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2010 Annual Conference Friday, March 5, 2010 Workshop Session I 10:45 – 11:45 a.m.
A.1 A Mathematical Roadtrip – Part I In school, gifted students are often bored by the uninspired teaching of math concepts. In this lively and humorous presentation filled with interactive demonstrations and funny film clips, Dr. Wang shows how the teaching of math can be vastly enlivened, beginning with a new way to visually present fractions, an exploration of the rich history of math and its terminology, and continuing with fun interactive games and inspired ways of introducing higher order concepts. Dr. Wang will also discuss how Asians and Westerners view giftedness and how these views affect how each culture teaches math. Presenter: Frank Wang, Ph.D., is a mathematician with a BA in math from Princeton University and a Ph.D. in pure math from MIT. At the age of 23, he co-authored and published a widely used high school calculus textbook. It is his passion and his mission to make mathematics understandable and interesting to students of all ages..
A.2 See It! Be It! Write It! This workshop is a catalyst to successful writing. Students view the prompt, become the prompt and write to the prompt. No drama experience necessary! This fun, interactive method develops 21st century writing skills while integrating visual and performing arts skills to prepare students for the NJASK. Presenters: Hope Blecher-Sass Ph.D., Supervisor of Language Arts Supervisor, Social Studies & Media Services, Literacy Consultant Maryellen Moffitt, teacher and coordinator of the gifted; NJAGC Trustee, NJAGC Educator of the Year 1995
A.3 Second Life – A Virtual World Virtual reality is no longer just science fiction. In fact, online virtual reality environments have the potential to revolutionize your gifted classroom. Gifted students can design, create, code, script, and promote their learning environment. Second Life is an online 3D Virtual World Community that opens up a new world of opportunity. As a result of this workshop, perhaps Second Life will become your first life! Presenter: Susan Keitel, teacher of the gifted; technology teacher
A.4 Teaching Gifted Kids People Skills Through Literature and Activities TOPIC CHANGE Building relationships, communicating, cooperating, resolving conflicts—social-emotional skills such as these are critical for just about every form of achievement. However, gifted children’s sensitivity, intensity, and concern for big issues can sometimes lead to social difficulties. This presentation describes practical strategies educators can use to help gifted children develop the people skills they need to make the most of their abilities. Presenter: Eileen Kennedy-Moore, Ph.D., is a psychologist whose work focuses on the them oh HELPING CHILDREN GET ALONG ™. She is the co-author of the parenting book The Unwritten Rules of Friendship: Simple Strategies to Help Your Child Make Friends. She is also the author of an award-winning children’s book, What About Me? Twelve Ways to Get Your Parents' Attention Without Hitting Your Sister.
A.5 Identification Practices in New Jersey’s Districts: An Overview This workshop will discuss the national and state requirements for identifying gifted learners; review the plethora of standardized tests used in the identification process and present the multiple measures used by various districts in New Jersey. Presenter: Janet Armstrong, G/T teacher, adjunct professor at Montclair State University
A.6 Teaching Green in Your School Without Spending It! A newly developed program, “The Green Challenge,” utilizes student involvement techniques and partnering
with business firms in green industries to give educators a tool for teaching environmental topics. The challenge addresses the need to implement standards and other criteria relevant to school curriculum. “The Green Challenge” promotes higher order thinking skills and enhances student involvement and knowledge in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics...STEM Education. In addition, the challenge helps students become aware of emerging career opportunities in the environmental field and green collar jobs of the future. Presenter: Maria Cotton, Director of the National Talent Network, NJAGC Hall of Fame 2009
A.7 Overcoming Gifted Underachievement in the NCLB Era: Advanced Proficiency for the Gifted NCLB emphasis is on meeting minimum proficiency, so maximums are often ignored. Without regular classroom differentiation, gifted potential will be neither evoked nor identified among those groups that are not achieving proficiency: economically disadvantaged, culturally or linguistically diverse. Global Institute’s Maximizing Potential differentiation will increase both proficiency and advanced proficiency among students of all demographics. Presenters: Robert B. Wilson, Ph.D., – VP for the Global Institute for Maximizing Potential, Inc. Polly Gall – Gifted Education Consultant for the Global Institute A.8 Keeping the Light On: Empowering Gifted Kids to Thrive Through Inspiration, Connection and Engagement What inspires a child? How might inspiration be a child’s fuel, often spelling the difference between motivation and despair? When we unintentionally dismiss the need for engagement or manage the child from the outside in, we can easily and unwittingly lose sight of the person and his/her unique gifts. In this “blind spot,” we miss a critical opportunity to build connectedness from the inside out, to harness that child’s vitality and ideas, and to create pathways for growth, as well as abiding relationships. Presenter: Lu Hanessian, author of acclaimed book Let the Baby Drive, a former NBC anchor, host of “Make Room for Baby” on Discovery Health Channel, and parenting columnist. A.9 If You Build It… They Will Learn Students can become fully engaged by creating their own curriculum-based game. Learn how our decision-makers of tomorrow dealt with pressing environmental issues when they produced and played “Save Our Species”... How they tapped into their consciences by building “What Would You Do?” a journey into Holocaust studies... How they grappled with timely political issues by developing “That’s My Governor.” See their near-commercial quality products and hear directly from students about the process that led them to problem solving and decision making! Presenters: Steve Hochman, Master games creator and consultant Elaine Mendelow, teacher of the gifted; NJAGC Hall of Fame 2003 and Immediate Past-President
A.10 The Parallel Curriculum The Parallel Curriculum Model is a set of four interrelated designs that can be used singly, or in combination, to create or revise existing curriculum units, lessons, or tasks. Each of the four parallels offer a unique approach for organizing content, teaching, and learning that is closely aligned to the special purpose of each parallel. Presenter: Jann Leppien, Ph.D., University of Great Falls, Great Falls, MT
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