11 - 12 MARCH 2022

Room: P9

Angela Perquin

A mathematically gifted student with ADHD: individualised strategies for academic development

A mathematically gifted high school student with ADHD will have unique strengths and challenges. Recognition and documentation of these individual characteristics is prerequisite for appropriate and inclusive education, and the suggestion is that improvements can be made. But beyond that, educators should be seeking to enhance their outcomes, since the world needs these people to solve problems with their insightful out-of-the-box thinking, to lead and inspire others with their drive, and to be courageous creative risk takers. This Masters Project case study seeks to examine the classroom experiences for one such student. The context is a large, regional State high school in Queensland. The findings show disengagement in mathematics and misplaced advanced verbal abilities. Subsequently, it recommends research supported strategies that can enable teachers to appreciate and develop academic strengths, encourage growth, and support engagement in, and demonstration of, the depth of knowledge and understanding of, the curriculum.

Bio: Angela Perquin is a qualified physics and mathematics teacher, and works as a part-time consulting engineer. She is mother to four and relishes challenge. She feels strongly that the misunderstandings around, and stigma often associated with, ADHD can hinder both the recognition of gifts and the development of students’ potential in mathematics and science.

Room: P10

Michele Juratowitch

Many forms of Differentiation.

Room: P11

Christie Meiklejohn

An Illustration of Practice: Case Management of a Twice Exceptional Learner with Highly Individualised Needs

This presentation outlines how the case management approach we take at Albany Hills State School has changed the educational experience of a twice-exceptional student with highly individualised needs. This student came to our school at the beginning of Year 2 and how we have impacted upon this student to support him to reach his potential.

Bio: Christie Meiklejohn is the Head of Department: Curriculum and full-time gifted education coordinator at Albany Hills State School. She has been teaching for 18 years and has had a diverse range of experiences, having worked at four schools, a university, two regional offices and central office during that time. She is proudly neurodiverse, having been diagnosed with autism and ADHD later in life. Christie is passionate about gifted education, twice-exceptionality and state schooling and is a strong advocate for the development of gifted education in schools.

Room: P9

Paul Cavanagh

The Titans program.

For the last 2 years I have been running a trial program at Sheldon College with students from years 7-10 called the Titan’s program. Built around concepts related to gifted and talented students, the Titan’s program focussed on providing support and agency for students who may fall into the gifted category. In this program I have offered: weekly soft skill workshops, set up personal mentors, arranged visits to senior subjects, created an annual publication of works selected by students, arranged the participation in competitions and activities that encourage students to extend themselves.

Bio: Paul has been a secondary teacher for 20 years in the state system(15 years) and now the private system. My specialty areas are English and Senior History as well as computer studies. Over the last decade, I have been gravitating towards a focus on GT students through my work in the state system with gifted writers and now at Sheldon College where I have been coordinating the Titan’s for 2 years. I have been very lucky to be mentored by wonderfully experienced staff like Catherine Heiner. I am hoping to make this area the focus of further qualifications.

Room: P10

Sue Prior

Inclusive gifted education.

The Queensland department of education has an inclusive education policy, yet inclusive education is contested without a universally accepted definition, theory, or model of practice (Borders, et al., 2014; Slee, 2018; Jarvis, et al., 2020). Gifted students are often missing from the inclusive education literature as the focus historically, has tended to be on students with disabilities (Joubert & Harrington, 2019; Smith, 2006) and this proposed Doctoral research seeks to address that gap in the literature with the question, what model of inclusive whole school approach includes talent development for the diversity of students who are gifted?

Bio: The Australian born daughter of British immigrants, Sue has lived and worked internationally as an inclusive educator and consultant. Volunteering in India and Nepal alongside senior school students with some of the most disadvantaged communities and people I learned so much more about giftedness, disability, and culture. I later spent 3 years in Bangkok in an international school community, then as the Gifted Education consultant for 140 schools in Brisbane to then teach in international schools in Hong Kong. Currently, I am an Executive Committee member of the World Council for Gifted and Talented Children and a Doctoral candidate at QUT.

Room: P11

Sarah Bond and Jasna Giebeler

Opening the G.A.T.E. (Gifted and Talented Education): Toward Academic Talent Development (ATD) programs.

Traditional G&T or G.A.T.E. programs often over-rely on pure ability measures for identification, lack ongoing assessment and are, by nature, a “part time solution to a full-time problem” (Cox, Daniel, & Boston, 1985). Sarah Bond (Ed.D.) shares her own experience taking part in a traditional G.A.T.E. program and describes how her experience led to a career building, improving and implementing ATD programs in the US, United Arab Emirates and now in Australia. Jasna Giebeler (M.Ed.) began her career as an Early Intervention Special Education teacher and has been an Education Consultant for the NSW Department of Education and the Australian Association of Independent Schools. The presenters, who currently coordinate Academic Talent Development programs for The Southport School, share insights into how to create and implement an ATD program aligned to the six major components of Gagné’s ATD framework:

• Enriched academic pathways to regular K-12 curriculum
• Curriculum compacting
• Appropriate and equitable identification measures
• Full-time grouping of academically talented students, in the strength area
• Regular formative and normative academic assessment
• Accelerative options (e.g., early school entry, whole-grade, and single-subject)

This session is appropriate for teachers and program coordinators who wish to gain insight into the justification for choosing an ATD program, reflect on their current practice, and/or begin the process of building an ATD program at their school. Parents and caregivers of gifted children will gain insight into the research-based components of high-quality ATD programs.

Bios: Sarah Bond, Ed.D., is the Coordinator for Academic Talent Development programs at The Southport School (Senior School). She is also the Associate Dean of Teaching and Learning (New Teachers) and a Coordinator for the TSS Round Square program. A published academic, with a doctorate in Educational Leadership, Sarah was the Program Manager for Gifted and Talented Education for the Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge, where she spearheaded the first widespread program to identify and serve gifted children in Abu Dhabi’s government schools. She has also worked as a gifted specialist and a teacher in Florida, Texas, and California.

Jasna Giebeler, M.Ed., began her career as an Early Intervention Special Education Teacher working with multiply profoundly disabled children and as a primary school teacher. She later became Executive Teacher and then Assistant Principal. She holds a Bachelor of Education (Primary), Master of Education (Special Education) and a Graduate Diploma in Gifted education. She has worked as an Education Consultant in both the NSW Department of Education and the Australian Association of Independent Schools and was the Head of Department – Learning Enhancement P-12 at St Andrew’s Cathedral school in Sydney. She is currently the Coordinator of Academic Talent Development Programs (P-6) at The Southport School.

Room: P9

Maxine Braithwaite

Enriching student learning through extracurricular opportunities and partner engagement.

Students who may be identified as gifted and talented, and/or who require enrichment beyond the standard curriculum are present in schools regardless of location and school expertise in G&T education.

Take a walk through the processes, programs and partnerships in place in a regional state high school to gain an insight as to how other schools, regional remote and metropolitan may cater for these extra-ordinary students, ensuring they remain engaged in their learning and maximise their opportunities to go Above and Beyond in Creating their Futures.  Maxine will present an overview of how the BSL Zenith Enrichment Program operates at Tannum Sands State High School and discuss partnering with organisations such as the IMPACT Centre in Brisbane, the Queensland Virtual STEM Academy, the Queensland Minerals and Energy Academy and numerous other programs and universities that offer enrichment and extra-curricular opportunities to students, many of which can be undertaken through the virtual space.

Bio: Maxine has over 10 years’ experience and expertise developed through working with gifted and talented students and those seeking enrichment in a regional high school setting.  She is the Education Support Officer for Tannum Sands State High School’s BSL Zenith Enrichment Program, facilitating extracurricular, extension and acceleration opportunities for students throughout their high school careers. She has also experienced gifted education from the perspective of a parent of both accelerated and enriched students.

Room: P10

Kate Naug, Katrina McLachlan, Rosalyn Comport

Beyond the provision of programs: Creating a school culture for differentiation

Educators would agree that schools today are bustling with pressure to deliver the curriculum within a limited timeframe. Many pedagogical approaches for gifted education were developed prior to the demands that impact classroom practice today, and while these approaches may be supported by evidence, the implementation of these approaches may not be easily infused within the regular day-to-day practices of teachers. To compensate, schools may instead adopt a tack-on program approach to address the needs of gifted learners, where students only participate in gifted programs outside of their classroom.

This presentation will explore the journey that Saint Stephen’s College has initiated to change the school culture to support high potential learners, and the initiatives employed to foster shared understanding and responsibility between staff for the education of gifted learners.  A key goal of this cultural evolution is to emesh gifted education strategies within the regular classroom practice, and not depend on programs outside of the class to support gifted learners.  This discussion will share information about the process and strategies employed to foster school cultural change, and the school vision for high potential students.

Bio: Katrina McLachlan holds a Bachelor of Education (Primary) and a Master of Special Education and has been a primary teacher for 21 years. During this time, she has been a classroom teacher, Learning Support teacher, Head of Learning Enhancement and is currently the Assistant Dean of Junior College at Saint Stephen’s College. She is part of the team which has recently updated the
College’s High Potential and Gifted policy and facilitates the Enrichment Program in the Junior College. Katrina is also working with the team to upskill classroom teachers to cater for high potential learners.

Bio: Kate Naug holds a Bachelor of Education Honours and has been involved in secondary education for over 20 years.  During this time, she has worked in state, independent and international schools, as an English teacher and Head of Faculty.  Kate is an integral part of the team responsible for the renewal of the High Potential and Gifted framework at Saint Stephen’s College, she brings to the team the expertise and perspective of secondary students and the knowledge of the Senior Syllabus expectations. Kate is currently the Dean of Teaching and Learning at Saint Stephen’s College. With an oversight of all curriculum delivery, Kate’s expertise allows the team to focus on a true P – 12 experiences. Her passion is to create opportunities across all faculties that allow all students to reach their potential through a variety of senior pathways.

Bio: Rosalyn Comport holds a Diploma in Teaching (infants/Primary), Bachelor of Personal Development, Health and Physical Education, Diploma of TESOL, Diploma in Outdoor Education and Certificate of Gifted Education. She has been teaching across both Junior and Secondary schools for 37 years in remote areas, Disadvantage Schools Programs of NSW as well as in independent schools across New South Wales and Queensland. Rosalyn was the NSW Association of Heads of Independent Schools Australia representative at the New South Wales Board of Studies and has written curriculum nationally and internationally. Rosalyn has had various responsibilities whilst working at Saint Stephen’s College including Deputy of the Junior College, Executive Member responsible for: Teaching and Learning Innovations, Curriculum Implementation, Personal Learning Plans and is currently in the role of Director of Education Programs. Rosalyn’s passion in education focuses on inclusivity for all leaners through differentiation.

Room: P11

Susan Burkett-McKee

The potential impact of gifted students’ individuality on differentiation strategies​.

A student’s individual characteristics potentially determine the effectiveness of any differentiation strategy offered to them. This presentation will explore different characteristics a student may have which bolster or hinder interactions, some of the more subtle aspects of a student’s persona that are not immediately apparent to teachers, and those traits which often provoke immediate reactions or expectations from others. The audience will be invited to reflect on how the consideration of students’ individuality can add a new dimension to our understanding of why gifted abilities may shine or be overshadowed. Examples of the impact of certain traits on interactions come from an ongoing doctoral research project focusing on the experiences of high achieving students.

Bio: Susan Burkett-McKee is a PhD candidate and Education lecturer at CQUniversity.  Her research explores the experiences of high achieving senior secondary students relevant to their psychological well-being. Susan teaches into the Bachelor of Education degree where she works with early childhood, primary and secondary pre-service teachers. When not studying or working, Susan has begun participating in triathlons but has no plans to turn professional.

Room: P8

Mark Oliver

QAGTC Parent Network: A new initiative to support parents of gifted learners

This session will provide parents and teachers with an overview of the new QAGTC Online Parent Network. The purpose of this group is to provide a support network for parents and carers throughout Queensland, where attendees can discuss common issues or concerns related to nurturing gifted children and adolescents. The online network provides parents and carers with the flexibility and opportunity to connect with other parents/carers of gifted learners, and to share common experiences and concerns in a supportive and confidential environment. The new initiative is a resource that school personnel may refer parents of gifted learners to for support.

Bio: Mark E. Oliver is a Lecturer in Education at the University of Southern Queensland, and is the facilitator of the QAGTC Online Parent Network. Mark was a school coordinator of Learning Enrichment in schools prior to studying gifted education at the National Centre for Research on Gifted Education at the University of Connecticut. Mark is a registered counsellor who specialises in supporting gifted learners and families.

Room: P9

Lesley Sutherland

Dare to be different in a challenging future world?

Problem Solving for our Future has never been more important. Gifted students are acutely aware there are big problems ahead. Future Problem Solving Australia ( Affiliated with Future Problem Solving International) provides students the opportunities to consider a range of Global Issues each year and use the six step Problem Solving model derived by Dr E Paul Torrance to increase their understanding of possible issues and how they can work towards solving them. This session will use the first topic for 2022 ‘Water Supply ‘to clarify the process. Community Problem Solving, Scenario Writing and Scenario Performance are further learning options that gifted students can enter allowing them national and international competition and recognition. Other topics for 2022 are Building Green, Insects, Mining and Neurotechnology. The program can be used within the school environment or with parents as coaches. The Learning Options can be used from Prep to Year 12 in groups or individually. Further details regarding coach training sessions and evaluator training are available on our website: www.fpsp.org.au

Bio: Lesley Sutherland is a highly experienced teacher of gifted students and has a long association with Future Problem Solving Australia.

Room: P10

Michele Juratowitch

Understanding Maker’s model and a practical application.

Room: P11

Gail Young

Tidal Waves of Giftedness.

There are many definitions of giftedness, none of which are universally agreed upon. Depending on the context, definitions often guide and influence key decisions in schools . As professionals who work with gifted students, it is important to understand the different definitions and what they mean in order to provide appropriate learning opportunities for gifted students and for their social well-being. Giftedness cuts across gender, ethnicity, social and economic background and geographic location.

This interactive presentation will suggest and challenge meaningful insights into beliefs and understandings regarding “What is Giftedness?”  Importantly gifted students are entitled to rigorous, relevant and engaging learning opportunities aligned with  their individual strengths.

The evidence based curriculum option ” Acceleration” will be proposed and analysed as a prominent effective intervention to support the academic achievement  and well-being of gifted students.  Acceleration moves students through curriculum at rates faster and matches the level, the complexity and pace of the curriculum to t the readiness and motivation of the gifted student.

Bio:  Gail is a Gifted Education Mentor at Holland Park State School. Gail has extensive experience engaging with a wide range of stakeholders allowing for the success and well-being of gifted students through purposeful intentional collaboration.  Gail has previously presented at conferences including the following: QAGTC Inc ,AAEGT  National, IRATDE International Research Association for Talent development and Excellence, Asia-Pacific Conference and the World Council for Gifted and Talented Children. Gail is a committee member of QAGTC Inc. Gail has a Master’s Degree specialising in Gifted Education. Gail is a strong advocate for acceleration as an essential prominent curriculum option to ensure continuous achievement and well-being for identified gifted students.

Room: P8

Parent Networking opportunity

Mark Oliver

Opportunity to Meet and join in discussion on various topics with other parents and educators.

Room: P9

Paulina Sliedrech and Christopher Mesiku

Incorporating external programs to engage, extend and challenge students

Working with external education providers offer a clear benefit: They enhance learning opportunities by providing students with resources, experiences, and environments they would not otherwise have. There are many fantastic programs to engage gifted and talented students, but how do you find the one with the best fit? We are all time poor, and sometimes it can be a challenge to meet the needs of all our students.

In this session we will share how these programs can be sustainably included into your teaching and learning or extra-curricular offerings. We will then introduce a number of quality high ceiling programs that students can engage with at any level. Which means that the time spent in planning aligns with the curriculum requirements but can extend those students that need it.

The programs we will showcase include:

1. The QAMT/UQ years 5/6 and 7/8 Maths Quiz
2. CREST and the STAQ Queensland Science Contest
3. CyberTaipan: CyberTaipan is an Australian Youth Cyber Defence Competition for teams of high school aged students.
4. Bebras: Bebras is an international initiative aiming to promote Computer Science among school students at all ages.
5. FarmBeats: Microsoft FarmBeats for Students is an interactive STEM education program, that provides teachers and students in Years 9 and 10 with tools to explore big data, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning and IOT technologies.

Working with an external education provider does not have to be time consuming. Hear examples of how other teachers have incorporated these programs into their planning with great outcomes.

Bio: Paulina is the President of the Queensland Association of Mathematics Teachers and a senior experienced teacher. She has a passion to improve student (and adult) disposition toward mathematics and science by highlighting the essential role they play in our everyday lives, encouraging inquiry and celebrating student success.

Bio: Chris is an education advisor at CSIRO Education and Outreach. He supports the research, development and implementation of digital and AI related education projects within the Digital Careers program. His research background include astronomy, data visualisation and social implications of technology. Chris holds a machine learning patent with IBM and he is passionate about automation and its potential to help us optimise our work and our personal lives.

Room: P10

Christie Meiklejohn

Planning for Extension within the Australian Curriculum.

This presentation is a follow up to my presentation from the 2021 Conference, outlining how Albany Hills State School supports their teachers to plan for extension within a student’s year level curriculum. We demonstrate how to use the curriculum elements within the Australian Curriculum to find depth and complexity to support gifted learners within classrooms and to help them stay engaged and challenged in their day to day learning,

Bio: Christie Meiklejohn is the Head of Department: Curriculum and full-time gifted education coordinator at Albany Hills State School. She has been teaching for 17 years and has had a diverse range of experiences, having worked at four schools, a university, two regional offices and central office during that time. She is proudly neurodiverse, having been diagnosed with autism and ADHD later in life. Christie is passionate about gifted education, twice-exceptionality and state schooling and is a strong advocate for the development of gifted education in schools.

Room: P11

Frances Hoyte; Gail Young

Faciliation of your planning topics and questions answered. 

Come prepared to work on your own planning. Bring a unit you would like to differentiate and work collaboratively with others to make it more challenging for gifted students. Discussion of specific issues with Gail and Frances

Room: P9

QAGTC Conference Closing