Baylor TIP   

The course provides thirty (30) clock hours of professional learning for teachers who are new to working and providing instruction and services that are part of the defined gifted/talented services in schools. This course includes the nature and needs of gifted and talented students, identification and assessment of gifted and talented students, and curriculum and instruction for gifted and talented students.

 

Baylor TIP's GT Parent Resource Center provides parents with recorded breakout sessions from recent parenting conferences—allowing you to learn at your own pace, on your own schedule.
   
Designed with busy families in mind, this course covers a wide range of essential topics, including the social-emotional and academic needs of GT learners, effective parent advocacy strategies, support for twice-exceptional (2e) children, and the latest research in gifted education. Each session is led by experienced professionals and educators who understand the unique challenges and opportunities of parenting gifted children.

This course will deepen your understanding of curriculum tailored for gifted learners, equip you with national standards, and enhance your ability to design rigorous, enriching lessons. Through interactive modules and guided discussions, you’ll master evidence-based methods to adapt and differentiate curriculum, using the Depth and Complexity Framework to meet the unique academic needs of gifted and high-ability students.

With successful completion of this course, learners will:

• Understand the basic requirements of a curriculum developed for gifted and talented learners.
• Become familiar with the national education standards and recognize how they can support their work in supporting gifted learners.
• Recognize how to develop more rigorous lessons and activities for students, including options for building depth and complexity of knowledge.
• Understand how to use the Depth and Complexity Framework and prompts to support the academic needs of gifted and other high-ability learners.
• Apply evidence-based curriculum and instruction models to adapt, modify, or differentiate the standard curriculum to meet gifted and talented students' interests, strengths, and needs.

Students will need the following materials for this course:

•   A roll of electrical tape
•   A screw
•   A stopwatch
•   A white piece of construction paper
•   Black marker (Sharpie)
•   Compass
•   Dry-erase clipboard
•   Dry-erase marker
•   Mounting putty (10 squares)
•   Notebook
•   Ruler
•   Scissors
•   Two 2 oz. packs of play sand
•   Two pencils
•   Two plastic bottles

Families are welcome to acquire their own supplies, or they may purchase a materials kit from us and we will mail it to their home. Students will begin using the supplies in week 3 of the course, and each week the instructor will let you know what is needed for the following week.

This online course emphasizes basic financial literacy through engaging games, simulations, and activities- exploring savings goals, banking, investing, and more. In addition to fostering financial habits, students will calculate potential savings, projected earnings, and both simple and compound interest. This eight-week course for students in grades 4-5 utilizes a bisynchronous design model, incorporating both independent student work and LIVE virtual classroom sessions, all accessible through Canvas, an online learning management system. Come join us this spring!
   
Live Zoom sessions will occur July 20-31, M-Th from 10:45-11:45 am CST.  

This online course is all about the fascinating concept of time! Time is an interesting construct that affects everything we do, from the moment we wake up to the time we go to bed. Throughout this course, we’ll explore what time really is, how it’s measured, and why it’s such an important part of our daily lives. We'll learn to read both analog and digital clocks, understand time zones, and even explore how the Earth and Sun work together to create the time we experience every day.

Whether you're curious about how clocks work, why the days get longer or shorter, or how to tell time in different ways, this course will have you thinking about time in a whole new way.

This 8-week course for students in grades 1-3 utilizes a bisynchronous design model, incorporating both independent student work and LIVE virtual classroom sessions, all accessible through Canvas, an online learning management system. Come join us this fall!

Live Zoom sessions will occur July 20-31, M-Th from 9:00-10:00 a.m CST. 

 

An optional materials kit is $50 and will be mailed to those who are interested in purchasing this option. 

Join us for an asynchronous professional learning session about the Texas State Plan for the Education of Gifted/Talented Students! Whether you have worked in gifted education for decades or are new to this field, this training will provide you with the information you need to ensure that your district is in compliance with Texas' legal requirements for identifying and serving gifted students. In this course, you will listen to members of the Texas Education Commissioner's Advisory Council for Gifted/Talented Education discuss the State Plan's requirements, and you will hear their recommendations for implementation. As part of this course, you will also receive access to commonly asked questions and answers about the State Plan as well as supporting resources to guide your work in gifted education. Content is based on the most recent update to the State Plan, which occurred in fall of 2024.

This professional development course provides educators with an understanding of twice-exceptional students. Participants will explore how giftedness and disability can coexist within the same individual, often in ways that mask one another, and learn to recognize the complex profiles of 2E learners who may be overlooked or underserved in traditional school systems.

Through interactive modules, educators will examine state and national definitions of giftedness and twice-exceptionality, master key terminology such as neurodiversity and multi-exceptionality, and unpack the academic, social, and emotional challenges that 2E students face.  The course integrates readings, videos, and reflection exercises designed to deepen understanding and translate theory into practical classroom strategies.  Participants will learn how to apply appropriate assessment practices, interpret data through a strengths-based lens, and implement classroom supports that balance enrichment and accommodation.

By the end of the course, educators will be equipped to:

-Identify indicators of both giftedness and disability in the same student

-Advocate effectively for students who need both G/T and special education services

-Implement classroom practices that nurture the whole child, honoring their talents while supporting their learning differences

-Collaborate with families and colleagues to ensure equitable access to appropriate services

 

This course fulfills the requirement of a 6-hour GT update for teachers, counselors, and administrators in Texas.

Are we on the brink of a real-life Jurassic Park? Should we bring back woolly mammoths and Tasmanian tigers, or focus on saving the species we still have? In this thought-provoking course for students in grades 5-7, we will explore humanity's role in extinctions. Through the lens of ethics and environmental responsibility, students will examine the power and limits of genetic engineering, the consequences of human actions on ecosystems, and what it truly means to save a species. Be prepared to challenge assumptions and wrestle with big questions as we seek to predict the future of life on Earth.

This is a hybrid online course, with live virtual sessions July 6-10, MWF from 9:00-10:00 am CST.

What do vipers, jellyfish, fire ants, and poison dart frogs have in common? They're more than just fearsome—they're brilliant survivalists, armed with nature’s most powerful defenses. In this electrifying course, students in grades 4-6 will dive into the world of creatures that bite, sting, and poison their way through life—and discover the surprising science behind their strategies. They will explore how these adaptations evolved, where these animals and plants thrive, and how their lethal defenses are inspiring life-saving medicines, eco-friendly pest control, and even cutting-edge engineering. Get ready to look at nature’s most feared creatures in a whole new way!

This is a hybrid online course, with live virtual sessions July 13-17, MWF from 10:30-11:30 am CST.