Bio
Lezlie has 18 years of experience creating a classroom ambiance in which children are emboldened to be innovative risk takers who make a positive impact in our world. Her classroom is the place where gifted students stretch and grow in a way that is commensurate with their abilities. These students “live” in the deepest levels of the New Bloom’s Taxonomy and have been featured on numerous occasions in local newspapers and tv stations for their positive impacting activities. In addition to gifted certification she is also certified to teach Music, Dance, ELL, Intel, and has taught courses on the Integration of Technology through Baker University’s Teacher’s Education Program. She holds a BS in Psychology and a MA in Ministry with music and college ministry focus. She is a member of the Gifted Association of Missouri and the National Association of Gifted Children.
Lezlie believes it is important to distinguish between being a perfectionist and having a spirit of excellence in all that you do. It is the latter that allows her to set the bar high with students following suit. One of her mantras is that the special needs of the gifted child should also be recognized, addressed, and valued, for the needs of the gifted are just as special. This is nurtured by sustaining a classroom environment rich in layered differentiation. This provides a complex curriculum which integrates relevant technology in a way that fosters deep student learning. She believes it is implementation of best teaching practices for gifted [(ie - curriculum compacting and accelerating for gifted students (Renzulli and Reis)] in an SRR world that allows the removal of the dross of “mere distractions” in order to allow the extraordinary to occur.
It is her desire and joy to help ensure that our gifted children are not only ones with potential, but ones who REALIZE their full potential. One major component to that endeavor is providing Professional Development which removes the fear, myths and mysticism associated with teaching the gifted, and replaces it with the practical details necessary to ignite passion in the next generation of world changers.
Lezlie was designated gifted as a child, and involved in gifted and talented programs. She grew up and married her best friend, Jason (also designated as gifted as a child) They have been married for 18 years and enjoy spending family time together with their two children Valiante (15) and Song (13) who also both happen to be designated as gifted, which provides an interesting perspective. When not in the classroom she is involved in music ministry. She leads worship and participates in worship teams both in English and Spanish with Hope City, and the All Nations Prayer Room of the International House of Prayer KC. She loves spending time ministering alongside her family as well as traveling, watching movies, and camping together.
Lezlie is a gifted teacher in the Raymore Peculiar School District with in depth experience implementing layered differentiation in the classroom. She is enthusiastic about connecting gifted learners with life long pursuits. She works tirelessly to equip gifted students with the necessary tools to excel not only in academics but in every task ahead of them in life. Lezlie’s firm belief in Multiple Intelligences, Instructional Styles, and Product Styles guides her to provide an unique approach for each child.
Meeting the Needs of the Gifted Student- Through Rigor, Relevance, and Recognition
This session pinpoints some of the myths related to Gifted Learners which have been a roadblock keeping educators from effectively reaching Gifted Learners in their classes. Attendees receive tools to assist in reaching and equipping gifted students in their midst. Education of the gifted is demystified as the 3 R’s of Rigor, Relevance and Recognition are addressed with specific examples allowing the mystical to become manageable. In this presentation, Lezlie presents a model for implementing intervention that positively impacts the modern world.
Tiers without Tears (Layered Differentiation)
In this presentation, Lezlie addresses PLC question #4. What do you do when it’s September and they already know what they’re supposed to master by June? This is not doing more this is going deeper. It is replacing the mundane with meaningful complexity. This session addresses a qualitatively different differentiated experience that is exciting, enjoyable, achievable, and manageable for both the gifted student and teacher. (Problem Based Learning, Innovative Creations as well as Technological Integration Driving Higher Order & Critical Thinking)
Igniting a Fire of Intensity when all you see is wet wood
How do you reach an underachieving gifted student causing that student to lift their head up off of the desk and engage in what’s happening? Giftedness comes in many forms and sometimes seems to mutate and shift shape. This presentation assists in changing your mindset when deep down you think there was a typo. on the class list of gifted students. On occasion each educator encounters a student that causes him/her to wonder deep down how in the world can THAT kid have been designated as gifted? This session will give you tools which will not only help answer that question, but will provide some avenues to help you find & ignite the fire of passion within, and fan it into a full flame that positively impacts our world.
PLC #4 Dealing with the Elephant in the Room
Can we all agree that it’s past time to deal with PLC#4? It is time for these students to find furthering their education means more than providing another peer tutoring session to a PLC3 student, or being told “just read”. This session gives specific strategies and activities stemming from research by Renzulli, Reis, Van Taska etc., blended with concrete examples tools stuff you’ll walk away with info. of apps, software etc, to help with integrating technologically rich interventions geared to their Multiple Intelligences, Product and Learning Styles allowing 21st Century skills to be reached with innovative focus allowing the educator to meet the needs of the high end learner.
Technology Boot Camp- Front End Loading Prep for what’s about to “hit”
Animoto, WeVideo, iMovie, Powtoon, Pixton, Go Animate, Glogster, Zondle, Piktochart, Garage Band, Prezi, Symbaloo, Weebly, and more!
This session will present specific apps and sites which can be taught in a Technology Boot Camp format to students. These can later be used by students in order to demonstrate mastery of learning targets as well as present products from independent work in a way that best matches their product style. This coupling of 21st Century Skills, Technological Literacy, Multiple Intelligence Styles, Product Styles and best teaching practices for high end learners equates to a technologically rich and culturally relevant experience for your students. In this session teachers are able to pick up the baton and run with pedagogical practices that “raise the tide lifting all ships”. Your differentiation will smooth out with the front end prep!
*Fast paced session including exposure to sites, apps, rubrics, and templates aligned to SRR.*
Lezlie has 18 years of experience creating a classroom ambiance in which children are emboldened to be innovative risk takers who make a positive impact in our world. Her classroom is the place where gifted students stretch and grow in a way that is commensurate with their abilities. These students “live” in the deepest levels of the New Bloom’s Taxonomy and have been featured on numerous occasions in local newspapers and tv stations for their positive impacting activities. In addition to gifted certification she is also certified to teach Music, Dance, ELL, Intel, and has taught courses on the Integration of Technology through Baker University’s Teacher’s Education Program. She holds a BS in Psychology and a MA in Ministry with music and college ministry focus. She is a member of the Gifted Association of Missouri and the National Association of Gifted Children.
Lezlie believes it is important to distinguish between being a perfectionist and having a spirit of excellence in all that you do. It is the latter that allows her to set the bar high with students following suit. One of her mantras is that the special needs of the gifted child should also be recognized, addressed, and valued, for the needs of the gifted are just as special. This is nurtured by sustaining a classroom environment rich in layered differentiation. This provides a complex curriculum which integrates relevant technology in a way that fosters deep student learning. She believes it is implementation of best teaching practices for gifted [(ie - curriculum compacting and accelerating for gifted students (Renzulli and Reis)] in an SRR world that allows the removal of the dross of “mere distractions” in order to allow the extraordinary to occur.
It is her desire and joy to help ensure that our gifted children are not only ones with potential, but ones who REALIZE their full potential. One major component to that endeavor is providing Professional Development which removes the fear, myths and mysticism associated with teaching the gifted, and replaces it with the practical details necessary to ignite passion in the next generation of world changers.
Lezlie was designated gifted as a child, and involved in gifted and talented programs. She grew up and married her best friend, Jason (also designated as gifted as a child) They have been married for 18 years and enjoy spending family time together with their two children Valiante (15) and Song (13) who also both happen to be designated as gifted, which provides an interesting perspective. When not in the classroom she is involved in music ministry. She leads worship and participates in worship teams both in English and Spanish with Hope City, and the All Nations Prayer Room of the International House of Prayer KC. She loves spending time ministering alongside her family as well as traveling, watching movies, and camping together.
Lezlie is a gifted teacher in the Raymore Peculiar School District with in depth experience implementing layered differentiation in the classroom. She is enthusiastic about connecting gifted learners with life long pursuits. She works tirelessly to equip gifted students with the necessary tools to excel not only in academics but in every task ahead of them in life. Lezlie’s firm belief in Multiple Intelligences, Instructional Styles, and Product Styles guides her to provide an unique approach for each child.
Meeting the Needs of the Gifted Student- Through Rigor, Relevance, and Recognition
This session pinpoints some of the myths related to Gifted Learners which have been a roadblock keeping educators from effectively reaching Gifted Learners in their classes. Attendees receive tools to assist in reaching and equipping gifted students in their midst. Education of the gifted is demystified as the 3 R’s of Rigor, Relevance and Recognition are addressed with specific examples allowing the mystical to become manageable. In this presentation, Lezlie presents a model for implementing intervention that positively impacts the modern world.
Tiers without Tears (Layered Differentiation)
In this presentation, Lezlie addresses PLC question #4. What do you do when it’s September and they already know what they’re supposed to master by June? This is not doing more this is going deeper. It is replacing the mundane with meaningful complexity. This session addresses a qualitatively different differentiated experience that is exciting, enjoyable, achievable, and manageable for both the gifted student and teacher. (Problem Based Learning, Innovative Creations as well as Technological Integration Driving Higher Order & Critical Thinking)
Igniting a Fire of Intensity when all you see is wet wood
How do you reach an underachieving gifted student causing that student to lift their head up off of the desk and engage in what’s happening? Giftedness comes in many forms and sometimes seems to mutate and shift shape. This presentation assists in changing your mindset when deep down you think there was a typo. on the class list of gifted students. On occasion each educator encounters a student that causes him/her to wonder deep down how in the world can THAT kid have been designated as gifted? This session will give you tools which will not only help answer that question, but will provide some avenues to help you find & ignite the fire of passion within, and fan it into a full flame that positively impacts our world.
PLC #4 Dealing with the Elephant in the Room
Can we all agree that it’s past time to deal with PLC#4? It is time for these students to find furthering their education means more than providing another peer tutoring session to a PLC3 student, or being told “just read”. This session gives specific strategies and activities stemming from research by Renzulli, Reis, Van Taska etc., blended with concrete examples tools stuff you’ll walk away with info. of apps, software etc, to help with integrating technologically rich interventions geared to their Multiple Intelligences, Product and Learning Styles allowing 21st Century skills to be reached with innovative focus allowing the educator to meet the needs of the high end learner.
Technology Boot Camp- Front End Loading Prep for what’s about to “hit”
Animoto, WeVideo, iMovie, Powtoon, Pixton, Go Animate, Glogster, Zondle, Piktochart, Garage Band, Prezi, Symbaloo, Weebly, and more!
This session will present specific apps and sites which can be taught in a Technology Boot Camp format to students. These can later be used by students in order to demonstrate mastery of learning targets as well as present products from independent work in a way that best matches their product style. This coupling of 21st Century Skills, Technological Literacy, Multiple Intelligence Styles, Product Styles and best teaching practices for high end learners equates to a technologically rich and culturally relevant experience for your students. In this session teachers are able to pick up the baton and run with pedagogical practices that “raise the tide lifting all ships”. Your differentiation will smooth out with the front end prep!
*Fast paced session including exposure to sites, apps, rubrics, and templates aligned to SRR.*
