Uc Irvine Extension Offers Gifted And Talented Education Online Mini-series

Weekly Webinar Series Provides Unique Resources Designed Specifically for Parents

IRVINE, Calif. – October 22, 2009 – The University of California, Irvine Extension announces a four-week series designed to help parents better understand and more effectively support gifted students. “Gifted and Talented Education Online Mini-Series” will be held online Wednesday evenings between 8-9 p.m. starting Oct. 28. As districts struggle with smaller budgets and layoffs, schools are finding it harder to sustain and further develop programs for GATE students. UC Irvine Extension’s sessions will arm parents with tools to meet the educational and emotional needs of these children despite classroom cutbacks.

“We are committed to doing our part to facilitate discussions and professional development for the gifted and talented education community,” says Angela Jeantet, director of UC Irvine Extension’s Education Programs Department. “Ultimately, the students should not be hurt the effects of today’s economy. To UC Irvine Extension, that means we must provide parents with resources and expert strategies to help their children excel.”

“Gifted and Talented Education Online Mini-Series” will take participants through the full spectrum—from identifying gifted students and learning how to support them to fostering their scholarly habits. The meetings, led by some of today’s top GATE educators and professionals, include:

• “Is My Child Gifted? Understanding IQ Testing and Common Characteristics of High Ability Learners” (Oct. 28) - Designed to teach participants how to identify common traits of the gifted and effectively decipher IQ test results. The session will also review the benefits and limitation of IQ testing, compare various score profiles and review prevalent qualities of high ability learners.

• “Providing Social & Emotional Support to Your Gifted Learner” (Nov. 4) – The meeting provides insight into how the common characteristics of gifted students impact their social and emotional development. Gain insight into practical ways to support, nurture and manage the psychological needs both at home and within school settings.

• “Gainfully Gifted: Recognizing and Living with Your Child’s Strengths and Talents” (Nov. 11) – Learn how change and creativity can influence your child’s success and transform academic talents into gainful productivity. Participants will be exposed to contemporary strategies for visionary thinking and the rationale for differentiated curriculum.

• “Ending the Homework Hassle: Cultivating Scholarly Traits in Gifted Students” (Nov. 18) - Providing an overview of key strategies used by industry experts, participants will gain tips and techniques for increasing academic motivation in the home. The final meeting will propose ways to nurture scholarly habits through inquiry and study systems.

UC Irvine Extension is known for its exceptional G.A.T.E. programming. Its programs provide options for K-12 teachers with focused professional development sessions, individual courses and entire certificate programs aligned with the California Association for the Gifted (CAG), the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC), and state standards for excellence.

Parents can register for individual sessions, offered at $50 each or take the complete series at a discounted rate of $150. In addition, recordings will be available to parents who register but are unable to attend the live session. To register, contact Amanda Yngelmo at ayngelmo@uci.edu or 949-824-9304.

About UC Irvine Extension

As the continuing education arm of UCI, UC Irvine Extension is dedicated to providing a university-level learning experience for students, offering thousands of exciting courses and programs to local, regional, and global constituencies. UC Irvine Extension offers a rich array of academic and community programs to support a diverse audience, from a wide selection of academic programs to numerous campus activities. For more information, please visit www.unex.uci.edu.

About the University of California, Irvine

The University of California, Irvine is a top-ranked university dedicated to research, scholarship and community service. Founded in 1965, UCI is among the fastest-growing University of California campuses, with more than 24,000 undergraduate and graduate students and about 1,400 faculty members. The second-largest employer in dynamic Orange County, UCI contributes an annual economic impact of $3.3 billion. For more UCI news, visit www.today.uci.edu.