Valuing creativity, the knowledge and characteristics of creativity, planning for to teach to creativity using assessment and evaluation, and personalizing a committed to an action plan to teach to creativity will take the focus in this course. History and theory of gifted and talented education will interface with a number of activities geared toward introducing participants to multiple cognitive-based strategies with a strong research based and proven to work in gifted settings. Beginning with environment, participants will look at methods to nurture creativity by cultivating and employing “the art brain” in their students.  Several theorists on creativity and education will be examined, along with those that speak specifically to cognition (Jensen, Immordino-Yang, Marzano, Martinez among others). Competencies include theory and development of creativity, including elements of creativity such as fluency, flexibility, originality and elaboration. In addition, the nature and needs of gifted students, including student characteristics; cognitive, social and emotional needs; history and current research.

• Discuss and practice with multiple cognitive-based activities geared toward building and nurturing creativity of the gifted and talented.
• Examine multiple settings that nurture creativity and embed a plan for selected settings as they apply to gifted and talented students in their classrooms.
• Plan for, and apply, a self-designed gifted curriculum into their classrooms in consideration of the social, emotional needs of their students.