Gerald Aungst: Speaker

About Gerald

Gerald Aungst has more than 25 years experience as a professional educator, specializing in digital technology, mathematics, and gifted education. In his various roles as a classroom teacher, gifted support specialist, administrator, curriculum designer, and professional developer, he has worked to create a rich and vibrant learning culture. Gerald is a founder of AllAboutExplorers.com and ConnectedTeachers.org. His book, 5 Principles of the Modern Mathematics Classroom, is available from Corwin.

An experienced speaker, Mr. Aungst gave the keynote address at the 2016 EIRC Gifted and Talented Learning Fair. He was also a member of the keynote panel and a featured presenter at Digital Learning Day 2013. He has presented at many regional and national conferences, including ISTE, Educon, NAGC, PETE&C, ITEC, FETC, and Carnegie-Mellon University.

From 2009 to 2016, Gerald served as supervisor of gifted education and elementary mathematics for the School District of Cheltenham Township (PA). While in this role, he coordinated a district team to review and update the district’s gifted support program, and helped lead the district’s transition to the Pennsylvania Core Standards. Mr. Aungst also served on the Administrator Task Force for the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC).

Mr. Aungst has also taught at the elementary level for almost two decades in both the regular classroom and as a gifted support specialist.

A longtime advocate of the power of technology to empower students and enhance learning, Mr. Aungst was the first in his school to embrace tools like blogging and wikis to allow students to collaborate across schools and to give parents a window into the classroom. Mr. Aungst is also deeply committed to equity in education, and strives to ensure that every child has the same opportunities to learn and excel regardless of their ability or background.

Mr. Aungst holds a bachelor’s degree from Penn State University and a master of education degree from Widener University. He also completed administrative certificate programs at Bloomsburg University (curriculum) and St. Joseph’s University (principal). You can find Mr. Aungst on Twitter at @geraldaungst.

Videos

Digital Tools for Assessment: Digital Learning Day 2013

Sequence and Consequence: Educon 2013

Preventing the Zombie Apocalypse: Educon 2013

Frequently Requested Topics

5 Principles of the Modern Mathematics Classroom

To create confident problem solvers, we must not kill student thinking. Learn to use the 5 Principles of Conjecture, Communication, Collaboration, Chaos, and Celebration to design a classroom environment that promotes innovation, and allows students to communicate thinking clearly.

The Journey Is the Destination: Best Strategies for Meeting Gifted Needs

One of the biggest challenges for a classroom teacher is recognizing and meeting the different learning needs of his or her students. When there is a gifted learner in the mix, the problem is even more complex. Should we accelerate and give the student material that’s a grade—or three—advanced? Or is it better to enrich? And what exactly is “enrichment” anyway? We need to consider not just the outcome at the end of the trip, but also the experience along the journey. It’s time to demystify these terms and talk about what is truly best for gifted students in the 21^st century.

Digital Storytelling with Interactive Fiction

Learn how to build a story and a world in which the reader is an integral part. Digital storytelling is a genre growing in popularity which merges the skills of telling a story with computer tools, particularly those which enable students to incorporate multimedia elements. Teachers who want to focus on the power of text often feel limited to tools like word processors. The resurgence of a form of computer gaming called “Interactive Fiction” brings a powerful new tool to teachers who want to explore new ways for students to create content in an engaging, flexible, and unique way.