Gifted and Talented Community News
What's new | Community Facilitator's choice | Messages
Kia ora and welcome to the news page for the gifted and talented community. We value your feedback and ideas, and invite you to contact us at gifted@tki.org.nz
We update this page regularly with information and materials relevant to the education of gifted and talented students.
Access the key collections on the right-hand menu of this page for additional support material for schools and teachers, students, and parents and whānau. For information about professional development opportunities, see the Professional learning and support section of Support for Schools and Teachers. Events are listed on the TKI Gifted and Talented calendar, see right-hand menu.
What's new
Schools’ Provision for Gifted and Talented Students: Good Practice
Read this recently released report from the Education Review Office (ERO) evaluating the provisions in 315 schools for gifted and talented students. The evaluations were conducted in 2007.
http://ero.govt.nz/ero/publishing.nsf/Content/gifted-talented-gp-jn08
14-08-2008
Ki te Aotūroa Improving Inservice Educator Learning and Practice
Explore this set of learning materials developed for inservice teacher educators (ISTEs) who support classroom teachers and school leaders in their professional learning and development. The materials discuss generic areas of ISTE knowledge and expertise, and examine what effective ISTE practice and learning look like and how to achieve it.
http://www.instep.net.nz/
19-08-2008
Wara Bilong Life – Water for Survival
Encourage your students to participate in this interactive classroom activity. This is an Oxfam Water for Survival Programme educational project and will take place in term 4 2008. The aim of the project is to encourage creative problem solving in a 'real world' context.
http://www.megabright.co.nz/wara/home.htm
04-08-2008
Success for Boys
Create opportunities for all boys at your school to succeed. This site is designed to help school leaders look at teaching-learning relationships with boys in classrooms, create supportive learning environments for boys, and provide a range of approaches and tools to address the diverse learning needs of boys so they can achieve to their full potential.
http://success-for-boys.tki.org.nz/
04-08-2008
NASA / Discovery Channel videoconference opportunity
Take part in a NASA / Discovery Channel project and win a videoconference system for your school. Participation is for ages 12–14 and may be out of school hours. You need to present a five-minute performance and be available on the date (probably 1/2 October). Email marci.powell@polycom.com [no spam] and explain (in under 200 words) why your school should be part of NASA’s 50th birthday celebrations.
30-07-2008
Cogito
Introduce your older students to this stimulating site for gifted youth with an interest in mathematics and science. The site is from Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth, and hosts essays and articles, tools, forums, and links to sites that provide inspiration and food for thought for enquiring minds.
http://www.cogito.org
14-07-2008
New category of websites: User-contributed content
In response to the changing nature of the Internet, TKI will now link to selected social software (Web 2.0) sites. Social software allows users to contribute content and to collaborate with others using blogs, wikis, and other tools. These sites will have the head and shoulders icon to show that they contain user-contributed content. While all sites are still subject to rigorous quality-assurance processes, teachers are advised to evaluate this category of sites carefully for relevance and accuracy, and to consider any privacy and security issues before using them with students.
30-06-2008
National Conference on Gifted Education: Call for papers
'REACHING FORWARD: Achieving sustainability in gifted education'
Rotorua 13–15 March 2009
This conference will feature keynote speakers Françoys Gagné and Kate Niederer. Researchers, educators, and other professionals are invited to submit papers and workshop proposals by 22 August 2008. Contact the conference organisers for more information: email reacheducation@xtra.co.nz, with ‘call for papers’ in the subject line.
www.giftedconference2009.org.
14-04-2008
Nurturing Gifted and Talented Children – A Parent-Teacher Partnership
Access the online version of this book for parents and teachers of gifted children. The book provides guidelines for identifying gifted children, and suggestions for meeting their needs and nurturing their gifts and talents. There is a section on partnerships with education and the support services available for families and educators.
http://www.tki.org.nz/r/gifted/talented/parents/nurturing/index_e.php
14-04-2008
Guidance on teaching the gifted and talented
Check out the pages on this site from the UK Qualifications and Curriculum Authority. The guidelines include notes on identifying and providing for students gifted in different curriculum areas, with case studies and suggested teaching approaches.
http://www.qca.org.uk/qca_2346.aspx
04-05-2008
Educational Origami – Bloom's Digital Taxonomy
Explore the excellent resources that New Zealand teacher Andrew Churches has provided as an 'update' to Bloom's Revised Taxonomy. He cleverly matches ICT tools to key terms. Check out his handy rubrics too.
http://edorigami.wikispaces.com/Bloom%27s+Digital+Taxonomy
02-04-2008
Change in ordering process for MOE resources and publications
The process for schools to order Ministry of Education resources and publications has changed. From 1 March 2008, Wickliffe Ltd is responsible for customer services and warehousing of the Ministry’s publications and resources – to order, phone 0800 660 662, fax 0800 660 663, or email orders@thechair.minedu.govt.nz. A new catalogue will soon be available for ordering online.
29-02-2008
American Association for Gifted Children at Duke University
Visit this US organisation website that provides access to a number of articles and research reports for teachers and families of gifted children.
http://www.aagc.org/
11-02-2008
Gifted and Talented Education: Principles into Practice
Check out this online book that has been compiled to make available examples of good practice in gifted education, along with discussion of guiding principles. The book is a 'work in progress' with new additions to the collection edited at the University of New England.
http://scs.une.edu.au/TalentEd/gate_pip/index.html
11-02-2008
Community Facilitator's choice
Out of School Provisions for Gifted and Talented Students
Refer to this page for ideas and information about programmes available outside the classroom to add to the wide range of learning opportunities offered to your gifted students. The details of programmes are based on research conducted by Dr Tracy Riley (Massey University) in 2006–2007.
http://education.massey.ac.nz/massey/depart/education/online/out-of-school
-provisions-for-gifted-and-talented-students/out-of-school-provisions
-for-gifted-and-talented-students_home.cfm
The Gifted Education Centre
This organisation (formerly the George Parkyn Centre) provides professional support for families and teachers of gifted students, and runs the One Day School programme in many areas. Gifted Online (GO) is the interactive online version of the One Day School.
http://www.georgeparkyncentre.org/
Future Problem Solving New Zealand
This year-long programme encourages students to carry out in-depth research, to think creatively and critically, and to develop their analytical and communication skills.
http://www.fpsnz.co.nz/index.htm
CREST
The CREST New Zealand Award Scheme encourages creativity and problem solving in science and technology. Undertaking a CREST project gives students authentic experience in scientific investigation or technological practice of their own choice, working with a consultant from industry.
http://www.crest.org.nz/home.htm
The Gifted Kids Programme
The Gifted Kids Programme website gives information about the 'a day a week' programme of excellence in gifted education that is offered in several North Island schools.
http://www.giftedkids.co.nz/
REACH Education Consultancy
REACH Education Consultancy is a private New Zealand organisation created to work with schools and professional organisations in developing strategies for gifted and talented education. The site contains information about courses and training, articles about gifted students and gifted education, and links to further reading material.
http://www.reachgifted.org.nz/
Learning Experiences Outside the Classroom (LEOTC)
LEOTC is a Ministry of Education-funded project of educational programmes run by a range of organisations providing hands-on experiences for students on school visits, complementing and enriching classroom programmes. This website contains schools' learning stories (video and text) and case studies, as well as information about LEOTC for providers, teachers, parents, and boards of trustees.
http://www.tki.org.nz/r/leotc/
Articles, papers, and professional reading material for educators and families of gifted students
Professional Development Initiatives for Teachers: The New Zealand Way (PDF 6.85MB)
Download this presentation from the 2007 Biennial World Conference for Gifted and Talented Children. Ann Easter, National Coordinator for Gifted Education Advisory Support, discussed New Zealand initiatives and the development of structures to provide for gifted and talented students in this country.
http://www.tki.org.nz/r/gifted/PDF/Ann_Easter-ppt.pdf
Rising Tides: National Conference 2006 – papers and presentations
Visit the Rising Tides conference website to view some of the PowerPoint presentations available online as PDF files, or to download a selection of the reviewed papers. Please note that presentations remain the presenters' intellectual property and are to be used for viewing and reference purposes only.
http://www.giftedtalentedconf2006.org.nz/
SENG: Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted
Review the articles in this US website which is dedicated to the social and emotional needs of gifted people, and provides resources to help professionals and families foster environments of support.
http://www.sengifted.org/
Davidson Institute for Talent Development
Explore the many articles and research reports on this US website for talent development. The articles are grouped into themes, and topics include developmental issues, schooling, identification, and parenting.
http://www.gt-cybersource.org/ReadArticleNew.aspx?NavID=2_2
Hoagies' Gifted Education Page
This website contains information and articles on many aspects of giftedness, and links to resources to support parents and educators of gifted children.
http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/index.htm
The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented (NRC/GT)
This website from the University of Connecticut contains articles and support material for parents and educators of gifted students, including information about the Schoolwide Enrichment Model, and a study of underachievement.
http://www.gifted.uconn.edu/nrcgt/
Messages
Note: These messages are for information only. They are not necessarily Ministry of Education recommendations.
Professional development opportunities
Celebrating Ability: Australian Association for the Education of the Gifted and Talented 2008 National Conference
Speaker abstracts from presentations to this conference are available on the website.
Telephone Tutorial
The TKI Team would be happy to provide a tour of the website, via the telephone,
at your school staff meetings or planning sessions. Contact us at tutorials@tki.org.nz
if you would like to explore this option.
The purpose of this space is to facilitate communication within the Gifted and Talented Community. If you have a message you'd like to have posted, please email us.