculum construction party, we will build better curriculum units from “why to when,” from “head to toe,” and from “stuff to fluff.” Participants receive electronic links to featured resources and curriculum materials and a build-a- better-curriculum guide. Audience: K-10 Complexity: Beginning

Dante Dixson: Leveraging Students’ Thoughts, Beliefs, and Attitudes to Progress from Academic Potential to Academic Talent

Description: Psychosocial factors (i.e., one’s thoughts, attitudes, and beliefs) are imperative for the development of academic talent. Students must engage with and leverage a host of different psychosocial factors (e.g., motivation, self-concept, academic expectations) when trying to develop their academic potential into fully developed academic talent. In this presentation, Dr. Dante D. Dixson is going to discuss the role that psychosocial factors play in the development of academic talent. Specifically, Dr. Dixson is going to discuss why psychosocial factors are often overlooked when educators are trying to develop academic talent, how psychosocial factors encourage academic talent development, which psychosocial factors are most important for academic talent development, and how psychosocial factors can be leveraged to close excellent gaps. Audience: Student Administrators and teachers Complexity: Beginning

SESSION FULL Doris Fulwider: Fascinating Fractals: Inspiring Our Youngest Mathematicians **

Description: It is customary to hold off introducing complex mathematical concepts to students until high school or college. Unfortunately, by this time, many students have given up on math, deciding it is too hard or simply not for them, and they miss out on experiencing the beauty inherent in the subject. On the other hand, young children are naturally curious and interested. They are eager to explore and understand. So, why wait? During this session, participants will investigate fractals, as they engage in hands-on art activities appropriate for elementary students. While drawing, coloring, and building beautiful fractal patterns, participants will be thinking about mathematical concepts, such as addition, multiplication, exponents, fractions, measurement, area, perimeter, and infinity. Mathematics process standards will be highlighted, and relevant resources will be shared. Let’s unite to inspire our student mathematicians earlier rather than later! Audience: Elementary Complexity: Beginning

Angela Housand: Embracing Ambiguity

Description: In an increasingly complex and uncertain world, the ability to embrace ambiguity is a crucial skill. “Embracing Ambiguity” delves into the art of navigating the unknown with confidence and adaptability. Through engaging examples, interactive exercises, and insightful discussions, participants will gain a deeper understanding of developing comfort with ambiguity. We will explore the psychological and cognitive aspects of discomfort with uncertainty and provide practical classroom strategies to cultivate comfort for learning within ambiguous situations. Participants will learn how to help their students reframe uncertainty as an opportunity for growth, innovation, and creativity. Topics like flexibility thinking, adaptive problem-solving, and making informed decisions with incomplete information will support the audiences deepening understanding. By the end of the presentation, attendees will have a toolkit of practical techniques to manage ambiguity effectively and leave feeling equipped to help students tackle complex challenges, embrace change, and thrive in unpredictable environments. Developing comfort with ambiguity is not just a skill; it’s a mindset that fosters resilience, personal growth, and unlocks new possibilities. Audience: Teachers Grades 4-8 Complexity: Beginning

Brian Housand: Welcoming Our Robot Overlords: ChatGPT, Midjourney, and the Ever Evolving world of AI

Description: Gifted Education has long championed creative productivity and critical thinking, but what happens when our devices begin to think and create on their own? Rather than shying away from AI, let’s examine how to boldly embrace its power and potential to leverage new possibilities and pathways with this collection of lessons incorporating ethical decision making, collaboration, design, and knowledge construction. Audience: All Complexity: Beginning

SESSION FULL Andi McNair: Designing for Depth: Meaningful Differentiation for Gifted Learners**

Description: Are you tired of seeing your gifted learners disengaged and frustrated with busywork? In this insightful learning experience, you'll discover how to create meaningful experiences that engage and empower gifted learners. Using a simple framework, you'll learn how to design differentiated learning experiences that will result in a willingness to invest, cultivate lifelong learning, and encourage authentic connections beyond the classroom walls. You'll also gain insights into the importance of integrating life-ready and social-emotional learning skills into your lessons and take away practical ideas that can be implemented immediately. By the end of the experience, you'll have a new perspective on differentiation and a deeper understanding of how crucial it is to plan for all learners, not just those who struggle to understand. Join us to take the first step towards creating a classroom environment that supports and empowers gifted learners! Audience: Educators, Coordinators, Administrators Complexity: Beginning

Emily Mofield: Vertical Differentiation: Strategies to Stretch and Challenge Gifted and High-Potential Students

Description: This session highlights the use of engaging critical and creative thinking “stretch prompts” that can be used to stimulate and challenge gifted students in their learning. These strategies can be used as “vertical differentiation” to dial up instruction, assignments, and tasks to ignite inquiry and deeper learning in the regular education classroom. Learn to apply these ideas with concrete examples applied across various content areas and grade levels Audience: Grades 2-12 Complexity: Intermediate