2010 Annual Conference

Friday, March 5, 2010

Workshop Session II 

2:35 – 3:35 P.M.

B.1   A Mathematical Roadtrip – Part II 

As a continuation of his talk in session one, Dr. Wang will show how topics normally taught to math majors in college (such as abstract algebra) can be taught to elementary and middle school students. Usually interactive demonstrations of “mathemagics,” he will amaze audience members with the power, versatility, and beauty of math. This workshop is designed to spark the interest of even the most math-phobic and is appropriate for teachers and parents of students of all ages!
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.

B.2   Bridges and Pringles: Two Creative Problem Solving Units that Work

This session will be divided into two thirty-minute segments. Each segment will focus on a creative problem solving activity that is appropriate for grades four through seven. These activities, which ask students to find creative solutions to problems with a real-world connection, are designed to encourage students to utilize and develop their creative and critical thinking skills.
Presenter: Marsha Sepesi, teacher of the gifted

B.3   Excellence with Equity in Identification and Programming for the Gifted 

Presenters will offer a low cost, high quality gifted identification and program model that finds and develops exceptional potential of all students, including those who are underachieving, poor, and culturally diverse. Recommendations are based on the National Report on Identification, written by Dr. Richert for the U.S. Dept. of Education.  Implementation of these findings has produced statistically significant increases on NJ tests.

Presenters:

E. Susanne Richert, Ph.D., VP for the Global Institute for Maximizing Potential, Inc.

Polly Gall – Gifted Education Consultant for the Global Institute

B.4   Meeting of the Minds: Connecting Classmates with Digital Differentiated Instruction 

Educators now have opportunities to create cyber classrooms that can link learning to students after the brick-and-mortar school bell rings. Learn the benefit of using digital differentiated instruction. Discover how to transform your classroom website into a teaching portal. Learn to use the Internet to conduct role-based, online literature circles to extend literacy discussions and analysis.
Presenter: Cynthia Pope, teacher and coordinator of the gifted, technology coach, online instructor with Northwestern University’s Gifted Learning Links, 2009 Gifted Child Society Fellow

B.5   MISSION POSSIBLE: Parenting Gifted Children

What you must do for a gifted child...what you must not do...and the principles that will help you know the difference. This is a practical workshop, with theoretical underpinnings. It will address parenting, social and emotional issues, school issues, and much more. The presenter will share insights gained through personal experience with home-schooling a gifted child.
Presenter: Mary Beth Mueller, teacher and coordinator of the gifted

B.6   Master Shakespeare, I Presume!

Introduce your students to William Shakespeare and his stories. From the lack of bathing in Elizabethan times to the reasons for the Weird Sisters- learn how to turn your students on to Shakespeare’s life, times and works. Handouts will include content, activities and resources. 

Presenter: Kathleen Cafasso, G/T Specialist; NJAGC Sussex County contact; In-service trainer

B.7   Holding a Science Fair in the Primary Grades 

Science fairs are a great way to introduce young children to inquiry-based research, reasoning, and higher-level thinking. The presenters will share their experience in developing authentic science fairs for children, complete with forms, timelines, and guidelines that can be implemented this school year in grades one through four.

Joseph Jones, Specialist in gifted education; NJAGC Educator of the Year 2008, Recipient of the NJ Governor’s Award

Lynn Myers, Specialist in gifted education, Recipient of the NJ Governor’s Award

B.8   Research and Project Based Learning: How to Create Unbelievable Student Designed Exhibits

Learn how to showcase your academically talented students’ work! Teach them how to fully immerse themselves in self-directed research-based projects utilizing important educational skills such as technology, team building and public speaking. Then, guide them in building exhibits that effectively share their results with others.
Presenter: Lori Horn, teacher of the gifted

B.9   Educate and Inspire Your Gifted Students 

Help your school meet the NJ Mandate-- all public schools must have a board-approved gifted and talented program! This presentation will serve as an overview of programs offered through the National Talent Network, the gifted and talented service of the Educational Information and Resource Center. Visit this workshop and become a part of a statewide network of educators who strive to educate and inspire all children, including the gifted! 

Presenter: Maria Cotton, Director National Talent Network, NJAGC 2009 Hall of Fame Awardee

B.10   MAP: Challenging Gifted Students and Identifying Their Instructional Needs 

Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) assessments challenge every student at his or her personal instructional level, not their grade level. Educators and parents will find out how these computerized tests are generated and what reports and resources are provided to understand the student’s instructional needs and the growth he/she is achieving. 

Presenter: Jim Tilghman, representative for the Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA), a not-for-profit association that developed assessments to provide data that, unlike the usual summative standardized tests administered at the end of the school year, could be acquired and utilized throughout the school year to focus on the individual needs of students.