Saturday May 6th, 2017
Time: 1:00 pm to 4:30 pm
Cost: $45 per person (second family member $35)
at Choice School for the Gifted and Exceptional
(20451 Westminster Hwy, Richmond, BC)
As our events are well attended, register early. Sorry, no refunds.
We have a full program for Parents/Adults (Note: no children’s program or any childminding provided).
GCABC is a nonprofit, volunteer sustained organization. As of May 2017 we do not charge for membership, and this is the one event to raise funds for our ongoing work.
Keynote: “Superkids 2: Learning from the experiences of our most able students”
by Dr. Marion Porath*
Keynote description: The “superkids” were first portrayed as highly gifted young
adolescents in a documentary in 2004 that focused on their decisions regarding secondary
school programs. Now, in response to the question asked by many who viewed the film –
“What happened to these young people?” – a second documentary is in production
focused on the dynamic, complex nature of these young people’s lives and their
retrospective insights about their identification as gifted learners and their educational
and career choices. Focusing on the voices of the “superkids,” with additional insights
from parents, teachers, psychologists, and scholars, this presentation will examine
perspectives over time and what we can learn about development and education from
these young people.
Breakout Session: “The new BC curriculum, what’s in it for gifted learners, their
teachers and families?” by Maureen McDermid**
Breakout description: While the new curriculum is not a curriculum that addresses all the
needs of gifted learners, it is built on many of the attributes of learning that teachers of
the gifted have advocated for and provided for their students over the past 40 years. Most
significant is a shift in pedagogy that moves from a focus on recall and repetition to
understanding. The focus on inquiry, critical thinking, self-regulation and development of
communication skills addresses the needs of high potential learners to explore, problem
solve, create and develop self understanding.
*Dr. Marion Porath is Professor Emerita in the Faculty of Education at The University of
British Columbia. She was the coordinator of the program in high ability for 25 years.
She received the Killam Prize for teaching excellence and the Robbie Case Memorial
Award for major contributions to educational psychology. She has authored articles and
chapters on the development of different forms of giftedness and co-authored several
books on teaching and learning. Her current interests are in the development of giftedness
across the lifespan and arts-based approaches to studying giftedness.
**Maureen McDermid, Quest Consulting. Maureen is an educator who has worked across
the K-12 system in 4 school districts in British Columbia. As an elementary teacher, she
taught both primary and intermediate grades and while teaching at the secondary level
designed and implemented the integration of English and Social Studies into a
Humanities curriculum and was part of a team that designed and delivered a curriculum
for gifted students. While working as a District Curriculum Coordinator responsible for
supporting gifted students in SD #38, Richmond, BC for over 12 years, she also taught
university courses in critical thinking.
She is a member of the Board of GCABC and currently works as an education consultant
focusing on curriculum designed for critical thinking, makes presentations and provides
in-service on curriculum planning and programming for gifted learners with both public
and independent schools. In response to the increasing options for choice in education,
she advises and supports families seeking assistance with appropriate school or program
placement for their children. She and her husband have raised gifted twin boys and have
5 grandchildren, all designated as gifted.