NAGC Engage: Tips & Tricks for Getting the Most Out of Your Community Experience

Welcome to NAGC Engage! Whether you are brand new or just want to take your engagement to the next level, this community is for you and what you need to grow in your career. Connect with fellow educators and individuals that are passionate about gifted education just like you. Below you will find some helpful tips and tricks to make the most of your time in the community.


Why is this Community Important?
Online professional communities like NAGC Engage are more than just discussion boards—they’re powerful spaces for connection, collaboration, and continuous learning. In a field as dynamic and passionate as gifted education, it's essential to have a place where educators, researchers, parents, and advocates can come together to:

  • Share ideas and expertise across roles, regions, and experience levels
  • Ask questions and get support from people who truly understand your challenges
  • Discover new tools, strategies, and resources to use in your day-to-day work
  • Stay connected between conferences and deepen relationships year-round
  • Get involved—whether by volunteering, presenting, writing, or mentoring others

Engage is here to help you grow your network, find your people, and amplify your impact in a space designed just for our gifted education community.

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Where to Start

Set Up Your Profile
Let others know who you are! Upload a photo, add your role, interests, and a short bio.
→ How-To: Start a Discussion
→ How-To: Update Your Profile
→ How to: Change your Discussion Signature

Introduce Yourself
→ Post in a or comment a quick intro: who you are, what you do, and one fun fact. It helps break the ice and invites connection.

Use the Search Bar
Looking for something specific? The search bar at the top of any page helps you find discussions, resources, and members.

Get Connected

Follow Communities That Interest You
Get updates from the Networks and Special Interest Groups that matter most to your work or passion. You can manage your email settings too.
→ How-To: Join a Network or SIG
→ How-To: Adjust Email Settings
→ How-To: Register for an Event through Engage
→ How To: Send a Message to another Member

Volunteer or Get Involved
Find ways to serve as a volunteer, write for a publication, or help with events.
→ Explore Volunteer Opportunities

Be an Engaged Member

Post in a Discussion Thread or Participate in a Discussion
Jump into a discussion or start your own thread. You don’t need to have all the answers, asking a thoughtful question can spark some of the richest conversations. Chances are, someone else is wondering the same thing!
 
Reply Thoughtfully
Click "Reply" under a discussion thread to join the conversation.
→ Pro tip: tag someone with @name to notify them directly!

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NAGC Engage Roundtable and Community Etiquette  


Multiple Posts
Please do not post the same message in multiple Networks and Special Interest Groups. If you want to communicate with all NAGC members, please put this within the Roundtable community as this will send a message to everyone just once.
NAGC Engage Roundtable and Community Etiquette  
→ Messages that are posted several times will be flagged and not posted and asked to post within the Roundtable to ensure that we are not overwhelming inboxes.

Assume Positive Intent
Online tone can be hard to read—if a message feels off, consider asking a clarifying question instead of assuming the worst.

Acknowledge Contributions
If someone answers your question or shares something helpful, give them a reaction or comment to say thanks—it builds community and encourages participation.

Sharing Materials
Be mindful of the content that you share on the platform. Please do not share copyrighted material. For example: articles shared from a publisher's website where someone can purchase or otherwise access the full article is acceptable, but it is NOT acceptable to attach a PDF of the article.

Keep Checking Back
Communities are living spaces. Pop in weekly (or more!) to stay in the loop, respond to posts, and discover new ideas.

Use Inclusive Language
Be mindful of tone and word choice. Avoid jargon, acronyms, or assumptions—especially when writing for a broad audience that may come from different regions, roles, or identities.

Don’t Share Private Info Without Permission
If a conversation contains sensitive or personal information, keep it within the community unless you’ve gotten permission to share it elsewhere.

No Promotions or Sales
This is a professional learning space—not a place to sell services or promote events unrelated to NAGC. Sharing your work is wonderful and accepted—just be mindful of context and intent.

Respect Boundaries
Not everyone wants to take the conversation offline or connect on social media. If you reach out directly, do so respectfully and be okay with a “no thanks.”

Don’t Hijack Threads
If you have a new question or idea that’s unrelated to an ongoing discussion, start a fresh thread so your topic doesn’t get buried.

Keep It Clean and Professional
Treat this like a shared workspace. No inflammatory comments, strong language, or humor that could be misread. Think: professional, but warm.

Give Credit Where It’s Due
If you’re sharing someone else’s idea, article, or work—always cite them. Thoughtful attribution goes a long way in a professional community.