UCI Extension announces education online mini series

IRVINE, Calif. (April 22, 2009)—The University of California, Irvine Extension announces a free, month-long series designed to help teachers, administrators and parents better understand and more effectively support gifted students. With online meetings hosted every Wednesday evening from 8-9 p.m. throughout the month of May, the “Gifted and Talented Education Online Mini-Series” caters to the educational and emotional needs of GATE students during a time of immense public education cutbacks.

“As districts struggle with dwindling budgets and staggering layoffs, schools are finding it harder to sustain and develop programs for gifted and talented students,” says Angela Jeantet, director of UC Irvine Extension’s Education Programs Department. “Now, more than ever, teachers, administrators, and parents must work together to meet the needs of the gifted. The Gifted and Talented Education Online Mini-Series provides an excellent forum for learning new tools and learning how to communicate with and understand these students.”

Free online seminars will include:

“How to Relate Successfully with Gifted Youngsters.” May 6, 2009. This seminar will explore the five most common behaviors of gifted students and explain how these behaviors manifest differently in the school and home setting. Strategies for effectively responding to these behaviors will also be presented.

“What Differentiation Should Look Like.” May 13, 2009. Designed to clarify the need for core curriculum differentiation as defined by GATE program standards, grade level examples of what differentiation might look like in a classroom will be provided.

“Building the Parent/Teacher Connection.” May 20, 2009. Providing tips for both parents and educators on how to effectively communicate with one another about differentiated assignments for gifted students, this seminar will also provide resources for educators and parents.

“Understanding IQ Testing & Special Programming for Advanced and Gifted Learners.” May 27, 2009. This seminar will outline the benefits and limitations of IQ testing, compare various score profiles, and demonstrate how to use testing data in educational planning. Both in-school and outside gifted programming options will be considered

To access these free online presentations, please register at https://unex.uci.edu/services/events/. For further information on this mini-series or other UC Irvine Extension programs, contact Amanda Yngelmo at [email protected] or 949-824-9304.

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. For more information about UC Irvine Extension’s GATE Certificate Program, please contact the Education Programs Department at 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 via online curriculum as well as through on campus classes. 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.extension.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 27,000 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.