Presentations from the University of Connecticut Team

Presentations by UConn Affiliated Faculty and Students

Thursday, November 5

Poster Sessions
5:15 – 6:30 PM | Exhibit Hall E

Poster 25: Purposeful Grouping & Talent Spotting in MLL Math Potential – Celeste D.C Sodergren, Kelly L Kearney, Susan Dulong Langley, Kelly Dausel-McGehee, John P. Burrell

Poster 26: From Research to Reach: How Can the TRAIN Framework Build Capacity in Gifted Education? – Kelly Dausel-McGehee, Celeste D.C. Sodergren, Susan Dulong Langley, Kelly L. Kearney

Poster 38: Light the Spark; Build the Bridge: Engaging Gifted Students in Challenging Tasks – John P. Burrell, Susan Dulong Langley, Del Siegle, Kelly L. Kearney, Kelly Dausel-McGehee

Poster 73: The Gifted Language Bridge: Rigorous, Accessible Learning for Multilingual Learners – Susan Dulong Langley, Shana D. Lusk (Western Colorado University)

Poster 74: From What You Have Now to "WOW!" Tweaking Mathematics to Equitably Spot Potential – Susan Dulong Langley, John P. Burrell, Del Siegle, Kelly Dausel-McGehee

Friday, November 6

Discourse in Action: Elevating Classroom Conversations for Equity and Excellence
9:15 – 10:00 AM | S202ABC
Casey Hogan, Jimmy Wilson, Shannon McDonald

I Have a Good Question: Now What?
9:15 – 10:45 AM | N104ABC
Tamra Stambaugh (Whitworth University), Catherine A. Little

Three Non-Negotiables for Schools Promoting Talent Development
10:15 – 11:00 AM | S203AB
Del Siegle

A Report from Filling the Gap: Universal Educator Preparation in Gifted Education
1:15 – 2:15 PM | N207AB
Shelagh Gallagher (Center for Gifted Education, William & Mary), Catherine A. Little, Shelli Frazier Trotman Scott (University of West Georgia), Jimmy Adams (NASDTEC)

Saturday, November 7

Exploring Depth: Differentiating Upward for Advanced Learners
8:00 – 9:00 AM | S202ABC
Kelly DauselCasey Hogan, Talbot S. Hook (University of Georgia)

Navigating Uncertainty: Sustainability and the Future of Gifted Education
8:00 – 9:00 AM | N208BC
Eric C. Calvert (Northwestern University), Lindsay Lee (Elmbridge University), Celeste D.C. Sodergren, Wendy A. Behrens (Minnesota Department of Education), Frank C. Worrell (University of California, Berkeley), Kelsey R. Karcher (Richardson Independent School District), David Yun Y Dai (State University of New York at Albany)

An AI Skeptic and Enthusiast Take on AI Coding and Projects: Apps, Websites, and Games
9:15 – 10:00 AM | N208BC
Jimmy Wilson, Casey Hogan

Transforming Recordings of Classroom Discussions into Pedagogical Recommendations
11:15 – 11:45 AM | N105
Brittney Hernandez, Hima Raveendran, Kelsi Melnick

Sunday, November 8

Side-by-Side Success: Leveraging Push-In & Co-Teaching to Build Teacher Capacity
8:00 – 9:00 AM | N208BC
Ashley Y. Carpenter (Center for Gifted Education, William & Mary), Del Siegle, Susan Dulong Langley, Kelly L. Kearney, Kenneth J. Wright (BYU Arts Partnership)

Spotting Creative Potential: How to Recognize Creativity Before It Shows Up on a Test
8:00 – 9:00 AM | N206AB
Cyndi Burnett (Creativity and Education/ Fueling Creativity in Education Podcast), Matthew Worwood (University of Connecticut/ Fueling Creativity in Education Podcast)

R&E Research-To-Practice Lightning Talks
9:15 – 10:15 AM | N204C
Rebecca (Becki) M. Johnson (Purdue University), Lindsay Lee (Elmbridge University), Jeb S. Puryear (University of Montana), Celeste D.C. Sodergren, Talbot S. Hook (University of Georgia) Angie L. Miller (Indiana University Bloomington), Harman Castillo-Hermosilla (Purdue University), Scott J. Peters (NWEA), Alexandra Vuyk (Universidad Católica Nuestra Señora de la Asunció Aikumby Center for High Abilities and Creativity), Susan Solomon (JKL Bahweting Anishinaabe PSA), Maryann R. Hebda (Texas A&M University)

 

 

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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.