EDUCATIONAL FORUM: APR. 3, 2016
THE BEACON SCHOOL
9:15 am – Door Opens
9:50 – 10:00 – Welcome and Guide to Forum
[ GYMNASIUM ]
Meredith Hafer, Head of School, The Beacon School, Patsy Kumekawa, Scholar Search Associates
PRESENTATIONS - 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
10:00 – 11:00 a. Gifted Underachievement: A Holistic View [ GYMNASIUM ]
Underachievement is often presented as an academic phenomenon - a disparity between grades and ability - but students experience it on much deeper
levels. When gifted young people do not have access to appropriate opportunities, environments, or supports to succeed, the e ffects can be debilitating.
Come explore the roots and ramifications of gifted underachievement - its multifaceted causes, its diverse symptoms, and its effects on students’ social emotional lives. And, come away with strategies that you, as either a parent or an educator, can apply to foster connectednes s, resilience, and
meaningful achievement.
Presenter: Meredith Hafer, Head of School, The Beacon School
b. A Practical Map for the Road to College [ LOWER SCHOOL – LS 1 ]
It is one of life’s burdens - the college application process. Make it easier on yourself by learning some of the tools that will enable you to be an appealing admissions candidate. Most
importantly, discover and be reassured that you do not need to compromise on hopes and dreams to find a college that will serve you best.
Presenter: Keith Berman, President, Options for College
11:00 – 12:00 a. Addressing the Issue of Educational Cost [ GYMNASIUM ]
For most of us, the costs of college and other educational programs are viewed as formidable obstacles that can stand in the way of fully exploring, or
realizing, our educational options. While cost considerations should not be dismissed, they should not b e the primary factor that dissuades a person from
pursuing educational opportunities. Expand your comprehension of the “cost issue” by discovering ways to save and pay for your child’s education; and
learn about misconceptions that make the “cost barriers ” seem inconceivably high. Most of all, understand why affording education might be more
realizable than you think.
Presenters: Diego Arbalaez and Vincent Lipson, Independent Representatives of Primerica
b. Early College Alternatives
[ LOWER SCHOOL - LS 1 ]
Curiosity and the desire to learn can be sustained throughout one's formal educational experience. For some in high school, e arly college alternatives
can provide not only the advanced course material but also a suitable learning environment that can spark intellectual and emotional growth. An
admission administrator of the institution that was the first in the country to be devoted to early college will explore thre e kinds of early college models
and the kind of students who most benefit from this experience.
Presenter: Kirin Terni, Associate Director of Admission, Bard College at Simon’s Rock
c. Elementary Algebra: The Importance of Early Abstract Math
[ MAIN BUILDING L6 ]
Traditional math curricula shun algebraic abstraction until students are well into middle school. It is becoming increasingly apparent that students are
capable of working with algebraic thought and notation from a much younger age. In fact, this early exposure has shown itself to have real positive
impacts on a child's overall cognitive development. Explore the history and theory behind a Russian approach that seeks to in troduce the concepts of
variable, equation and order of operation to students as young as the first grade. In a world of acceler ating progress and endlessly proliferating
information, adaptive analytical thinking and problem solving are more important than ever. Algebra is the perfect exercise t o prepare young minds for
this future. Find out why.
Presenter: Christopher Green, Principal, Russian School of Mathematics (Stamford)
d. Tour of The Beacon School (meet at The Beacon School table)
12:00 – 1:00 ---------------------
LUNCH BREAK
Families welcome to meet one another
---------------------
1:00 – 2:00 a. You, Your Child, and Einstein: The Impostor Syndrome [ GYMNASIUM ]
Have you ever worried that someday someone will find out your success is due purely to luck? Do you have a fear of failure, or a feeling that your hard work is never
enough? If so, then you and about 70% of the population suffer from the Impostor Syndrome. It’s usually the highest achieving and most gifted people that get hit the
hardest - Einstein, Tina Fey, Maya Angelou, you … your student. It is hard enough to deal with these feelings as adults, but it is harder when we see our children
exhibiting the same fears. Come take a look at the Impostor Syndrome and learn how to combat this condition and give your children the confidence and skills they need
to succeed.
Presenter: Jill Schaffer, Director, The Experimentory at Deerfield Academy
EDUCATIONAL FORUM: APR. 3, 2016
THE BEACON SCHOOL
PRESENTATIONS - continued
1:00 – 2:00 - continued
b. The Power of Creative Writing
[ LOWER SCHOOL – LS 1 ]
Too often, young people's attempts to develop their writing skills are restrained by their uncertainty of grammar, or of what subjects or formats are "allowed." Giving
students the space to make mistakes and express themselves creatively and in an environment uninhibited by censorship can make learning how to write not only
doable but also enjoyable. Discover how providing a safe space for creativity can foster joy, literacy, and critical thinking in your child.
Presenter: Lena Roy, Northern Metro Regional Manager and Head Instructor, Writopia Lab
2:00 – 3:00 a. The New SAT, New ACT and College Admissions
[ GYMNASIUM ]
The College Board and the ACT organizations have both announced upcoming changes to their tests that will dynamically alter the college admissions playing field for the future. With
their vigorous market campaigning coupled with their extensive educational business relationships, both test administrations have been effectively targeting state-level standards and
college admission approaches to better comply with the testing adjustments that will soon materialize. Come and find out what exactly will be changing on the SAT and the ACT and
the very real ramifications on college admissions. More importantly, see how you can prepare yourself for what’s coming next.
Presenter: Edward Kim, Director of Curriculum, C2 Education
b. The Null Curriculum: The Most Important Lessons [ LOWER SCHOOL - LS 1 ]
Only a few people know about The Null Curriculum. That’s because The Null Curriculum doesn’t exist; it is never discussed and it is never offered in
schools. It is what children learn from what they are never taught. Research tells us that the presence of omission has a profound impact on all learners.
In fact, it is arguably the most important piece of any curriculum that forms the character and world view of young people in any culture, religion, or
country. The Null Curriculum is a vital part of human development that deserves to be understood by more than “ few people”. Join a discussion and
become more aware a hidden pedagogy too important to ignore.
Presenter: Elisha Paul, Head of School, The Jewish High School of Connecticut
c. Tour of The Beacon School (meet at The Beacon School’s table)
3:00 – 4:00 a. Academic Talent Development: Five Paths for Parents [ GYMNASIUM ]
A survey of the field of gifted education reveals few agreed-upon approaches for educating advanced learners that are sure-fire for every child. But take heart: there are
some ways to proceed as a parent that raise chances for success. We’ll examine definitions of academic talent, parenting approaches that encourage motivation,
considerations for a broader purpose for school, and a rubric for selecting providers of talent development opportunities beyond school. Come away with a deeper
understanding of the choices before you, and a better idea of the paths that would most benefit your child.
Presenter: Charles Beckman, Manager, Parent and Volunteer Relations, Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth
b. Smart Girls, Challenging Times
[ LOWER SCHOOL - LS 1 ]
Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck’s research reveals that high -achieving girls are significantly and disproportionately quick to display characteristics of
helplessness when confronted with challenging tasks. Why does this happen? What makes the smartest g irls this vulnerable? Come explore the
challenges that girls and their parents face as they navigate a society, and even a world, that marginalizes female intellige nce. Gain insight into the
subtleties that govern the lives of smart girls and their percept ion of their ability, their potential, and their value. And, become better aware of how a high achieving girl can address the obstacles she must meet in her quest for happiness and success.
Presenter: Laura Burgess, Director of Recruitment, Emma Willard School
EDUCATIONAL FORUM: APR. 3, 2016
THE BEACON SCHOOL
STUDENT SESSIONS 10:00 am - 4:00 pm student sessions are
open to all students in 4 t h -12th grades.
1) Drawing the Line (grades 4-6) with Kasey Henderson, Faculty, The Beacon School (Main – ART ROOM)
(10am, 11am, 2pm)
All artists have “it”, certainly all good artists. "It" is the ability to see and to draw a line. The lack of “it” prevents most of us from drawing well, or drawing enjoyment out
of drawing. We all have the capability - holding us back is a lack an understanding of a line’s concept, and the story that a line can relate when it is applied. In essence,
we lack the ability to see what it is like to see like an artist. Gain the vision by exploring the line and experiencing its application through a variety of mediums and
techniques. If you are an artist already, improve your drawing skills. If you don’t believe you can draw, discover just how wrong you are.
(for grades: 4-6, session limit: 20)
2) Meet the Fibonaccis (grades 4-6) with Bryan Johnson, Instructor, Johns Hopkins CTYOnline (Main – 202)
(11am, 1pm, 2pm, 3pm)
No one likes patterns more than mathematicians, and Fibonacci numbers stamp their patterns everywhere they go, from flower petals to nautilus shells. We’ll set you
loose with dominoes and Starbursts so you can discover why this classic number sequence amazes mathematicians. The session promises to build your math agility
and maybe even your appreciation for pure math . . . and Starbursts. (for grades: 4-6, session limit: 20)
3) Tinkering with Microcontrollers (grades 4-6) with Zaniac (Main – 204)
(1pm, 2pm, 3pm)
Bring out the electronic extrovert in you and discover your penchant for systems and electricity. Introduce yourself to basic electronic terms and concepts (inputs,
outputs, analogs, electricity …) while applying systems of microcontrollers (mini-computers) to craft a potentially infinite (maybe, a little exaggeration) number of
electronic-based gizmos (flashlights, synthesizers …). Become a tinkerer, become electronically knowledgeable, and become aware of the infinite possibilities when
tinkering and knowledge collide. (for grades: 4-6, session limit: 16)
4) Chemistry: Faster! Hotter! Bigger! (gr. 4-8) w/ Dr. John Henderson & Kevin Miller, Faculty, The Beacon School (Main – 107) (10am, 11am, 1pm)
Chemical reactions: the production and destruction of atomic bonds. They happen all the time and all around us: the rusting of metal, the autumn foliage, the
explosions of firecrackers. If you are curious, and you should be, come learn about chemical reactions that we experience in our daily lives. Then, form up into small
groups to focus on factors that cause chemical changes that take place rapidly, with large energy releases. Join in for an interactive, hands-on chemistry session that
encompasses knowledge, observation and analysis. See what it takes to make it faster! hotter! and bigger! (for grades: 4-8, session limit: 15)
5) The Legends of the Maya (grades 4-8) with Julie DeAngelis, Faculty, The Beacon School (Lower Sch. – LS 4)
(10am, 1pm, 2pm, 3pm)
For its time, it was one of the most advanced civilizations the world had seen. They are long gone, but for over 3,000 years the Maya established their culture, created
cities and left a written record of their lives, achievements and values. So, who were the Maya, how did they see the world, what stories did they leave behind, and how
do their linguistic and cultural legacies persist in the world in which we inhabit? Come explore the traditions of a fascinating culture; gain a feel for the Mayan style of
illustrative writing; and appreciate how an ancient civilization continues to exert its heritage on many of our lives today, even 500 years after its collapse.
(for grades: 4-8, session limit: 20)
6) Hot Notebook! (grades 4-8, 7-12) with Lena Roy, Northern Metro Regional Mgr. & Head Instructor, Writopia Lab (Lower Sch. – LS 3)
(gr.4-8: 11am, 3pm) (gr.7-12: 10am)
This is creative writing at 100 mph. You and others will each be assigned a unique character and a want - perhaps, for example, one looking to solve an agricultural
crisis begun by a maniacal politician - and be charged to begin a story until randomly instructed to pass your story to another. At each turn, you’ll tap the limits of your
creativity, navigating conflicts, confronting twists, and making sense of crazy dialogues so as to enable the story’s character to achieve his or her goal. Speed chess?
Improv? They might hold a candle to the pace of Hot Notebook! Come write a story (or six) and discover how plot builds character … perhaps even yours.
(for grades 4-8 and 7-12, session limit: 20)
7) Making a Strawberry DNA Split (grades 5-8) with Mariya Tokar, Instructor, Johns Hopkins CTY (Main – 105)
(10am, 1pm, 2pm, 3pm)
Start with strawberries. Pound into smithereens. Add soap and salt, then mix with rubbing alcohol. The “split” that happens next from combining these common
household items isn’t just amazing: It reveals the recipe for life itself. Curious? Come and get it. And get served with a wider understanding of our own existence.
(for grades: 5-8, session limit: 20)
8) Tantalizing with Tapas, or Pierogies, or…(grades 6-8) w/ Rebecca Sherburne, Deerfield Academy Faculty, The Experimentory at Deerfield Academy
(Main – 207)
(10am, 11am, 3pm)
Combine your notions of food, music, and art, with your salesmanship to reveal just how much creativity you possess. You and your band of brothers (and sisters),
are charged with developing a flashy mobile food vending unit (food truck, food boat, donkey food cart … ), creating a menu, writing a jingle - to ensure appeal so
that your mother can be comfortable in her retirement. There is a caveat … your team’s effort must be made within the context of an arbitrary cultural environment.
Can you think outside the box? Can you think outside your culture? With only your imagination, your teammates, and (supplied) iPads, show the world you can! (for
grades 6-8, session limit: 20)
9) The President’s Cabinet (grades 6-12) with Andrea Caserta, Faculty, The Beacon School
(Main – 201)
(11am, 1pm, 2pm)
An environmental disaster threatens millions of American lives. You, as a member of the president’s cabinet, are tasked to respond to a highest-priority
emergency situation requiring your expertise and your capacity to perform under fire. You, your president and your fellow cabinet members must work quickly,
collaboratively, and effectively, to formulate a solution that would circumvent the threat or, minimize the potential negative outcome. In this challenging, time-sensitive,
simulation, apply your knowledge of government, politics, current events, and/or environmental policy and make the world safe. We know you can; after all, you were
selected by the president. (for grades 6-12, session limit: 20)
EDUCATIONAL FORUM: APR. 3, 2016
THE BEACON SCHOOL
STUDENT SESSIONS - continued
10) To Infinity and Beyond (grades 6-12) with Sara Mastros, Math Teacher, Jewish High School of Connecticut (Main – 302) (10am, 11am, 1pm, 2pm)
Mathematics, in its purity, explores abstract concepts through a logical process so that we can better understand ourselves and our existence. Go beyond the
foundational knowledge we learn in school, be it algebra, or calculus, and obtain a glimpse of the intellectual adventures that mathematics can provide. We’re
discussing the idea of infinity here, in both historical and present-day contexts. In mathematical thought, understand why some infinite things are bigger than others.
Be introduced to concepts logically devised to clarify premises and propose advances, as “cardinality” and “equipotence”, or the Cantor Continuum Hypothesis, and
understand the notion of infinity as you have never done before. But, most of all, experience why mathematics is considered the ultimate in creative mental exercise.
Some familiarity with algebra helpful.
(for grades 6-12, session limit: 20)
11) Getting SAT/ACT Savvy and Boosting Scores (grades 7-12) with Abby Kelly, Vice President, Options for College (Main – L 6)
(1pm, 2pm, 3pm)
Did you know that many of the qualities that enable one to be a great student actually can inhibit SAT/ACT test performance? If you didn’t know, then this workshop
may well be worth attending. Discover some of the biggest mistakes capable students make when they take standardized exams. Learn how to recognize and avoid
these mistakes and how to adopt test strategies that can transform the overall testing experience into an easier and less stressful challenge. The added benefit is that
lowered anxiety levels almost always lead to performance gains. So, get empowered to ace the exams and even find enjoyment along the way.
(for grades 7-12, session limit: 25)
12) To “SAT” or “ACT”, That is the Question (grades 7-12) with Sarah Hailey, Marketing Project Manager, C2 Education (Lower Sch. – LS 5)
(10am, 11am, 3pm)
Reduce your college planning to-do list when you attend this handy session on the comparative benefits of the SAT and ACT tests. Discover, once and for all, why
you might prefer one of these college entrance exams over the other, or if it might behoove you to take both. Even if the pressures of college planning loom
somewhat over the horizon, it would be good to get a feeling on one of the more important college-related issues that you will be facing when your parents and
guidance counselors begin bearing down. So, gain valuable insights on both tests, experience some practice problems, and obtain a stronger feel on which test is
right for you. (for grades 7-12, session limit: 20)
13) What Are My Thoughts Made Out Of? (grades 7-12) with Jeremy Wolos, Instructor, Johns Hopkins CTY (Lower Sch. – LS 2)
(10am, 1pm, 2pm, 3pm)
How does a conscious mind - with feelings and emotions - arise from a physical brain? Known as The Mind-Body Problem, and first posed by Rene Descartes in the
1640s, the question has challenged the world's brightest thinkers ever since. Trace the quandary from its philosophical origins through contemporary neuroscience.
Modern times bring new twists to the old question: For example, could a robot ever feel pain? And what is a "philosophical zombie?" Discover just how much
knowledge has been, and can be, gained by exploring a possibly unanswerable “problem.” (for grades 7-12, session limit: 20)