Gifted students and their families and teachers can learn more about making wise educational decisions at the family conference presented by the Center for Talent Development (CTD) on June 27. "Opportunities for the Future," which will feature top speakers for parents and educators along with mini-classes and activities for students, will be held from 1 to 5:15 p.m. at the Technological Institute on Northwestern University's Evanston campus."Each summer, the Center for Talent Development hosts an enriching and informative afternoon event designed to provide gifted students and their families with a better understanding of giftedness and the variety of options available," says CTD director Paula Olszewski-Kubilius. "As always, this year's conference promises to be inspiring and educational."
Parents and educators will hear from highly qualified professors, psychologists, school administrators and businesspeople on diverse topics ranging from gifted children's needs to saving for college. Keynote speaker Andrew Mahoney, an expert on the counseling and psychotherapy of gifted and talented people, will speak on "The Challenge of Parenting Gifted and Talented Children" at 1 p.m. His talk will explore what it means to be gifted, the development of gifted children and the support required of parents.
Seminars for parents and educators allow them to select topics of particular interest, ranging from meaningful mentoring programs to effective collaboration between parents of gifted children and schools. Options include "The Challenge of Parenting the Gifted," "Gifted Parenting 101," "Mentoring," "Boarding Schools," "The Road to and through College" and "Working with Your Schools." Educators who attend can earn professional development units.
High-interest student mini-classes for grades 4 through 12 are tailored to specific age groups, focusing on favorite subjects and introductions to various career paths. Workshops for students in grades 9 to 12 focus on the transition to college as well as introductions to careers in technology, medicine, business, law, engineering, liberal arts, journalism and science. Workshops for students in grades 7 and 8 are "Transitioning to High School," "Mentoring," "Building Your Academic/Extracurricular Portfolio," "Medical Science," "Engineering: Materials Science," "Business: Understanding the Stock Market," "Liberal Arts: Service Learning" and "Technology/Cryptology."
For grades 4 to 6, the topics are "Math: Puzzles and Games," "Medical: Food Safety and Foodborne Illness," "Business: How to Sell Stuff and Make a Profit," "Engineering: How Things Work" and "Liberal Arts: My Word." An afternoon of games and activities is planned for students in PreK through grade 3.
The family admission fee for the "Opportunities for the Future" conference is $120 for families, with a $10 discount for CTD families and a reduced fee of $50 for families with demonstrated financial need. Registration and information are at http://www.ctd.northwestern.edu/ctd/outreach/. Additional information is available by contacting Jody Rosenbaum at 847/467-0615 or jodyrosenbaum@northwestern.edu.
The Center for Talent Development at Northwestern University's School of Education and Social Policy is an accredited learning center and research facility that identifies, educates and supports gifted students and their families and serves as a leader in gifted education. CTD, which began in 1982, serves approximately 37,000 families annually.
Last Modified: 11/19/09