Coffee with the Experts
Presenters
Ken Imison
Ken has had a long career as a teacher, teacher educator and as an educational consultant. In his work, he draws on his experiences as a student in a gifted class, as a teacher of gifted classes, as an academic and most importantly as a parent of gifted children. He was the co-founder of the Australian Association for the Education of the Gifted and Talented (AAEGT), was its foundation President for four years, and was awarded Life Membership of that Association. He is a member of the World Council for Gifted and Talented Children and has presented papers at state, national and international conferences on the Gifted and is presently writing a book on giftedness. It is little wonder he regards himself as the Senior Citizen of gifted education. Ken Imison was the Chairman of the Queensland Board of Senior Secondary School Studies, from its creation in 1989 until February 2001.
Judith Hewton
Judith is a Past President of QAGTC and the immediate Past President of the Australian Association for the Education of the Gifted and Talented. Holding a Masters Degree from the University of Queensland, she has gifted education experience extending over three decades of professional involvement in gifted pedagogy, curriculum, policy and research. As a classroom teacher originally, and more recently as manager of Queensland's gifted program for over a decade, she was instrumental in the development of gifted education policies, programs and materials such as 1985, 1993 and 2004 state policies; and a system of school-based gifted education provisions in the 1990s and 2000s (GATE Way, Education Queensland, 1996; and Gifted Education and Talent Development Program Action Plan (Education Queensland, 2000). She published professional development materials (Zigzag Professional Development Kit, 1994; Unicorns can be Real, 1996); as well as a model for the identification of giftedness in students (Unicorn Model of Identification, Department of Education, 1994); and curriculum models (Zigzag Model of Curriculum Provision, 1994; Model of Curriculum Provision for Gifted Education and Talent Development, 1998).Advising education-related communities, parents and teachers on issues related to giftedness and gifted children is part of her community advocacy which contributed to the establishment of state government funding for gifted education in the 1990s. Judith has experience in the delivery of professional development on giftedness and gifted education to parents and teachers across Queensland, interstate and at the national and international levels and has delivered policy and training for state, independent and catholic education systems. As a QAGTC volunteer Judith provides information and support to parents and teachers seeking advice on educating gifted children.
Tony Stevens
Tony is the current President of the Queensland Association for Gifted and Talented Children. He is Gifted Network Coordinator at Mt Maria College in Brisbane. He has been a high school teacher for 27 years, specialising in Computing, Mathematics and Music.Tony is the parent of three gifted children - one of whom is a high school student who has been accelerated through the State education system. Tony is well qualified to talk to parents about the school journey in both Catholic systemic and state schools, knowing about the wins and losses encountered along the way. Tony can discuss different schooling systems, teacher perceptions and attitudes, and the importance of community involvement and family values in raising gifted children.