Arrive early on Tuesday, December 1, for a focused 2-hour learning experience before the full giftED26 conference begins. These optional pre-conference sessions will be held from 3:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m. at the Marriott Marquis Houston and are available as part of the giftED registration process for an additional registration fee of $49 per session. Choose from interactive sessions on cozy giftedness, differentiated instruction, and real classroom challenges, and leave with practical ideas you can bring back to your classroom, campus, or district.
Pull up a chair, grab a puzzle piece, and settle in for a different kind of gifted education session. In a world where gifted learners are often rushed toward performance, productivity, and constant achievement, this interactive summit invites educators to slow down and explore what happens when we design gifted experiences with more depth, creativity, craftsmanship, and care.
Through cozy “grandma hobby” stations featuring activities like puzzles, coloring, crochet, and hands-on reflection, participants will explore how meaningful gifted onboarding, genius hour experiences, and depth-centered learning can help learners build curiosity, intellectual stamina, and authentic engagement. Together, we will rethink gifted education through the lens of slow learning, purposeful design, and the kind of thoughtful attention usually reserved for homemade quilts, handwritten recipes, and hobbies that take time. Participants will leave with practical ideas, reflective tools, and a renewed vision for creating gifted programs that feel less like academic performance factories and more like spaces where learners can truly create, wonder, linger, and grow.
About the Speaker: Andi McNair is more than just an educator—she is a passionate advocate for transformative learning experiences. With a blend of humor, relatability, and genuine enthusiasm, she believes in creating educational environments where every learner can flourish.
With over 22 years of experience in the field, Andi has honed her skills in guiding educators, administrators, and families towards innovative strategies that bring these beliefs to life. Her journey has been marked by a dedication to finding what works, what doesn’t, and why—offering insights that stem from authentic experiences and a deep understanding of the challenges faced by learners of all kinds.
But perhaps what sets her apart most is her approachability and humor. She firmly believes that learning should be enjoyable, even when it’s challenging. By infusing her work with warmth and relatability, she strives to create an environment where educators and families feel not only supported but inspired to embark on their own journeys of educational transformation.
Pre-conference sessions are available as an add-on fee with full giftED registration. The registration form will require you to log in with your existing TAGT profile or create a new profile. Already registered for the conference and want to add on a pre-conference session? Let us know at tagt@txgifted.org.
How do educators move from knowing what differentiation is to confidently deciding how to implement it for gifted learners in real classrooms? This interactive pre-conference session invites participants to step into authentic classroom scenarios and use a case-study approach to explore effective culturally responsive differentiation across instructional settings.
Participants will engage in guided analysis of cases drawn from topics such as inclusive classrooms, cluster and pull-out models, and full-time gifted programs, examining how educators respond to advanced readiness, twice- and thrice-exceptionality, social-emotional needs, talent development, and emerging considerations such as AI. Through collaborative discussion and reflection, attendees will strengthen instructional decision making, deepen their understanding of flexible differentiation practices, and leave with practical strategies, questions, and tools they can immediately apply to their own classrooms or professional learning communities.
About the Speakers: Cecelia Boswell, Ed.D., is a former teacher of rural migrant and gifted students, Advanced Academics consultant, executive Director of Advanced Academics, an independent consultant, past President TAGT and CEC-TAG, and co-author/editor of eight gifted and leadership books. Her areas of interest include program evaluation, rural gifted, and migrant gifted learners.
Christine L. Weber, Ph.D., is a professor of teaching, learning, and curriculum at the University of North Florida and has served on the Gifted Child Today Editorial Review Board since 1998. Her scholarship and leadership focus on professional learning and teacher preparation in gifted education, including pedagogical content knowledge. She has coedited National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) professional learning volumes, contributed to national standards work, and recently published the second edition of Exploring Critical Issues in Gifted Education.
Pre-conference sessions are available as an add-on fee with full giftED registration. The registration form will require you to log in with your existing TAGT profile or create a new profile. Already registered for the conference and want to add on a pre-conference session? Let us know at tagt@txgifted.org.
Pre-conference sessions are just one way to make your time in Houston even more meaningful. Explore the full giftED26 schedule, choose the add-ons that fit your goals, and register to build a conference experience that supports your classroom, campus, or district.
