Speaker Series: Encouraging a Flexible Mindset in Gifted Individuals

427 Spencer Road,St. Peters MO 63376

15 September, 2022

Description

Presented by: Justin Villet, Sphinx Gifted Consulting LLC Giftedness can be a double-edged sword; it can be wonderful during some instances, and truly debilitating during others. In order to try to aid in the development of the whole child, a flexible mindset is necessary, but "having" one is easier said than done, especially with a young gifted individual. The problem is that many people don't really know how to focus on this in a "real" and logistically-sound way. Educators are often asked to foster flexible mindsets without really knowing what this means, how to integrate this into a class that is content-mastery driven, or how to make sure social-emotional development has “staying power.” Parents might know how to encourage a different mindset, but might not know how to come together with educators to make sure their child is getting the same messaging throughout their day. This presentation outlines some of the issues, guides educators through creating a system that integrates content mastery and skill mastery, and provides formats so that educators and parents can effectively work together. About the presenter: Justin Villet, president and founder of Sphinx Gifted Consulting, LLC, has been an educator and administrator in the field of gifted education for a decade; he is a PhD candidate in education and has three Masters degrees in the field of education, including one in gifted education. Starting his career as an 8th grade history and English teacher, Justin has created and helped to reform numerous gifted programs, focusing on equitable practices, flexible programmatic approaches that have “staying power” within a community, and tiered cognitive opportunities for all students. Recently, Justin has been employed by districts to perform quality reviews of gifted programs, provide professional development opportunities for stakeholders, and help navigate the politically charged world of gifted education.