Sign up for our weekly newsletter here! In this episode of the "Fueling Creativity in Education Podcast," hosts Cyndi Burnett and Matthew Worwood engage in a thought-provoking discussion with Dr. Austina De Bonte, an expert in gifted education. Austina who transitioned from a successful career in technology at Microsoft to pursue her passion for gifted education, shares her multifaceted experiences and research. She highlights the challenges and strategies associated with equitable identification of gifted students, particularly focusing on twice exceptional students—those who are both gifted and have a learning difference or disability. Dr. De Bonte emphasizes the importance of using methods such as local norms and or-based rules in testing to provide a more inclusive and accurate identification process. She also addresses the stereotypes and assumptions associated with giftedness and the need for a broader understanding of the complexities involved. Throughout the episode, Dr. De Bonte explores the significance of re-evaluating the terminology used in gifted education, supporting the shift from "gifted" to "highly capable" to mitigate misconceptions. Additionally, she offers valuable insights for parents navigating the educational system with twice exceptional children, encouraging a deeper exploration of underlying issues that may affect a child's performance. Listeners will gain an understanding of how Austina's approach intertwines creative educational experiences with systematic solutions, ultimately advocating for a more comprehensive and equitable gifted education landscape. The episode provides valuable perspectives for educators, parents, and administrators seeking to enhance their understanding of gifted education and foster creativity in the classroom. About Dr. Austina De Bonte: Dr. Austina De Bonte is President of WA Coalition for Gifted Education, Past President of NW Gifted Child Association, Advisor to The G Word documentary, and a consultant at Smart is not Easy. She specializes in helping families get to the root cause(s) of their kids’ twice exceptional challenges. Her signature style combines her experience as a parent of grown 2e students and family consultant along with synthesized research, current district practices across Washington State, and cutting-edge neuroscience. She has a Masters degree from MIT (1998), and an Ed.D. from Bridges Graduate School (2024), where her dissertation was titled “Beyond Universal Screening: Practices and Attitudes that Promote Equity in an Accelerated Program.” Learn more about her at Smart is Not Easy. Eager to bring more creativity into your school district? Check out our sponsor Curiosity2Create.org and join their Creativity Network for Educators at Curiosity2Connect! Check out our Podcast Website to dive deeper into Creativity in Education! For more information on Creativity in Education, check out: Matt's Website: Worwood Classroom Cyndi's Website: Creativity and Education

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Welcome to an exciting new episode of the Fueling Creativity in Education Podcast as we kick off season 10 with a compelling mini-series on diversity, creativity and gifted education, recorded live at the 2024 National Association for Gifted and Talented Conference in Seattle, Washington. In this episode, our hosts, Dr. Cyndi Burnett and Dr. Matthew Worwood sit down with Dr. Jeb Puryear, an associate professor at the University of Montana. Dr. Puryear imparts his extensive knowledge on the intersection of creativity, talent development, and education. They delve into how creativity research can help address systemic inequities in education and explore intriguing topics such as divergent thinking and creative metacognition, providing invaluable insights for teachers endeavoring to integrate creativity into their classrooms effectively.

Listeners will gain a deeper understanding of ways to contextualize creative assignments for students, linking them to real-world problems and encouraging students to develop a capacity for evaluating ideas critically. The conversation also covers the challenges of equitable education for gifted students and explores intervention strategies rather than relying solely on identification practices. Dr. Puryear emphasizes the importance of recognizing and nurturing creativity in students and teachers alike, and presents an array of strategies to empower educators in fostering a more inclusive and innovative learning environment. Tune in to explore these pivotal themes and to glean inspiration from Dr. Puryear’s creative educational experiences and insights, aimed at transforming how we approach gifted education and creativity in K-12 settings.

About Dr. Jeb Puryear:

Dr.Jeb Puryear is an Associate Professor of Gifted Education at the University of Montana and a former Research Associate at the National Center for Research on Gifted Education. Additionally, he has spent two decades as a teacher and educational administrator. Jeb is an active member of NAGC networks, current chair-elect of the Research & Evaluation network, and routinely serves the gifted education community through editorial work for journals and as a conference proposal reviewer. Jeb has had his work published across top outlets in both the gifted education and creativity fields. His research interests center on creativity, underserved populations in gifted education, and the psychology of talent development.

Eager to bring more creativity into your school district? Check out our sponsor Curiosity2Create.org and join their Creativity Network for Educators at Curiosity2Connect!

Check out our Podcast Website to dive deeper into Creativity in Education!

For more information on Creativity in Education, check out:

Cyndi's Website: Creativity and Education

Matt's Website: Worwood Classroom

Sign up for our weekly newsletter here!

We are back for Season 10 of the Fueling Creativity in Education podcast! In this episode, hosts Dr. Cyndi Burnett and Dr. Matthew Worwood announce a unique and exciting start with episodes recorded on location at the National Association for Gifted and Talented Conference in Seattle. This season also features a special miniseries that explores gifted education alongside diversity, equity, and inclusion topics, kicking off with three insightful episodes.

The episode also highlights several developments aimed at amplifying the podcast's reach and resources. Cyndi shares her endeavor to launch a weekly newsletter featuring episodes and updates from past guests, labeled as "extra fuel." Meanwhile, Matthew discusses the extensive redesign and organization of their website, which now hosts over 200 episodes sorted into collections like STEM, theater education, and creativity research. Additionally, they introduce Jimmy Wilson, an emerging scholar who will contribute cutting-edge research insights, and Katherine Fu, their new creative producer. The hosts conclude with an appetizer of what’s to come, including a new concluding question for guests about creative educational experiences, setting the stage for an engaging and resourceful season.

Eager to bring more creativity into your school district? Check out our sponsor Curiosity2Create.org and join their Creativity Network for Educators at Curiosity2Connect!

Check out our Podcast Website to dive deeper into Creativity in Education!

For more information on Creativity in Education, check out:

Cyndi's Website: Creativity and Education

Matt's Website: Worwood Classroom