TAGT giftED19: Full Schedule

9:00am CST

Identifying Giftedness Among ELL Populations

Identification of gifted students, particularly English Language Learners and students from diverse backgrounds, must become more inclusive to serve the gifted population. Participants will learn how using multiple measures to identify is beneficial and more accurate to identifying giftedness within a diverse population and far more accurate than traditional measures.

Speakers

Anna Payne

Doctoral Student, Baylor University

Anna Payne is a doctoral student at Baylor University in educational psychology, with a focus on gifted students in mathematics. She has supervised student teachers, as well as working with innovative options for professional learning at the Belin-Blank Center (University of Iowa... Read More →

Yasmin Laird

Doctoral Student, Baylor University

Yasmin Laird is a doctoral student at Baylor University in educational psychology with a focus in foreign language acquisition. She has worked with gifted students at all levels, as well as taught AP Spanish courses. Yasmin is also passionate about working with students from low socioeconomic... Read More →

ESL gifted pptx

Wednesday December 4, 2019 9:00am - 10:00am CST
Goldenrod JW Marriott Hill Country Hotel

Breakout, Identification and Assessment

Core Area Identification and Assessment
Audience Teachers, Campus specialists
Session Level Applied
Keywords ELL, Identification, Gifted+Equity Track

9:00am CST

Challenge Accepted: Practical Approaches to Equitable Identification

The gifted community wants equity in identification...challenge accepted! Let’s begin to actively evolve the identification process in our classrooms. By taking a bold look at barriers to access, we’ll then explore varied approaches that teachers can use--including a hands-on experience in active identification. Join the cause and take solutions back to your classroom!

Speakers

Justin Vawter

CEO, NuMinds Enrichment

Justin Vawter lives on the fringe of education, a creative spark working tirelessly to redefine the educational narrative and make the learning experience more impactful and meaningful. He holds a Masters degree in Curriculum Design and Instruction from the University of North Texas... Read More →

Ben Koch

Co-Founder, NuMinds

Ben Koch is driven to unite people to a greater vision and cause in education and self-development. Through coaching, teaching, and delivering progressive workshops and talks he seeks to expand horizons in education, leadership, and personal development. Driven to make a broader impact... Read More →

Wednesday December 4, 2019 9:00am - 12:00pm CST
Cibolo 5 JW Marriott Hill Country Hotel

Deep Dives, Identification and Assessment

Core Area Identification and Assessment
Audience Teachers, Campus-Level Specialists
Session Level Applied
Keywords ELL, Equity/Diversity, Identification

4:00pm CST

Embrace the G/T Space: Get Techie With It

Get techie with the G/T digital generation through websites and apps that will engage students in using these digital tools to embrace their learning in English and Spanish. Get ready to inspire students and ignite projects, using empowering technologies, as used in our Connecting Worlds/Mundos Unidos Two-Way Dual Language G/T Magnet Program.

Speakers

Laila Ferris

Principal, Mesita ECDC/Elementary School, El Paso ISD

Laila Ferris has been the Principal of Mesita Early Childhood Development Center/Elementary School for 28 years, in the El Paso ISD. She has worked with the implementation of the Connecting Worlds/Mundos Unidos G/T Dual Language magnet program for 27 years. She received her Bachelors... Read More →

Wednesday December 4, 2019 4:00pm - 5:00pm CST
Cibolo 6 JW Marriott Hill Country Hotel

Breakout, Creativity and Instructional Strategies

Core Area Creativity and Instructional Strategies
Audience All
Session Level Applied
Keywords Creativity, ELL, Technology, Grades K-5

4:00pm CST

G/T and ELL . . . Now What?

Discover the common characteristics of English language learners (ELLs) who are gifted and talented and how to nurture the high abilities of students with limited English proficiency. Attain numerous strategies and free online resources for creating an optimal learning environment for gifted and talented ELLs.

Speakers

Tracy Dennis

Director of Instruction, Flour Bluff ISD

Tracy has served in education for over 25 years as an elementary and a middle school teacher, a campus instructional specialist, a campus administrator, an educational specialist at Region 13 Education Service Center, instructional coach and a district administrator.

GTconferenceHandouts2019 TDennis pdf

Websites4GTandELL NowWhatNov2019BlackWhite pdf

GT and ELL Now What2019 pdf

1TDennis JPG

Wednesday December 4, 2019 4:00pm - 5:00pm CST
Bluebonnet/Dogwood JW Marriott Hill Country Hotel

Breakout, Differentiated Curriculum

Core Area Differentiated Curriculum
Audience All
Session Level Applied
Keywords 2E, ELL, Gifted+Equity Track

11:00am CST

Get Them Thinking! Keep Them Thinking!

One of the key challenges in serving gifted students is to move them beyond learning the content to thinking about the content. This session will focus on skills and strategies that need to be developed in gifted students to help them operate successful in the 21st century.

Speakers

Joyce Juntune

Instructional Professor, Texas A&M University

Dr. Joyce Juntune is an Instructional Professor in the Department of Educational Psychology at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. She began her teaching career as a first grade teacher in Minnesota. Her later teaching experiences included migrant students in the San Joaquin... Read More →

Get & Keep Them Thinking HO pdf

Thursday December 5, 2019 11:00am - 12:00pm CST
Grand Oaks PQ JW Marriott Hill Country Hotel

Breakout, Creativity and Instructional Strategies

Core Area Creativity and Instructional Strategies
Audience Teachers, Campus specialists
Session Level Foundational
Keywords Creativity, ELL, Critical Thinking

1:00pm CST

In Search of Equity: Removing Barriers to the Identification of At-Risk Populations

The identification of students for services is challenging for even the most experienced professional. In this interactive session we will explore root causes that lead to under-representation and solutions that remove barriers, increase equity, and opportunity for students who may live in poverty and/or are English learners or twice exceptional.

Speakers

Wendy Behrens

State Director/Gifted Education Specialist, Minnesota Department of Education

Wendy Behrens is the Gifted Education Specialist for the Minnesota Department of Education and Director of Project North Star, a Javits Grant. Previously she worked as a district gifted services coordinator and consultant for the Science Museum of Minnesota. She frequently presents... Read More →

Thursday December 5, 2019 1:00pm - 4:00pm CST
Bluebonnet/Dogwood JW Marriott Hill Country Hotel

Deep Dives, Identification and Assessment

Core Area Identification and Assessment
Audience All
Session Level Foundational
Keywords 2E, ELL, Identification, Gifted+Equity Track, Grades 3-5, Grades 6-8

2:30pm CST

Supporting Undocumented Students and Families From K-12 to Higher Education

Educators have the legal and moral responsibility to educate and support students regardless of their immigration status. This session will provide an overview of policies affecting undocumented students, best practices for creating safe and welcoming schools, and resources designed for K-12 educators supporting undocumented students.

Speakers

Viridiana Carrizales

Co-Founder and CEO, ImmSchools

Viridiana was born in Michoacán, Mexico and immigrated with her family to the United States when she was 11 years old. In 2017, Viridiana co-founded ImmSchools, an organization that partners with K-12 educators to support undocumented students and families. Her passion for education... Read More →

Thursday December 5, 2019 2:30pm - 3:30pm CST
Goldenrod JW Marriott Hill Country Hotel

Breakout, Law and Policy

Core Area Law and Policy
Audience Teachers, Counselors
Session Level Foundational
Keywords ELL, Parents/Community, Advocacy, Gifted+Equity Track, Grades 6-8, Grades 9-12

4:30pm CST

Literature That Connects to G/T Students

Research shows that when students "see" themselves within the pages of a book, their mind is more open and receptive. Our gifted population is certainly no exception. Participants will be exposed to a variety of texts with gifted characters. In addition, twice-exceptional students will be highlighted.

Speakers

Melissa Saphos

Texas Education Service Center Region 6

Melissa Saphos has always been a teacher at heart, although she took a twisty path to get there! She has enjoyed a career in journalism, marketing, banking, and education and considers herself fortunate for the experiences that allow her to advocate for teachers and learners. She... Read More →

Thursday December 5, 2019 4:30pm - 5:30pm CST
Bluebonnet/Dogwood JW Marriott Hill Country Hotel

Breakout, Creativity and Instructional Strategies

Core Area Creativity and Instructional Strategies
Audience Teachers, Parents
Session Level Foundational
Keywords 2E, ELA/Reading, ELL, Grades K-5