Empower Every Learner with a Talent Development Mindset

Balanced research and practice

Which of our students have the potential to become tomorrow’s innovators, those creative problem solvers who will find unique solutions that enhance our lives? A talent development mindset believes that all of them may. This session presents strategies for identifying and nurturing talent in three phases: (1) Uncover misconceptions and “reseed” attitudes about talent; (2) Pre-assess students’ talent aptitudes, target talents in instructional goals, and systematically capture observations; and (3) Use the language of talent development in daily instruction and communication with families. Students are empowered with shared understandings about the aptitudes needed to become tomorrow’s innovators, today. In these ways, a talent development mindset undergirds and naturally fosters a growth mindset. Tools that will be shared include a talent aptitude survey, “aptitudes of innovators” definitions and student-directed goals, sample talent instructional goals and formative assessments.