Webcast Details
Aired on: September 11th, 2018
3:30–4:30 p.m. (ET)
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Our Guest(s) This Week
Wendy Behrens
Wendy Behrens is an author and the Gifted and Talented Education Specialist for the Minnesota Department of Education. She also serves as Project Director for Project North Star, a 2015 Jacob K. Javits Grant awarded to the Minnesota Department of Education. Behrens presents frequently on the nature and needs of gifted learners, instructional strategies, comprehensive service design, and policies that support highly able learners. She has been an invited speaker in the United States, Middle East, Far East, and Europe. She is President of the Council of State Directors of Programs for the Gifted and received the President’s award from the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) in 2013. She is an elected U.S. delegate to the World Council on Gifted, and a member of NAGC Policy Task Force and advisory councils for the Center for Talent Development and The Grayson School.
Cori Paulet
Cori Paulet holds an MA in gifted, creative, and talented education from the University of St. Thomas, MN. A Project Manager on two Jacob K. Javits federal research grants, she is focused on supporting underrepresented students in gifted and talented programs. Paulet works closely with stakeholders to develop and upscale services for traditionally underidentified and underserved gifted students, to create and teach K-2 lessons for higher-order thinking skills, and to conduct professional development on the social and emotional needs of gifted students. Paulet has led a twice-exceptional parent support group and presented informational sessions to parents about the nature and needs of gifted children. Based on her background in public television production, Paulet maintains a strong interest in helping others share their unique stories. She has designed and taught curriculum for personal essay writing and college/ career preparation skills to economically disadvantaged and culturally diverse learners in urban high schools.
This Week's Topic
Gifted and high potential learners attending rural schools are often isolated and underserved. What can be done to prepare educators, istrators, families, and communities to recognize and respond to the unique needs of these at-risk students? In this webcast, representatives of the Minnesota Department of Education will discuss Project North Star, a federal research grant creating professional development materials and community resources intended to improve outcomes for these students.
This Solutions to the Dropout Crisis webcast will look at
- challenges in identifying and supporting traditionally under-represented gifted students;
- the importance of school, family, and community partnerships to meet the unique cognitive, social, and emotional needs of gifted and high potential learners;
- key research findings related to Project North Star;
- implementation of Project North Star’s three-pronged approach; and
- ways to increase understanding and build capacity within schools and communities to sustain services that meet the needs of gifted students.