2E @ W&M Online Conference Session Descriptions
Featured Sessions
February 26th
Navigating Challenging Behaviors: A Framework for Connection and Understanding
- Dayna Abraham
In this powerful session, Dayna Abraham, NBCT, founder of Calm the Chaos®, offers a trauma-informed and neurodiversity-affirming framework for parents and educators who support bright children with big emotions. Drawing from personal experience and practical strategies, Dayna shares how to move beyond traditional discipline to build connection, foster safety, and understand the deeper causes behind behavior. Participants will learn actionable tools like Stop, Breathe, Anchor, Creating Moments of Safety, the Behavior Funnel, and the Think, Say, Do plan—empowering them to transform chaos into meaningful growth and collaboration at home and in the classroom.
How Generative AI can be Leveraged to Personalize Learning for Twice-/Multi-Exceptional Students
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Dr. Michelle Ronksley-Pavia
Generative AI (GenAI) platforms like ChatGPT and Claude, are transforming how we can support learners with complex learning requirements, but how can parents and educators effectively harness these technologies for twice-/multi-exceptional students? This session bridges innovative research with practical application, exploring how GenAI can be leveraged to create personalized learning experiences that nurture exceptional strengths while supporting areas of challenge.
Drawing from experimental research and ongoing studies exploring gifted students’ creative uses of AI, this session aims to explore how GenAI supports what we call "pedagogical rehearsal"; supporting educators to develop and refine pedagogical approaches in low-stakes GenAI environments before classroom implementation. Participants will discover how GenAI can support differentiation, provide tailored accommodations for neurodivergent learners, and connect students' interests with talent development approaches.
The session aims to address the transformative potential and current limitations of GenAI for multi-exceptional learners in educational contexts. Participants will gain an understanding of approaches for moving beyond generic AI applications toward personalized learning experiences that respect the complexity of twice-exceptional and multi-exceptional learners' educational requirements.
February 27th
Trellis & Blossom: Getting Twice-Exceptional Learners on the Right Track
- Dr. Claire Hughes
Twice-exceptional learners often struggle to leave the station—barriers in systems, expectations, and support structures can keep them stuck at the starting line. Yet once 2e students gain the right combination of academic challenge, learning support practices, and social-emotional nurturance, they move quickly and powerfully down the tracks. Using the Trellis & Blossom Model, this session helps educators and parents identify obstacles, build momentum, and create aligned supports that help 2e learners launch confidently, maintain steady progress, and experience joyful, self-directed growth. Come be the one who helps twice-exceptional learners get moving.
Game On: Strategy Tips for Parenting and Teaching Twice-Exceptional Kids
- Dr. Kristie Spiers-Neumeister
Parenting and teaching twice-exceptional children can feel like a strategic, continually evolving game where every move counts. Just when you think you’ve mastered it, you “level up” to a new stage or experience that requires a fresh skill set. In this session, we’ll uncover key strategic moves to help parents and teachers navigate the complex journey of nurturing talent development in twice-exceptional learners, all with the ultimate goal of helping them become confident, well-adjusted players ready to take on their own game.