Dana Deloach’s TAGT Experience (2011)

Thank you for sending us to the TAGT Conference in Austin.

We attended several very good sessions.

Session CIS-016
Going Shopping Door to Door

In this session we learned out to set up our GT classroom as a shopping mall. This method helps learners to take responsibility for learning and helps them to share information with others. In a secondary math classroom it would be good for definitions to start a unit. The students would research the words with symbols and pictures and and then “sell” the definitions “door to door” to others in the room. This is a great activity for students to move around and get all the terms in the beginning of the unit.

Session NN-423
Happy Classrooms from Ha Ha to Ah Ha

In this session we learned that brain research shows that it is easier to learn whe you are socially connected. This is especially true for GT students who sometimes feel like outcasts.
Using humor in the classroom:

• attracts attention
• improves mood
• reduces stress
• helps retain info and memory retrieval
• energy in classroom goes up
• enhances self esteem
• makes everyone feel good

Session CIS-066
Research base hands on activities Make it  take it.

In this session we learned about numerous “green” hands on activities that we can do to enhance learning. We actually made several things using brown paper bags and envelopes. This idea of having the students make creative things helps to engage all parts of the brain and therefore will enhance learning. The ideas would work in a secondary GT mathematics classroom because it would allows students a creative output in which to learn the mathematics.

Ideas of hands on activities are:

• making a fold-able envelope to hold all the important information of a particular unit
• make a book with numerous pages to present problems/ ideas learned
• use a coffee cup to make a book

Session CIS-029
In search iof the 21st century classroom.

In this session we learned many ways to engage the students with technology. Technology is here to stay.
21st century classroom idea that were presented were:

• skype…skype can be used to have classroom discussion with a profession in the field
• facebook discussion groups
• cell phones respionse polling
• you tube for real life videos
• music to enhance mood
• cameras/ videos
• browse internet with phones etc etc
• video storytelling
• electronic flash cards

Session DC-205
The General Session with Dr. Bertie Kingore. Dr. Kingore stated that differentiating for GT kids is vital.

the Gifted Learner has 4 basic rights.

A. right to continuous learning at the highest level

B. right to their uniqueness

C. Unconditional encouragement

D. right to long term study

She stated that even if you did not agree with her they were great topics for discussion.

Session DC-213
Challenging Gifted students in secondary classrooms Susan Winebrenner.

• She stated the pace must be faster and must go deeper.
•  the best thing we took from this session was to have the students to work in pairs and in pairs put the blurters with blurters because they rob the other students.
• she used compacting and planning chars.
•  a must read from her is in NYMag.com “How no to talk to your kids”

Session DC-228
How we are lied to , cheated and manipulated by statistics Ed Zaccaro

Showed vital statics and how they are skewed. Very useful in statics units.

Gave great examples and showed the myth, examples are in every day newspapers.

Challenge the students to find the fallacy.

Session O-505
TAMS

We spoke to the TAMS representative and asked about the calculator they use; any TI product. In the teacher recommendations they are looking for initiative on the student.

Thanks again for the opportunity to attend this GT conference in Austin.