Designed for teachers new to gifted education, this professional development course builds essential skills for differentiating instruction to meet the needs of gifted students. Participants will learn how to design appropriately challenging tasks, and use instructional frameworks that promote depth, complexity, and creativity. Emphasis is placed on transferable strategies that can be applied in mixed-ability classrooms, empowering teachers to support gifted learners while strengthening instruction for all students.
Th two books, Vertical Differentiation for Gifted, Advanced, and High Potential Students as well as A Teacher’s Toolbox for Gifted Education will be referenced to guide the foundations of differentiation for new teachers of the gifted. There will be hands on learning in small groups along with rich discussions to help create a “toolbox” of strategies for teachers to take back to their classrooms. Upon successful completion of the class, teachers will receive 6 hours of recertification credit hours that may be used towards a gifted endorsement if needed.
A stipend of $25/hour will be given for each hour of this course; a total of 6 hours.
Dates: June 9, 10, 11, 2026
Time: 2:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Location: Pima County School Superintendent's Office 200 N. Stone Avenue
Cost: $40
Facilitator:
Amanda Chavez is currently a STEAM middle school teacher in the Santa Cruz County Unified School District. She has 20 years experience in education which includes eight years as an elementary general education teacher, four years as a special education teacher and for the past eight years, the Gifted Coordinator and teacher in Sahuarita Unified School District. As the Gifted Coordinator Amanda created the program design and curriculum to meet the needs of the 2-5th grade identified gifted population. Along with creating lessons and curriculum for the pull-out gifted classroom, she partnered with gifted cluster teachers to support the needs of these students in their general education classrooms. As a former gifted student in the S.U.N. Program in Sunnyside Unified School District, and a parent of two gifted sons, Amanda is well informed on the academic and social/emotional needs of gifted learners, and the support needed for them to to reach their potential. Amanda is a member of the Arizona Association of Gifted and Talented and the National Association of Gifted Children.
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