Video: Gifted Program Teachers Meet in Tupelo

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TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) –

More than 500 teachers and counselors are in Tupelo for an annual conference to learn new ways to reach and challenge gifted students.

As WCBI’s Allie Martin reports, the three day event is full of a variety of activities, sessions and unique items and learning opportunities from vendors.
At this conference there are interactive demonstrations where teachers play the parts of various creatures found in a wetlands area.There are also classroom sessions, like this one where instructors learn creative ways to teach geography.

It’s all part of the 40th annual state conference for the Mississippi Association for Gifted Children.This year’s theme is “Full Steam Ahead” and organizers say it’s all part of an effort to make things even more challenging for gifted and advanced students.

“In the gifted classroom, we take kids that come regular classroom with skills they have developed there and then we assist those kids in developing and applying those skills for longer term projects.”

Nearly 600 teachers and counselors are at the Bancorpsouth Arena and Conference Center for this event and they have a number of presentations to choose from, all focusing on the STEAM theme, Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math.

There are also vendors throughout the arena concourse.At the Tupelo based “Teacher’s Pet” booth, a big sellers were Kinetic Sand, a playdough looking material called “Bubber” and these spring action, plastic woven tube toys called “Boinks.”

“You can apply science, technology, engineering, in building all kinds of things with Boinks and arts and also mathematics.”

And instructors were able to learn about fun filled hands on field trips at the McDowell Farm School and Environmental Center in Winston County Alabama.

The exhibitors also teach students about the early days of the United States, with the aid of this simple, but challenging Hoop and Stick Game, which had practical uses among Native Americans.

“Legend goes they would ask a child to learn how to do it five times in a row with the whole family gathered around watching and that stress, if they could handle that stress and still do it five times in a row, then they could go hunting.”

Teachers say the conference helps them recharge and learn from their colleagues.

“You get new ideas and it’s also good to be with your peers and other people who understand what we’re trying to do with our children.”

The conference wraps up Friday. In Tupelo I’m Allie Martin WCBI News.

It’s estimated there are more than 700 gifted teachers across the state.