Professional Development
In order to share the vast experience of academy members, CAEGTC has developed a variety of approaches to providing professional development for educators of the gifted, talented and creative:
- Ask an Expert
- Expert Panels
- Gifted Education e-Tips
- Mentoring Programs
"Ask an Expert" offers opportunities for professional educators from any setting or background to ask Academy members specific questions about giftedness and/or the education of gifted children. Questions are addressed by Academy members who have expertise related to the topic of the question, and are answered in a concise and timely manner. This question-and-answer exchange is handled entirely online.
To take advantage of this opportunity, simply complete this form and submit your question. You will receive a personal reply from an Academy member within 72 hours. Your personal information will not be shared with or made available to anyone else.
Expert Panels
The members of the Academy of Educators for the Gifted, Talented, and Creative (CAEGTC) have been employed as directors, coordinators, lead teachers, and in other key roles in programs for gifted education across the state of Colorado and elsewhere. Many also are or have been college or university instructors and professors of gifted education. Due to this vast experience gifted education, the Academy membership provides a rich resource of information and practical guidance for others interested in increasing their professional knowledge base and skill in working with and teaching gifted students.
At the request of schools, districts, intermediate school agencies, and other organizations, CAEGTC will provide an Expert Panel to meet with educator groups (school faculties, gifted education teachers, administrators, etc.) to address topics and concerns, strategies and methods relating to the education of gifted students. An Expert Panel, comprised of three or more Academy members, will come to your site or event to field questions, provide experience-based perspective, discuss curriculum design and instructional practice, and address other gifted education issues with your education practitioners. The services of our Expert Panels are free of cost, with a few exceptions.
Gifted Education eTips
Gifted Education eTips is a service project of the Colorado Academy of Educators for the Gifted, Talented, and Creative (CAEGTC). It involves series of email messages to classroom teachers and other educators who have any role in the education of exceptionally able students, providing information and practical tips relating to teaching and working with gifted children in general and special educational programs .
Every teacher has the responsibility to work effectively with all students in every classroom, including gifted and talented students. This means being able to recognize what makes gifted students different from other students and being able to respond to these differences through appropriate instructional and curriculum modifications and strategies. Gifted Education eTips provide short, clear, and do-able strategies that teachers can use to recognize gifted learners and to respond to their educational needs in the classroom setting.
A gifted education coordinator for a school or school district requests an eTips package -- primary, intermediate, middle level, or secondary -- from CAEGTC. The series of eTips are then sent via email by a school or district coordinator on a weekly basis over a 10-12 week period to selected school or district faculty and staff. Every eTips message includes information about specific ways to recognize gifted students’ needs and a specific strategy to address these needs. Messages are short and to the point, and can be printed or saved for future reference and application. Included with every message is a list of resources for further information.
Using a series of messages sent regularly over time provides better opportunity for producing growth and change in professional teachers’ classroom instruction and planning than a single article, larger publication, or presentation. eTips give more exposures to information and ideas spaced over a period of time, with opportunity for reflection and action on the part of recipients. Feedback from users shows that Gifted Education eTips can produce a positive impact on educators’ attitudes, professional knowledge and skill, confidence, and on-the-job behavior in working with gifted children as a consequence of the 10-12 week project.
Mentoring Programs
The Gifted Education Mentoring Programs are a no-cost service effort of the Academy of Educators for the Gifted, Talented, and Creative (CAEGTC). The primary purpose of this effort is to promote and provide opportunities for personalized professional development for educators interested in the education of gifted, talented, and creative students. Two mentoring options are available -- Personal Mentorships and E-Mentorships.
Personal Mentorships
Personal Mentorships match a motivated educator with a qualified Academy mentor. Together they work to design and carry out learning activities tailored to the educator's specific professional development interests, needs, and goals. The objective of this type of mentorship is to help the educator expand and enhance his/her professional competence and knowledge in educating gifted and talented students.
The Personal Mentorship option begins with a face-to-face meeting between the Academy mentor and the educator mentee, at which time a mentorship plan is developed. The mentorship then takes place over a course of time that is determined by the educator and the mentor. The length of the Personal Mentorship is dictated by the mentee's interests and planned learning activities and by mutual agreement between the mentor and educator.
Personal Mentorships require strong motivation and discipline on the part of the educator in order to sustain personalized professional development. This mentorship approach usually creates a more satisfying and deep learning experience, as well as stronger professional competence and confidence.
E-Mentorships
Similar to the Personal Mentorship, the E-Mentorship involves an Academy mentor and the motivated educator in a learning program intended to achieve the educator's learning goals and purposes relating to gifted education. However, this mentorship usually is relatively short-term and takes place entirely on-line through email, chat, and other electronic communication. This mentorship approach especially serves educators and mentors who are geographically separated where meeting together would be largely impractical.