NAGC 2023

The following links will provide you information about our...

Logo of NAGC conference

Presentations by UConn Affiliated Faculty and Students

Thursday, November 9

The Essential What and Why of Curriculum for Gifted and Talented Students
8:00 – 11:30 am | Yucatan 1/2
Tamra Stambaugh (Whitworth University), Christine Deitz (University of Arkansas at Little Rock), Catherine A. Little, Shelagh A. Gallagher (Engaged Education)

Friday, November 10

Differentiate Up! A Guide to Plan and Organize Differentiation
8:00 – 9:00 am | Coronado M/N
Susan Dulong Langley, Ashley Y. Carpenter (William & Mary), Kenneth J. Wright, Luis Orione Ferreira, Kelly L. Kearney

Developing Creative Problem-solving and Computational Thinking Skills in Gifted Learners
9:15 – 9:45 am | Monterey 1
Lihong Xie, Gregory T. Boldt

Research to Guide Practice: Findings from the National Research Center That Practitioners Need to Know
9:15 – 10:15 am | Durango 1
Del Siegle

How Much Teacher Is in the Teacher Rating Scale?
10:30 – 11:30 am | Coronado D/E
Betsy McCoach, Scott J. Peters (Houghton-Mifflin-Harcourt), Daniel A. Long

Paradigms of Giftedness: Understanding the Debate over Policy and Practice (Poster 49)
12:00 – 1:00 pm | Veracruz Exhibit Hall
John P. Burrell

Exhibitor Workshop: Renzulli Learning: Differentiated, Infused, Enriched Experiences for Students
2:30 – 3:30 pm | Cancun
Sally R. Reis, Coral Marsh (Pinellas County Schools)

Saturday, November 11       

Lessons Learned from Javits Projects: How Talented Teachers Develop Their Talents
8:00 – 9:00 am | Coronado J
Ann Robinson (University of Arkansas at Little Rock), Tamra Stambaugh (Whitworth University), Catherine A. Little

Developing Math Talent in Students Across All Classroom Settings: Let’s Explore Algebra!
9:15 – 10:15 am | Coronado L
Katherine Gavin

The Devil Is in the Details: Creating an Effective Universal Screening Process
9:15 – 10:15 am | Fiesta 5
Lindsay Lee (East Tennessee State University), Scott J. Peters (Houghton-Mifflin-Harcourt), Matthew Makel (University of Calgary), D. Betsy McCoach, Kiana Johnson (East Tennessee State University)

Signature Session: NAGC at 70: Where We Are, Where We’ve Been, Where We’re Going
10:30 – 11:30 am | Coronado H
Joy Lawson Davis (Johns Hopkins Univ & Bridges Academy Graduate School), Joseph S. Renzulli, Robert Sternberg, Joyce VanTassel-Baska (College of William and Mary), Lauri B. Kirsch (NAGC)

Yet They Created and Persisted: Cultivating Social-Emotional Wellness in Creative Learners
10:30 – 11:30 am | Fiesta 7/8
Lihong Xie, Julie H. Delgado, Gregory T. Boldt, Talbot S. Hook

Grant Writing 101: Tips for Successful Funding Proposals
1:15 – 2:15 pm | Durango 2
Del Siegle, D. Betsy McCoach, Catherine A. Little

Using the Schoolwide Enrichment Model to Develop the Gifts and Talents of Underrepresented and Twice-Exceptional Students
1:15 – 2:15 pm | Fiesta 3/4
Sally R. Reis, Joseph S. Renzulli

Eliciting Advanced Learning Evidence: A Dynamic Approach for Gifted English Learners
2:30 – 3:00 pm | Coronado J
Susan Dulong Langley, Del Siegle, John P. Burrell

Beyond Identification: Practical Strategies to Enhance English Learner Education
3:00 – 3:30 pm | Coronado J
Shana D. Lusk, Susan Dulong Langley

Professional Learning to Increase Understanding and Use of Academic Acceleration
3:45 – 4:45 pm | Coronado K
Daniel A. Long, Del Siegle, D. Betsy McCoach, Susan Assouline (Belin-Blank Center at University of Iowa)

Pulling Back the Curtain: Cultivating a Media and Critical Thinking Partnership
3:45 – 4:45 pm | Yucatan 1/2
Shannon McDonald

Signature Session: Teaching Controversial Topics
3:45 – 4:45 pm | Coronado H
Sally R. Reis, Matthew Fugate (Bridges Graduate School of Cognitive Diversity in Education), Jessica Wright (Florida Freedom to Read Project), Viviana Prieto (Marion County Public Schools)

The Pentatech: 5 Tech Competencies for 21st-century Gifted Students
3:45 – 4:45 pm | Durango 2
Talbot S. Hook

Two Decades of Equity in Action: Developing Talent in the Young Scholars Model
3:45 – 4:45 pm | Cabanas Beach
Molly Hammel (Eden Prairie Schools), Carol V. Horn, Catherine A. Little, Kirsten Maloney (Fairfax County Public Schools), Cheryl A. McCullough (Arlington Public Schools)

Sunday, November 12 

Curriculum Planning for the Gifted in the Regular Classroom
8:00 – 9:00 am | Coronado L
Joyce VanTassel-Baska (College of William and Mary), Tamra Stambaugh (Whitworth University), Catherine A. Little                                            

Potential or Privilege? The Bare Necessities of Equitable Identification in Early Childhood
9:15 – 10:15 am | Coronado M/N
Rebecca L. O’Brien (Whitworth University), Meryl Faulkner (Denver Public Schools), Kelly L. Kearney

Research-to-practice Lightning Talks: The Latest Research That Practitioners Need to Know
9:15 – 10:15 am | Monterrey 2/3
Karen E. Rambo-Hernandez (Texas A&M University), Matthew Makel (University of Calgary), Scott J. Peters (Houghton-Mifflin-Harcourt), Dante D. Dixson (Michigan State University), Daniel A. Long, Anne N. Rinn (University of North Texas), Megan Foley Nicpon (University of Iowa Belin-Blank Center), Hyeseong Lee (Lewis University)

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

12 Misconceptions About Gifted Students

Gifted students  have unique intellectual and emotional needs, but misconceptions about them persist. Some of the common misconceptions teachers might have about gifted students include:

  1. All Gifted Students are Alike: Just as with any other group of students, gifted students have individual strengths, weaknesses, interests, and needs.
  2. Gifted Students Don’t Need Help: Being intellectually gifted doesn’t mean a student is adept in all areas. They may excel in one area while struggling in another.
  3. They'll Do Fine on Their Own: Without appropriate challenges and support, gifted students can become disengaged, underachieve, or develop behavioral problems.
  4. Giftedness Equals High Achievement: Some gifted students may not perform well in traditional school settings. Their potential might be masked by factors like twice-exceptionality (being gifted alongside a learning or physical disability) or lack of motivation.
  5. Gifted Students Are Mature in All Areas: While they might be academically advanced, they can still be emotionally and socially at par with their age peers or even lag behind.
  6. Acceleration is Harmful: Acceleration (e.g., grade skipping, early entrance) can be highly beneficial for some gifted students when done appropriately, but it is often avoided due to misconceptions.
  7. More Homework is the Solution: Simply giving more of the same type of work can be tedious and demotivating. Gifted students often benefit more from depth and complexity rather than just volume.
  8. Giftedness is Solely Academic: While many definitions of giftedness focus on academics, students can also be gifted in areas such as the arts, leadership, or athletics.
  9. Gifted Programs are Elitist: This misconception arises from the idea that providing special programs for gifted students is unfair. However, just as students with learning disabilities receive specialized support, gifted students also have unique learning needs that should be addressed.
  10. All Students are Gifted in Some Way: While every student has unique strengths and talents, not all students meet the criteria for giftedness in an academic or intellectual sense.
  11. Without Special Training, Teachers Can't Challenge Gifted Students:  While specialized training is beneficial, even teachers without it can use strategies like differentiation and addressing student interests to better cater to the needs of gifted students in their classroom.
  12. Gifted Students Don’t Have Disabilities: This overlooks the twice-exceptional students who are both gifted and have learning or physical disabilities. Their needs are particularly complex as their giftedness can sometimes mask their disabilities and vice versa.

Recognizing and addressing these misconceptions is vital for educators to create an environment where gifted students are understood, supported, and challenged appropriately.