Please use the buttons below to learn about featured sessions at the 2024 IAG Conference.
Keynote Speaker: Colin Seale
Title: The Heart Work: The Equity Case for Prioritizing Psychological Safety in Gifted Education and Beyond
Description: Brilliance is distributed equally, but opportunity is not. For almost a decade, Colin Seale and the thinkLaw team have used this framing as an impetus for obsessing over opportunity-creation and helping educators create systems where critical thinking is no longer a luxury good. But the tools to unlock brilliance and unleash critical thinking are meaningless when our students (and sometimes our adults) lack the psychological safety to be brilliant. In this session, Colin Seale will make the equity case for prioritizing psychological safety as a prerequisite to learning and share powerful, but practical strategies to integrate psychological safety into instructional practices in gifted education and beyond.
FEATURED SESSIONS
Speaker: Mark Hess
Title: Hope, What We Lost, and How to Get Found: Engaging Social-Emotional Lessons for Gifted Learners
Description: Teachers working with gifted children are in a unique position to understand what we have lost since the spring of 2020. Feelings of languishing . . . anticipatory grief . . . let’s help students (and ourselves) get found again. In this presentation, attendees will explore the connections—both academic and social-emotional—through which gifted learners build hope. Our gifted kids, prone to anxiety and an existential doubt brought to life through idealism, living intense pathways in the world, and carrying a strong sense of justice, may need help in building a hopeful outlook. We seek to understand the components of building hope through interactive SEL activities: to foster connections and relationships, to encourage students through self-expression and individuality, to process moments of perfectionism in healthy ways, and to generate agency and resilience through targeted lessons in creativity, metaphors, and interactive activities. Our shared activities are standards-driven and part of a robust academic experience for gifted learners. Four hands-on lessons and units (ready use in the classroom tomorrow) both help guide our teachers and students and comprise the components of building hope.
Speaker: Colin Seale
Title: Don't Worry, Be a Critical Thinker: The Equity Case for Prioritizing AI (Actual Intellect)
Description: The historic case for valuing education as a society revolves around the notion that knowledge is power. And the prioritized knowledge for those accessing this power has historically been knowing the “what” and the “how to.” But with the proliferation of artificial intelligence creating a present threat that almost any job capable of being reduced to an algorithm is at risk for automation, K-12 teaching and learning must shift its path. In this session, Colin Seale, educator, attorney, author of Thinking Like a Lawyer: A Framework for Teaching Critical Thinking to All Students and Tangible Equity: A Guide for Leveraging Student Identity, Culture, and Power to Unlock Excellence In and Beyond the Classroom, and thinkLaw Founder and CEO, will make the case for prioritizing a different kind of AI: Actual Intellect, as a key priority for today’s learners, and provide powerful, but practical tools educators can use to make critical thinking accessible to all students.
Speaker: Matthew Zakreski
Title: Table Top! Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Games that Your Students will Actually Like
Description: Many gifted children can struggle with the social and emotional skills necessary to create and maintain relationships. While many Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) programs exist in schools, they are often not adapted to the unique needs of the gifted population. This presentation will also demonstrate some techniques on how to teach and model SEL skills for gifted children through the gamification of the lessons, both through the demonstration of games designed for this population and instruction on how to adapt games.
Speaker: Tamra Stambaugh
Title: Using Books and Media to Guide Affective Learning Conversations
Description: Psychosocial development is critical to one's overall learning trajectory and can get in the way of talent development. How do we teach psychosocial skills in ways that connect with our curriculum? Learn how to use video clips, books, and songs to create conversations about social-emotional learning and psychosocial skills. We will examine the Jacob's Ladder Affective framework for moving students from lower to higher level thinking skills in ways that support text-to-self conversations and proactive psychosocial learning. Delve into your favorite books, clips, and songs as you help students relate to characters or concepts and think about how they can analyze and apply strategies for risk taking, perfectionism, overcoming adversity, developing talent and adopting an achievement orientation for learning.
Speaker: Ron Beghetto
Title: Applied Possibility Thinking for Unlocking Creativity
Description: In this dynamic featured session, we will explore how educators can partner with colleagues and Generative AI (GenAI) to engage in possibility thinking for creative problem-solving. Participants will be introduced to a possibility thinking protocol that encourages "what if" scenarios, pushing beyond conventional boundaries.
Speaker: Emily Hollet and Anna Cassalia
Title: Thinking through Themes
Description: Conceptualizing the interconnectedness of the world requires abstract thinking and the ability to make global generalizations. To effectively develop this understanding, the use of a structured framework is not only helpful but necessary. Universal Themes, a component of the Depth and Complexity Framework (Kaplan, Gould, and Masden), includes both abstract concepts (themes) and associated generalizations. These overarching global ideas highlight the connectedness of disciplines and ask students to consider multiple perspectives. This session pushes practitioners to think about Universal Themes in new ways, outlining implications for instructional practice across academic disciplines and affective domains. Leveraging the power of Universal Themes enhances instruction and deepens learning through considering inherent relationships between concepts, disciplines, and perspectives. Through the lens of a theme, students will grow in their ability to make connections, examine relationships, and consider perspectives with empathy, all while using critical and creative thinking skills to reason about global and abstract concepts. Participants will leave with practical tips and a framework to enhance their practice, including examples of specific instructional strategies and resources to incorporate themes in both academic and affective domains. Students who can make these connections while developing their sense of self, are empowered to be global stewards and leaders who impact our interconnected and synergistic world.
Speaker: Michael Matera
Title: Alternative Assessments that Rock and Roll
Description: Looking for ways to spice up your assessment? As a teacher myself, I know just how important our time is both in professional development as well as in our classrooms. This session is packed full of practical tips and ideas for you to spice up what assessing student learning looks like in your class! One thing for sure - you'll be leaving with a heap of good ideas. Ready to connect? Ready for your students to create, learn, and love your assessments? Let's go!
Speaker: Michelle Frazier Trotman Scott
Title: Unveiling Brilliance: Nurturing Hidden Gifts and Talents in Marginalized Students
Description: The latent brilliance within marginalized students is often overlooked and, for some, hidden in plain sight. This session will discuss the unique abilities that may elude casual observation. The resilience and creativity of students from marginalized backgrounds will also be spotlighted to spark a transformative shift in perception and advocate for an inclusive environment that acknowledges and nurtures the diverse talents within our educational communities.
Speaker: Whitney Coake
Title: Unlocking College and Career Success: The Strategic Role of AP Courses
Description: Come to this session to explore the research on the value of Advanced Placement (AP) courses and discover how AP courses can elevate high-ability students to their fullest potential. In this session, we’ll guide you on optimizing master schedules to ensure AP course availability for all students, regardless of their chosen high school pathway. Whether it’s the Indiana College Core, Career and Technical Education (CTE), or the new Diploma Seals, you’ll learn strategies to seamlessly incorporate AP options and empower every student to excel and prepare for college and career success through AP courses.
Speaker: Linda Sheffield
Title: The Math Begins When the Game Ends: Engaging and Challenging High Ability Math Students
Description: Games are often used to give students practice with mathematical skills and computation. While this might be enjoyable, playing the games is not enough, especially for high ability math students. The true joy of learning, and understanding mathematics itself, comes with deeper investigations. Join us as we play field-tested, research-based games designed not only to engage students, but also to challenge them to explore and connect mathematical concepts on a deeper level as they learn to “think like a mathematician”. Games will use readily-available materials, are accessible to students on a wide range of levels, and use teaching techniques that can be applied to critical K-12 math concepts.
Keynote Speaker: Ron Beghetto
Title: Toward More Promising Educational Futures: Unlocking Creative Potential in Schools and Classrooms
Description: In this highly engaging keynote address, Prof. Beghetto explores how educators, educational leaders, and parents can unlock young people's creative potential in and beyond schools and classrooms. He will introduce an applied framework to help us understand, develop, and examine the kinds of learning experiences that can unleash the creative potential of young people now and into the future.
Prof. Beghetto will also discuss and provide examples of how the responsible use of Generative AI tools can support this process in everyday teaching and learning. Realizing more promising educational futures starts in the here-and-now, and we invite you to join us in learning how to unlock both young people's creative potential and your own.
Key takeaways: - Discover an applied framework for fostering creativity in education - Learn practical strategies for integrating creativity into everyday learning - Explore the responsible use of Generative AI in enhancing creative potential - Gain insights into shaping more promising educational futures
FEATURED SESSIONS
Speaker: Mark Hess
Title: Zoom In with Metaphors: Close Reading, Literacy, Phonological Loops, and the Visuo-Spatial Sketchpad
Description: Working memory is activated by combining our brain’s formation of phonological loops (words) and our visuo-spatial sketchpad (images), and working memory is a stronger predictor of academic success in kindergarten than IQ. Similarly, metaphors combine referent sources (usually pictures or words) and emotional connections to depth of understanding and critical thinking. The combination of working memory and metaphors is one of the most engaging and powerful ways to teach gifted learners. From graphic design to graphic novels and picture books, from fine art to physical art to STEAM projects, and from metaphors to videos to simulations and poetry, we’ll explore powerful connections between what we see and what we hear or read through language. As always, participants walk away with lessons and units they can use tomorrow!
Speaker: Colin Seale
Title: Leaving Genius on the Table: Practical Tools to Identify, Nurture, and Sustain Brilliance
Description: Leaving Genius on the Table: Practical Tools to Identify, Nurture, and Sustain Brilliance Equity does not have to be the enemy of excellence. Opportunities to participate in advanced academics and gifted education can be transformative for students living in under-resourced communities. However, creating these opportunities can be a daunting task. This session explores the why and the how of providing high-quality programming for underserved high-ability students and offers a low-floor, high-ceiling framework for transforming Tier 1 instruction so that ALL students, regardless of their previous academic success, can access powerful, high-level critical thinking every day.
Speaker: Matthew Zakreski
Title: Non-Trivial Pursuit: Using Trivia Games to Build Social-Emotional Skills
Description: I know that!! Gifted kids love to show off their knowledge. So how do we leverage that desire to help them develop social and emotional skills? One strategy is to use trivia games to test and teach information. Therapeutic trivia teaches resilience, teamwork, and communication in an organic, engaging way. Putting gifted learners in a position to demonstrate their knowledge can help them develop peers, scratch their competitive itch, and feel empowered by their knowledge. The biggest benefit of knowledge competitions is that they naturally facilitate the development of social-emotional skills: resilience, frustration tolerance, teamwork, and how to be a good winner or loser.
Speaker: Tamra Stambaugh
Title: Three Ways to Differentiate: Add a Concept, Relationship, or Problem
Description: This session begins by outlining the need differentiation and then highlights various ways teachers can differentiate instruction for advanced learners by adding problems and issues with multiple perspectives (depth), concepts and generalizations (abstractness), and relationships, among different content variables (complexity) to differentiate instruction and adjust learning prompts within the general and gifted classroom. The use of frameworks, models, and definitions for differentiating is emphasized as part of common definitions and schoolwide professional learning. Time for practice and application will be allotted.
Speakers: Emily Hollett and Anna Cassalia
Title: The Case for Critical Thinking
Description: The term “21st Century Thinking Skills” is widely used in education today, and while definitions vary, most educators agree: we need to be teaching our students not just what to think, but how to think. Our students will be faced with unforeseen challenges, for which they must be able to think creatively, critically, and strategically to solve. We, as educators, cannot possibly teach students everything there is to know, as the amount of new information available in the world is multiplying rapidly. Therefore, we must teach our students to be higher order thinkers, skilled in a range of several distinctive and sophisticated thought processes. Central to these processes are the areas of systematic decision making (deductive reasoning), evaluative thinking, divergent (creative) thinking, analytical thinking, and visual-spatial reasoning. While we know the importance of higher order thinking, it is often left behind the “testable subjects” such as reading, writing, and mathematics. This session was created to merge higher order thinking skills and the academic content students must grapple with in school. Systematic instruction in higher order thinking skills coupled with rigorous academic content is a relevant and engaging method to teach the students of the 21st century.
Speaker: Michael Matera
Title: Unlocking Memory: Brain Science and Classroom Strategies
Description: Unlock the secrets of memory and transform your teaching with our dynamic session on brain science in the classroom. Designed for educators, this program provides a deep dive into the mechanisms of memory and how to leverage this knowledge to improve student learning. Participants will explore evidence-based strategies to boost memory retention, create engaging and memorable lessons, and support students in developing effective study habits. Join us to enhance your teaching toolkit and help your students achieve their full potential through the power of memory science.
Speaker: Michelle Frazier Trotman Scott
Title: Two-E and then Some: Strategies to Support Students with Dual Exceptionalities
Description: Gifted and talented students are everywhere, but many teachers are forced into classrooms for which they are not fully prepared, especially in the areas of dual exceptionalities and cultural competencies. As a result, many practices do not meet the needs of students being served within the classroom setting. As such, when a student who has been identified with a disability is placed in a classroom, their deficit becomes the educational focus, and their dynamics are placed on the back burner. Moreover, when a student with dual exceptionalities is a member of a marginalized population, the education presented may not be conducive to their educational needs. During this session, Dr. Shelli will discuss the cognitive, social, and emotional characteristics of traditionally “gifted” learners with the characteristics of marginalized populations. She will also discuss factors that affect the identification of gifted marginalized students with dual exceptionalities, along with recommendations.
Speaker: Ron Beghetto
Title: Unlocking the Potential of Creative Teaching
Description: In this interactive featured session, we will explore and try out strategies for fostering creative teaching.
We will start with a brief discussion of three key approaches to creative teaching: - Teaching about creativity - Teaching for creativity - Teaching with creativity
Our main focus will be on applied practices of teaching for and with creativity. You'll have the opportunity to explore and try out practical techniques, including:
"Lesson Unplanning": Learn how to intentionally replace routine tasks with non-routine problems,encouraging students' creative thinking.
Leveraging "Micromoments": Discover how to identify and capitalize on brief teaching moments that present opportunities to nurture students' creativity.
Throughout the session, we'll discuss and explore tools that can help educators respond more creatively to these "micromoments" in teaching. You'll gain valuable insights into identifying and leveraging these moments to encourage both your students' creative potential and your own. Join us for this hands-on session and leave with practical strategies to enhance creativity in your classroom!
Speaker: Jessica LaFollette
Title: LEAP into Differentiating Instruction for High Ability Learners
Description: LEAP is a professional learning framework rooted in NAGC’s belief that educators intentionally choose and lead their own learning and that of their students by using effective and actionable strategies that are applied through a cycle of reflective practice and improvement. LEAP stands for: Lead (with) Effective and Actionable Practice.
This session examines some of the practical and high-impact tools that LEAP provides for professionals working with high-ability learners. Specifically, attendees will dive right into the most effective research-based practices for differentiating instruction including higher-level thinking, flexible grouping, and problem-based inquiry. LEAP brings DI research on high-ability learners to the classroom level with a focus on practical teacher-friendly strategies.
Opportunities are provided throughout the session to practice making DI decisions based on data from example classroom contexts and to critically analyze the AI tools that can expedite this process. Portions of the presentation will actually be differentiated to model the practices and provide an interactive experience for both newer and expert educators. Teachers and coordinators will also have the opportunity to reflect on their own differentiation skills and how they can incorporate new DI strategies in the future.
Speaker: Linda Sheffield
Title: Unlocking Mathematical Expertise, Engagement and Innovation: Questions May Be the Answer
Description: Since Socrates, questioning has been a critical teaching/learning tool. This active session investigates the role of questioning and sense-making in oral and written discourse by a community of teachers, students and families to create and enhance mathematical ability, promise, and creativity. Practical, adaptable techniques and activities are built on fifty years of talent-development research on questioning, discourse, problem-solving and problem-posing, and proven curricula in diverse settings.
IAG supports gifted students, parents, and educators. Join today for free and be sure to attend our annual conference on December 9-10, 2024, at the Indianapolis JW Marriott.