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Constructing Curriculum to Maximize Growth

How can a teacher develop a curriculum that will benefit a range of students with varying ability and needs? It’s a question continually debated by academics and policy makers alike. Dr. Sandra Kaplan brings her expertise in both areas to her scholarship and award winning service in the field of education. Kaplan’s experience working as a teacher, coordinator, consultant, and president of gifted associations at the state and national level informs her writing and teaching at the University of Southern California. The Center for Talent Development is delighted to welcome Dr. Kaplan as the keynote presenter for our fall Educator’s conference at Northwestern University on Saturday, October 15.  She will work closely with educators sharing her approach to differentiating curriculum during her workshop “Differentiation: 8 Key Components.” The topic couldn’t be more relevant given the diminishing pool of resources to support gifted students.  What exactly does differentiation do? The crux of differentiation is identifying and meeting student needs. According to Kaplan, differentiation is defined as a response to the cognitive, affective, social, and physical characteristics that distinguish what and how students learn. A classroom where learners are provided with equal opportunity to learn, but are not expected to learn the same curriculum in the same way at the same time is the context that exemplifies differentiation.

For three scholarly opinions on differentiation, visit www.ctd.northwestern.edu/resources/displayArticle/?id=134. The Center for Talent Development conference is open to all current and future educators as well as other interested in nurturing the potential of our best and brightest young students. There are many reasons to attend this seminar. Here are just five of them. 1. Enjoy the opportunity to ask questions and seek advice directly from Dr. Sandra Kaplan, Professor of Clinical Education at USC. 2. Study curriculum examples that Dr. Kaplan has developed and refined over the course of her distinguished career. 3. Observe lesson demonstrations that can be readily adapted to your classroom, and explore effective solutions that meet gifted students’ needs while enhancing the curriculum for ALL students. 4. Discover budget-friendly resources that are available to augment the learning of gifted students. 5. Network and share ideas with gifted educators who attend from across the Midwest. Beyond these five reasons, you will also have a chance to acquaint yourself with the professional team at CTD. (And who wouldn't want to meet us? We're a great bunch!) If your school registers five staff members to attend, you can send a sixth teacher for free. For complete information about the conference visit www.ctd.northwestern.edu/outreach/#educators or call 847/467-0615. Share your questions about differentiation, or join us on October 15 to find out what it’s all about!  Click here to download a registration form.

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