Keynote and Workshop Topics and Descriptions

Genius Hour changed everything for me and for my learners.  I had become a complacent educator that lost my passion for the work.

And then, I learned about Genius Hour.  In this learning experience, I will explain how the 6 Ps of Genius Hour gives us the opportunity to add depth to the experience in a way that makes passion-based learning both manageable and meaningful. 

When done well, Genius Hour gives our learners the opportunity to lean into their strengths, make connections, practice life-ready skills, and make an impact.  After this session, educators will have the strategies, tools, and ideas to implement Genius Hour as a way to identify and serve gifted learners.

Your audience will learn:

💡 What Genius Hour is and how can be implemented in a way that is manageable and meaningful

💡 The Genius Hour Process (The 6 Ps of Genius Hour) and the skills that should be prioritized throughout the experience

💡 How to help learners write meaningful purpose statements 

💡 Why this type of learning makes school a place that learners want to be

💡 How making this a priority in the classroom can reignite our passion for teaching and learning

So often, we consider what we will do if our learners don't understand.  But, what if they DO?

Differentiating for gifted learners doesn't have to be difficult and doesn't have to feel like one more thing. In fact, using my framework, educators will realize that we often make differentiation harder than it needs to be. 

Learning should look like surfing. It should be an active experience that requires our learners to be fully engaged and invested. In this learning experience, I will explain how to design for depth so that gifted learners feel seen and supported in this classroom.  

Your audience will learn:

💡 How to shift from writing lesson plans and creating activities to designing meaningful learning experiences

💡 Why learners should be engaged in the first 8 seconds of class

💡 How to design extensions that are connected to content and provide evidence of depth

💡 How to differentiate by identifying a learner's next best step

💡 How to make productive struggle a reality in the classroom and encourage every learner to embrace challenge in order to grow

So often, we focus on compliance and checklists when onboarding gifted learners — forms, folders, labels. But what if we flipped the script?

What if gifted onboarding wasn’t a process to complete, but a foundation to design for?

Too often, gifted identification becomes the end of the story instead of the beginning. But with the right approach, onboarding gifted learners can be a powerful opportunity to build connection, set realistic expectations, and personalize learning from day one.

In this session, I’ll share how to create an onboarding experience that moves beyond paperwork and into meaningful relationships, purposeful planning, and proactive support. You’ll walk away with a clear framework to help every gifted learner feel known, challenged, and empowered to grow.

Your audience will learn:

💡 How to design a gifted onboarding process that honors each learner's strengths, needs, and interests
💡 What questions to ask gifted learners to build trust and tailor support early
💡 Why early communication with families sets the tone for the entire school year
💡 How to use onboarding data to drive real differentiation (without overwhelm)
💡 How to turn onboarding into a launchpad for identity, ownership, and deeper learning

We say we want learners to struggle,  but are we actually designing for it?

So often, we rescue learners the moment they falter. We smooth the path. We reduce the rigor. But what if the real growth lives in the tension — not away from it?

Productive struggle isn’t about making learning harder.
It’s about making learning meaningful. It’s about helping students develop persistence, flexibility, and confidence when the answer isn’t obvious. And it’s about giving gifted learners, in particular, the space to encounter true challenge — maybe for the first time.

In this session, I’ll share how to intentionally design learning experiences that include challenge by design, not by accident. You’ll leave with strategies that help all learners lean into discomfort, embrace mistakes, and develop the skills to thrive in complexity.

Your audience will learn:

💡 What productive struggle really looks like (and what it doesn’t)
💡 How to balance support and challenge — especially for gifted learners
💡 Why early finishers may actually be under-challenged learners
💡 How to ask better questions that lead to deeper thinking
💡 Simple, powerful strategies to help students normalize challenge and grow through it

I also offer coaching and consulting opportunities. If you'd like to chat about ongoing support, please indicate that on the form below.  

I love sharing with gifted learners and/or their families. If you are interested in a family or student event, please indicate that on the form below.