Keynote Speaker
E-Mentoring: Empowering Students to Excel
Speaker: Josh Silvertown, DreamCatcher, Yukon Territory
     DreamCatcher Yukon (DCY) is an innovative e-mentoring and leadership program that connects high school students in Yukon with Canadian mentors who work in their aspired “dream career.” Program participants access a safe, monitored website and then follow a tailored curriculum for several months. DCY effectively empowers students to realize the rewards of learning, and also addresses the increasing high school drop-out rates in Canada’s North. Since the program's inception in 2005, over 200 Yukon students representing 10 schools have been successfully matched with 200 Canadian mentors living around the world. DCY Executive Director and Co-Founder, Josh Silvertown, will describe how this growing  initiative bridges the educational, cultural, communication, and geographic gaps in Canada’s North, and he will share the many exciting implications of e-mentoring for all students and educators across the country and beyond.
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The Matrix - Modifying Ontario Ministry Expectations to Include the Gifted in the Regular Classroom Setting  
(primary - elem)
Presenter: Maureen Orso, Educational Consultant, Waterloo, ON
     Participants will be shown how to use an Integration Matrix planning tool to develop performance tasks and assessments of students requiring curriculum enhancement in regular classroom settings.  References are Differentiating instruction in the regular classroom by Diane Heacox (2002) and Education for All (2005).  An Integration Matrix provides examples of differentiated activities based on student needs.  Learn ways to link programs with effective assessment and evaluation and how to monitor student participation and progress.  Examples will relate to a grade 2 Social Studies unit but easily adapt to other grades and subject areas. This workshop will be of special interest to teachers working in an integrated setting. 
 

What Parents Want in Gifted Education and How to Give it to Them (3 parts)
(elem-sec)
What do Parents Value in Gifted Education? 
(elem-sec)
Presenter: Bernie Beales, Coordinator of Gifted Programs, DDSB, Whitby, ON
   Based on a surveyof over 500 parents, the message is clear!  Find out the top twenty Strengths of gifted students as identified by their parents and the top twenty Needs they want the schools to address.  We will discuss how to use these strengths and needs to design IEP's and enrichment plans.  Useful for both self-contained gifted classes and the mainstreamed gifted student.


Who’s Who in Gifted Education
(elem-sec)
Presenter: Joanne Foster, Ed.D., OISE, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON
     This session will focus on the” go-to people” in gifted education—the various noted and highly respected researchers and authors in the field who have addressed such  topics as understandings of giftedness; social/emotional issues; creativity; identification; programming and placement considerations; gifted/dual exceptionalities; and so on. The facilitator will share a broad range of current and informative material. She will also answer questions about resource access pertaining to gifted-related matters that are particularly pertinent to session attendees. 


Processes of Inventing:  Bringing Out Student Creativity 
(elem-sec)
Presenter: Otto Schmidt, Gifted Programming Consultant, Director of Inventors College Organization, Toronto, ON
     Inventors College Organization offers innovative inventing workshops to all Ontario students.  Companies, businesses, industry specialists and experts are involved with the inventions created by students.  Learn about the program, the need for new inventions, key elements of the inventing process, resources available to teachers and students, and common mistakes that cause problems with patenting.  


Holistic Education: Powerful Methods to Build Self Esteem 
(elem-sec)
Presenter: Farzaneh Peterson, Founder and Director, Roger White Academy, Newmarket, ON
     Gifted students and high achievers enjoy greater self-esteem when they discover their true selves and recognize their contributions to the community.  The objectives for them are the betterment of society and being fulfilled and comfortable within their giftedness.  The process of empowering these students is delicate and must be done carefully.  This session will provide practical methods based on the success stories of students of Roger White Academy.


Advanced Placement (AP courses) versus International Baccalaureate (IB Program)
(elem - sec)
Presenter: Maria Fantauzzi, Principal TCDSB, Toronto, ON 
      Be informed before offering these to students and their parents. Learn the details, pros and cons of these options for enriching the lives of gifted and other high achieving students.


Session en français:
Plan d'enseignement individualisé
(elem-sec)
Présenteur: Sylvia Kwan, Conseillère pour Educational Pathways, Toronto, ON 
     Cette session se concentrera sur le développent d’un plan d'enseignement individualisé  pour les  élèves doués.


Canadian Cognitive Abilities Test (CCAT) Workshop – from data to classroom 
(elem-sec)
Presenter: Maureen Orso, Educational Consultant, Waterloo, ON
     This is an overview of the test.  Information will assist teachers in planning and implementing interventions that help improve student weaker skills and capitalize on stronger ones. The CCAT test shows level of development of general and specific skills of K – 12 students.  The predictive aspect of this test identifies student learning needs / strengths and learning styles.  Participants learn how to: adapt instructional methods and learning materials, control the pace of instruction to meet student needs, improve the learning environment.  Also learn effective teaching and assessment strategies that maximize student potential.   


Differentiation of Courses Using Learning Styles 
(elem-sec)
Presenter: Bernie Beales, Coordinator of Gifted Programs, DDSB, Whitby, ON
     In this session, we will discuss the following strategies for differentiating instruction for the gifted: compiling learning profiles, determining readiness levels, investigating individualized instruction, using flexible groupings and exploring contests, competitions and challenges.  Strategies range from very simple to complex and fit all levels of teaching.  A comprehensive handout is included that provides more strategies both for self-contained gifted classes and mainstreamed gifted students.


Why Children Procrastinate (And What to Do about It...)  
(elem-sec)
Presenter: Joanne Foster, Ed.D., OISE, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON
     We will discuss procrastination among high-ability learners, including its underpinnings, implications, and relationship to perfectionism, self-regulation, and other achievement-related issues. We’ll also consider strategies that parents and teachers can use to help students address procrastination tendencies so as to enable them to develop productive learning agendas, and thereby extend their industry and competence.


Making Learning Absolutely REAL! 
(elem-sec)
Presenter: Otto Schmidt, Education Consultant, Toronto, ON
     Students cannot be just consumers of learning.  They need to also be producers of new learning.  Learn how to enhance motivation by setting up the learning to be absolutely REAL, meaningful and challenging. Workshop participants will learn to teach way outside of the box.  Learn how to: 1. Make the content more REAL.  2. Teach processing skills instead of knowledge/facts.  3. Make the products or outcomes of learning more REAL.  


Holistic Education: ”Altruism & Children: Be the Change We Want to See” 
(elem-sec)
Presenter: Farzaneh Peterson, Director, Roger White Academy, 
                 Newmarket, ON


“Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts and Gifted Kids” 
(elem)
Presenters: Laura Keenan & Craig Phillips, Gifted Program Teachers, YCDSB,       Newmarket, ON
     Engaging gifted learners with the same delivery methods that worked even a few years ago may no longer cut it in this digital age.  Teachers may feel uncomfortable with Web 2.0 tools such as blogs, wikis and RSS, but these (and other) technologies can assist in locating and creating meaningful resources and spaces that promote active student engagement and high-level thinking. This session will help teachers navigate these resources and instructional tools.  Number of participants is limited to size of computer lab.


Differentiation of Courses Using Other Methods 
(elem-sec)
Presenter: Bernie Beales, Coordinator of Gifted Programs, DDSB, Whitby, ON
     This session discussing five additional differentiation strategies for the gifted:  creating tiered activities, providing options and choices, preparing anchor activities, teaching critical thinking skills and applying creative thinking skills. Strategies range from very simple to complex and fit all levels of teaching.  A comprehensive handout is included that provides more strategies both for self-contained gifted classes and mainstreamed gifted students.


Whole-School Enrichment and Enhancement of Curriculum 
(elem-sec)
Presenter: Otto Schmidt, Gifted Programming Consultant, Toronto, ON
     Learn many ways to enhance and add depth and breadth to any curriculum. Teachers can use the methods with all classes - even those with special needs.  Add excitement and challenge to what is taught. Learn how to build a database of curriculum enhancements. 


Holistic Education: The Value of Art in Developing Whole Children
(elem-sec)
Presenter: Farzaneh Peterson, Director, Roger White Academy,
                  Newmarket, ON

Session en français:
Les enfants doués et surdoués en Immersion (une double session)
(elem)
Présenteur: Sylvia Kwan, Conseillère pour Educational Pathways, Toronto, ON
     Cet atelier pratique vous donnera beaucoup d'idées pour répondre aux besoins de vos  élèves doués dans les classes d’immersion. Amusez-vous et profitez d’une banque d’activités pédagogiques que vous pouvez utiliser immédiatement dans votre salle de classe. Cet atelier s’applique  à  différents niveaux - de la maternelle jusqu’à  la sixième année,en diverses disciplines.  

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Keynote Speaker 
Improvisation for Creative Pedagogy
Presenter: Kevin Frank
Second City, Toronto, Canada
      This lecture/demonstration designed for larger groups offers an introduction to the principles of improvisation and showcases examples of how improvisational exercises can be integrated into the classroom across curriculum.  Use humor, improv, spontaneity, laughter more effectively in the classroom. 
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Vendors/ Service Providers

Blossoming Minds - helping to develop a love for learning through unique learning tools. 

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Envision EMI - a leading company in global student leadership and development.

Forum for Young Canadians / Forum pour jeunes Canadiens 
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