Children who are adopted or in foster care face unique psychosocial challenges which may be amplified by the shared challenges and intensities of their giftedness. These same Issues and challenges may mask their giftedness which can further fuel the misunderstandings and preconceived ideas of how an adoptee or foster child should look or behave.

This webinar will explore these challenges and ways they may impact these children’s education. Stories collected during a qualitative study of this population will be shared to highlight lived experiences. Topics discussed will include trauma, loss, grief, perfectionism, imposter syndrome, relationships, transitions, and school assignments. These topics are not often discussed in the education community, therefore attendees will learn about how to spot and address the above challenges, while also encouraging students’ strengths, developing their talents and interests, and advocating for the gifted adoptees and gifted foster children in an educational environment.

What makes someone an inventor, designer, or problem solver? It is not just knowledge. It is how they think. In this engaging and practical session, explore six Engineering Habits of Mind that power real innovation. Persistence, creativity, systems thinking, collaboration, conscientiousness, and optimism help ideas grow into solutions. Through classroom-ready strategies and intriguing examples, discover how to help gifted learners move from curious thinkers to capable builders who design, test, and improve the world around them.

How do you serve musically gifted students who live in rural and high-poverty areas? Join this webinar to discover practical strategies for using equitable identification tools that may reduce bias, examine real-world examples of identification evidence, and learn cost-effective ways to utilize community and school resources to enhance arts education for students in these locations. Don’t miss this opportunity to transform your approach and advocate for talented students. 

Building the leaders of tomorrow begins by knowing how the brain, the arts, and social connection are intertwined in a unique symphony of creative development. Join us for an interactive 90-minute session that will teach you the newest methodologies, backed by neuroscience, to develop creativity, brain health, and other essential life skills for our leaders who are leading in ambiguous times.

$20 members/$30 nonmembers

Exceptional by Design: Navigating Twice- and Thrice-Exceptionality is a four-part, 6-hour course that helps educators, families, and advocates recognize and support twice- and thrice-exceptional (2e/3e) learners through an equity-centered, strengths-based lens. Sessions translate research into actionable identification practices, classroom and SEL supports, and authentic family–school partnership tools, with a focus on disrupting barriers that disproportionately impact Black and multilingual learners. Sessions are presented both synchronously and asynchronously August 6-13, with opportunities for application and to gauge participants' understanding.

Session Descriptions:

• Session 1, August 6, 5 p.m. ET: Foundations of 2e/3e (and Why Race Matters): Define twice- and thrice-exceptionality, unpack common misconceptions, and explore how systemic inequities shape identification and services—especially for Black students and other historically marginalized learners. (Live webinar)

• Session 2, On-Demand: Equitable Identification in Practice: Learn strength-based, culturally responsive identification approaches using multiple measures, family/community input as core data, and learner profiles that reveal how giftedness and disability can mask one another. (Recorded/on-demand session to watch between Session 1 and Session 3)

• Session 3, August 11, 5 p.m. ET: Instruction, SEL, and Executive Function Supports: Apply practical classroom and schoolwide strategies (including differentiation, scaffolds, acceleration/compacting, executive function supports, and self-advocacy routines) while addressing stressors like perfectionism, masking, and overwhelm. (Live webinar)

• Session 4, August 13, 5 p.m. ET: Family Partnership and Thriving as 3e: Strengthen family–school collaboration through culturally responsive communication and co-constructed plans, then shift from deficit framing to asset-based supports that promote identity affirmation, resilience, and long-term success for 2e/3e learners.

Within this online learning module, educators understand and use research-based instructional strategies that address gifted students’ social and emotional concerns. This 9-hour training provides background knowledge and practical application to the classroom.

Within this online module, educators identify traits, aptitudes, and behaviors (TABs) commonly exhibited by gifted students and develop and implement a plan based on the Panning for Gold Student Observation Protocol. This 9-hour training provides background knowledge and practical application to the classroom.

Within this online module, educators use the Curriculum Compacting technique to create a challenging and engaging learning environment in the classroom for all students. This 9-hour training provides background knowledge and practical application to the classroom.

This webinar will explore critical college planning concerns for twice-exceptional (2e) and thrice-exceptional (3e) students. We will discuss key postsecondary barriers, including the admissions masking effect, the shift to student self-advocacy, asynchronous executive functioning, documentation requirements, and the need for dual-support environments. Gain insights to promote your child’s unique, strengths-based college transition.

June is Pride Month, and this year in particular it's going to be an especially important moment for the LGBTQ+ and Ally community. Gifted LGBTQ+ young people in particular are susceptible to the seemingly endless news stream of shifting policies, laws, and national attitudes challenging LGBTQ+ rights and identity. However, Pride Month is a reminder that joy can overcome despair and be a powerful instrument for resistance! Join the NAGC LGBTQ+ Network as we highlight and celebrate the joyful things educators, families, and young people can do to keep spirits up and help enact positive change.