A Sneak Peek

Movie goers all over the world report that they enjoy sneak peeks at coming attractions. Sneak peeks intrigue them, pique their curiosity, and nudge them to view the upcoming movie. Sneak peeks are great for sales and great for people, because people love having something to look forward to.
As you know, our virtual WATG Annual Fall Conference, 
 Leading the World Into the Future,
is just around the corner - on October 3, 4, and 5th, and we’d like to give you a continued sneak peek into our schedule. In August’s newsletter we focused on programming for Sunday, October 3, and in this newsletter we will focus on programming for Monday, October 4 and Tuesday, October 5. Both days are filled with national and local speakers, with topics of interest to parents, educators, administrators, and business and community members. Monday, October 4th lineup includes outstanding topics and speakers:

• Are you interested in promoting achievement for advanced learners, and for closing the equity gap? Then Dr. Jonathan Plucker’s keynote address, Addressing Excellence Gaps in Wisconsin: Promoting Advanced Achievement in the 21st Century,  Dr. Donna Ford’s presentation, #EquityMatters: Recruiting and Retaining Minoritized Students in Gifted Education and AP, and this presentation, Increasing Representation by Recognizing, Responding and Nurturing Urban Talent, by Dr. Martha Lopez, Dr. German Diaz, and Susan O’Brien of Milwaukee Public Schools will increase your understanding.
  
• If you are interested in identification and programming for budding young leaders, you will want to check out this workshop, iLead: Creating A Culture Where Everyone Feels They Belong, by Drs. Lopez and Diaz.
  
• Maybe you are interested in the social and emotional needs of gifted children? Then workshops such as Dr. Matt Zakreski’s multiple sessions,  “They’re All Going to Find Out I’m a Fraud!” Combatting Impostor Syndrome in the Gifted Brain, Riding Out the Storm: Managing Emotional Intensity in Gifted Students, and Fostering Creativity In and Outside of the Classroom will satisfy your curiosity.
  
• Perhaps you are wondering about ways to enhance your identification and/or programming for your advanced learners? Darby Pugielli’s Windows and Mirrors: Culturally Relevant Literature as Social-Emotional Learning, or Alonzo Kelly’s The Art of Asking Better Questions; How The Right Questions Lead To More Efficient and Effective Outcomes are sure to provide excellent ideas.
  
• If you are interested in teaching students to advocate for themselves, and then creating spaces where all students are welcomed, Deb Douglas’ workshop, Breaking the Barriers to Self-advocacy for Underserved Gifted Learners, and Alonzo Kelly’s Creating A Culture Where Everyone Feels They Belong, promise to be a perfect fit for you.
  

Tuesday, October 5 is also packed full of powerful workshops and speakers.

• Expanding on the topics of excellence and equity, be sure to check out our second keynote speaker, Dr. Gloria Ladson-Billings. A Wisconsin treasure, Dr. Ladson-Billings’ topics include Uncovering Gifts and Expanding Talents: Using a Talent Development Model to Diversify Gifted and Talented Education Programs and Hiding in Plain Sight: GATE as a Model for Improving Education for All.
  
• Continuing the exploration of social and emotional needs of gifted children and adolescents are workshops entitled, How to Meet the Social Emotional Needs of Low Socioeconomic Status Gifted Students by Erin Bailey, Courtney Sharon, and Robert Gates and Healing from Collective Trauma by Heather Boorman.
  
• Answering this timeless question, What Makes for Defensible Gifted Education?, Dr. Scott Peters, from the University of Wisconsin - Whitewater (one of our very own) will present ideas based on years of experience in our field. 
  
• Piquing our curiosity further, Wisconsin’s Department of Public Instruction gifted and talented education consultant, Dr. Mark Schwingle, in collaboration with Sue Lee, will explore this topic, Differentiation for the Future of our Future Leaders. Combining the ideas of differentiation and the future of leaders and leadership is an intriguing concept. Additionally, Stacci Barganz will expertly delve into the topic of leadership in her workshop entitled, The Student Leadership Challenge.
  
• Rounding out our impressive lineup of speakers and topics are workshops especially designed for classroom teachers and gifted education specialists. They include: Creative Education by Hector Rivera, Inquiry Based Activities for People and the Planet by Lindsey Bailey, How to Differentiate with Problem Based Learning by Erin Bailey and Courtney Sharon, Cultivating Equitable Mindsets to Lead Into the Future by Stacy Broach, Christina Thuli, and Amy Bethel, and The Best Laid Plans: Developing Expert Learners in the Classroom by Terese Weiler and Sharon Schultz.
  

We hope that this sneak peek into our conference planning will fire up your imagination and your willingness to learn and grow. We hope that we are giving you an event to look forward to. We are definitely looking forward to seeing you on October 3, 4, and 5th for the many coming attractions!
WATG extends a huge thank you to Dr. German Diaz of Milwaukee Public Schools for translating this article into Spanish for our families and educators who speak Spanish. The translation can also be found on our website.