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Berta Seminar Oct. 24-25 to Feature Expert in Gifted Education

September 29, 2011 | Gifted Ed, News, WKU | No Comments

The Center for Gifted StudiesThanks to generous support from The Berta Excellence in Education Fund, Dr. Tom Hébert, author of Understanding the Social and Emotional Lives of Gifted Students and nationally recognized expert in gifted education from the University of Georgia, will share his expertise Oct. 24-25 in Bowling Green.

The Center for Gifted Studies at WKU will host two presentations by Dr. Hébert at the Carroll Knicely Conference Center, an evening seminar and a daylong workshop.

The evening session, from 6:30 to 8 Oct. 24, is designed for parents and others interested in the social and emotional development of gifted children. Dr. Hébert will focus on the search for meaningful friendships, heightened sensitivity and empathy in children, managing stress, moderating perfectionism and maintaining healthy motivation. Discussion will focus on how parents must take good care of themselves in order to celebrate the social and emotional lives of their children.

The six-hour workshop, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Oct. 25, is titled Understanding the Social and Emotional Lives of Gifted Students and is designed for parents, educators, counselors and school administrators. This seminar presents a comprehensive treatment of social and emotional development in gifted students. Topics include theories that guide our understanding of the lived experiences of gifted students, social and emotional characteristics and behaviors evidenced in gifted learners, friendships and family relationships that supports them, identity development, and contextual influences that shape their social and emotional lives. In addition, participants learn strategies for designing a supportive classroom environment for social and emotional development. Through case studies, activities and media, educators gain a better understanding of their students and learn methods to address their social and emotional needs. EILA credit is available.

Both events are free and open to the public. For information and to RSVP, contact The Center for Gifted Studies at (270) 745-6323 or email gifted@wku.edu.

Contact: Tracy Inman, (270) 745-6323.

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By Corey Alderdice

“From Kentucky to Taiwan” – Thoughts on a Relevant, Engaging & Transformative Education

February 16, 2011 | Gifted Ed Week, News, People, Students | No Comments

The following is an excerpt from a speech delivered by Kia Allen (Scott ’11) in the Capitol Rotunda in Frankfort to celebrate the announcement of Gifted Education Week in Kentucky.

I was fifteen when I first moved two-and-a-half hours away from my friends and family, and made the decision to put my education first. I was ready to be challenged in a way that I had never been before. And–believe me–it has been very challenging. Not only has the Gatton Academy pushed me and my peers mentally but it also opened doors for us to wonderful opportunities that wouldn’t have been possible anywhere else.

Last year, I was presented the opportunity to spend the summer in Taiwan with another academy student and five other Western Kentucky University students. I was told that I would be doing chemical engineering research at National Chung Hsing University in Taichung, Taiwan. When I was first presented with the idea I was quite nervous, and I didn’t know what to expect. But this was one opportunity that I couldn’t pass up!

To me the trip wasn’t exclusively about working in a lab; it was about learning and experiencing a new culture.

The Taiwanese were some of the nicest people I have ever met. Every day there was always a random stranger saying hello and helping me as much as they could when I looked very confused. Each weekend in Taiwan was a different adventure, we went to night markets, amusement parks, we climbed mountains, saw the second tallest building in the world, and many other things, too. Most of all, it was an opportunity for something both intellectual and personal that not all gifted young people get to do.

One day while I was walking to the university to start my full day of work, I realized how much I have changed as a person. I was living thousands of miles away from home and I wasn’t scared. I really grew up on the trip and I realized that if I could live on my own at the age of sixteen, then I was going to be just fine when I actually go to college or move away from my family. I have never felt so good about myself and my future then how I did that day. It wouldn’t have been possible without the support and the guidance of the Academy as well as legislators, educators, and other leaders who believed in the Academy and gave it a chance to exist, grow, and thrive. I hope you realize how much you—and all advocated for young people who are gifted and talented–have changed the lives of students. From me and all the other Academy students, we thank you for changing our lives by making this and other wonderful opportunities possible.

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By Corey Alderdice

Take Part in an Online Discussion of Gifted Education Friday at 11 AM, 6 PM CDT

January 21, 2010 | News, People, Staff | No Comments

by Corey Alderdice

There are two great passions that I have as an employee of the Gatton Academy:

1) Helping to get parents, educators, and other adults better informed and excited about the important role gifted education plays in our schools and communities; and
2) Experimenting with the power of social media (like Twitter and Facebook) to shape our discussions online.

The Gatton Academy (@gattonacademy) and The Center for Gifted Studies at Western Kentucky University (@giftedstudies) have been excited to join in what has become a vibrant community of parents and educators on Twitter who share news, information, and insights about gifted education.  Over the past several months we have come to fully realize how working together makes us a stronger body of advocates.  You can check out a list of gifted education advocates on Twitter at by clicking here.  With Twitter, our conversations are usually shared back and forth through individual tweets.

Beginning this Friday at 11 a.m. (Central) and 6 p.m. (Central), Deborah Mersino (@deborahmersino, Ingenious Blog) will host the first Gifted and Talented Chat, better known at #gtchat.  If you’re interested in participating, you need only sign up for a Twitter account.  Observe, think, and share.  It’s that simple.  When tweeting as part of the chat, simply include the #gtchat hashtag at the beginning or end of your tweet.  Using a Twitter client like HootSuite or TweetDeck can make this easier.  You can also follow the chat by Twitter’s search page or as an RSS feed.

If you’d prefer to simply look in on the discussion this time around, you can always come back to this page and follow the updates below.  This is the first of what will become a weekly discussion on gifted ed.  If you have questions about using Twitter or would like more information, send an email to academy@wku.edu.


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By Corey Alderdice

Gifted Education Experts to Discuss Diversity During Sept. 25 Workshop

September 8, 2009 | News, Parents | No Comments

On Sept. 25, teachers, counselors, school leaders and parents are invited to attend Diversity and Developing Gifts and Talents, presented by The Center for Gifted Studies at WKU and board members of The Association for the Gifted of the Council for Exceptional Children.

During this daylong event, nine experts in the field of gifted education will discuss strategies for identifying gifted children of diverse populations and for developing their potential.

The keynote will be “Identification of Underrepresented Groups for Gifted Services” by Dr. Susan Johnsen of Baylor University.

Participants can attend such sessions as teaching twice exceptional students, communicating with families of diverse learners, addressing the needs of gifted students in rural schools and providing support to a diverse population of gifted students in a variety of settings.

The event will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (Central time) at the Carroll Knicely Center, WKU South Campus. EILA credit is available. For information, click here or contact The Center at (270) 745-6323 or gifted@wku.edu.

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By Corey Alderdice