Recent Posts
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Courses for 2012
Our coursesfor2012 are now up on the workshop page. -
NEW TOPICS FOR 2012 COMING SOON!
Our team is working on an all NEW range of workshops on wheels to take into schools for 2012. New Day Seminars on LAW, THE BRAIN, DREAMS, MATHEMATICS, LINGUISTICS, HISTORY (Ancient & Modern) and SURVIVAL - and there are more in the pipeline.Check this space regularly to keep up to date with what's on offer! -
2012 Workshop Trial Day
We had a most successful day on October 18th when three groups of 9-12 year olds hailing from Northland to Waikato threw themselves into the task of sampling a range of the proposed new workshops for 2012. Our tutors were Tom McGuire, Wayne McDougall, Avon Hansen-Beadle and Nick Oram and the workshops showcased Philosophical Enquiry, an Examination of Physics, Aspects of Mathematics, Creative Explorations of Music and Dance with Performance Poetry as a lunch time extra. Both Elaine and Jean felt the day had certainly been of benefit and useful enough to repeat on a regular basis. The comments made by the enthusiastic consumers during the end of day analysis will definitely be taken into consideration at our next planning meeting. -
SCHOOL HOLIDAY WORKSHOP DAY FOR 9-12 YEAR OLDS
We are taking registrations NOW for the full day seminar at Selwyn College on Tuesday 18th October. This is a day specifically crafted to extend high level thinkers. Workshops will include MATHS/PHYSICS, CREATIVE THINKING & THE ARTS, PHILOSOPHICAL IDEAS & DEBATECost per child $69 (inclusive of gst)Enroll in any of the following ways:by email to: jean@giftedseminars.org including name and age of student/s, contact details including telephone/mobile numbers, postal address and school attended.by telephone to our office: 09 585 0111 (fax: 09 585 0114)by post to: PO Box 25 516, St. Heliers, Auckland 1740Payment can be made by....Posting a cheque made out to Holiday Seminars to PO Box 25 516, St. Heliers, Auckland 1740On-line to: 06 0266 0129397 00 (identify child's name with on-line payments) -
Book NOW for School Holidays Workshop Trial Day!
We are holding our Workshop Trial Day on Tuesday 18th October at Selwyn College in Kohimarama, Auckland 9.00 am to 3.00 pm. Students currently 9 to 12 years old are invited to attend and we will be able to take the first 45 applicants so book NOW to ensure a place! Each participant will attend three 1.5 hour workshops throughout the day with breaks for discussion, debate and relaxation. The programme will include a range of the courses we aim to take into schools in 2012 - MATHS, SCIENCE (PHYSICS), CREATIVE THINKING & THE ARTS, PHILOSOPHICAL IDEAS & DISCUSSION.Email jean@giftedseminars.org for more information. -
New Workshop Trials!
We are intending to run a New Workshop Trial Day soon and depending upon tutor and venue availability this might take place during the school holidays. Let us know if you would like students from your school to attend. -
Gifted Awareness Week
Today marks the end of Gifted Awareness Week for 2011 in New Zealand. My hope is that it also marks the start of a new era of action for all those who are working with students of promise. I leave the last word to the children that I had the privilege of working with today. My question ... What would you like teachers to know about you ? And a sample of student responses... -I can come up with good ideas if I am given time to think (aged 10) -I find normal school things too easy and I want to be challenged. (aged 10) - I'd like them to find out how I learn, why I learn the way that I do, and to understand my life outside school. (aged 13) - I'd like them to know that I am very eager to learn. (aged 7) So there you are, teachers. Over to you. Elaine. -
Provoking change
Provocative questions are designed to motivate action or to bring about a change in perception or current response. They provide a focus for discussion or controversy, but they do set us thinking in ways that move us from where we are today towards where we want to be in the future. They reflect the need for an open, accepting learning environment. Independence, open-endedness and complexity are at the centre of the process. There are four components to the challenge of creating a change in perception. • Defining the desired direction. • Reflecting on the status quo and developing tolerance for ambiguity • Recognising the authenticity of the challenge presented • Taking responsibility for one’s actions. Gifted Awareness week provides a starting point for thinking about where we want to go in supporting gifted learners. We have the opportunity to reflect on where we are at the moment. Current research and the students themselves are telling us that their learning would be improved if we were to create a more responsive child-centred learning environment in our schools that reflects the individuality, identity and culture of the student. It is time to put into place our resolutions and to take responsibility for the outcomes in a structured and reflective way. Einstein was right. ‘The thinking that got us where we are today is not the thinking that is needed to get us to where we want to be.’ Our learning environment has become wider. We need to ask ourselves ... What can we learn about ourselves by understanding others ? How can one person make a difference ? (Note that this question is not ... Can one person make a difference ?’ There is plenty of anecdotal evidence that it can be done and gifted students are often the ones to show the way. If you can’t see the way yourself, then don’t get in the way of someone who can and does.) Elaine. For questions to use in the classroom visit www.thinkshop.org . The title to search for is ‘Provocative Questions... expanding horizons for thinking.’ By Elaine Le Sueur and Robyn Boswell. For help to meet a specific student's needs, visit www.giftededucationservices.co.nz and find out more about the LSSNA (Le Sueur Student Needs Analysis) The link to go back to Gifted Awareness week blog tour... http://ultranet.giftededucation.org.nz/WebSpace/443 -
Recognising a gifted sense of humour
One of the anecdotal ways for recognising a gifted child is the ability to notice how things are related in a more abstract way than most. However, relating behaviour to the appropriate system is often perceived, rather than logical. It accounts for the intuitive leaps in thinking made by creative individuals who have their minds open to alternatives. Frequently there is room for humour. A keen sense of humour is a characteristic of giftedness. The Washington Post runs an annual contest asking readers to take any word from the dictionary, and then to alter it by adding, subtracting, or changing one letter and supplying a new definition. This is a great challenge for able students... challenge your student to create a new dictionary! Examples : Remaindeer (n) (re-mayn-deer) Members of santa’s force who are not needed at Christmas Coffer (n) (coff- er) The person who coughs over everyone Coffee is the person coughed on. Once you have laughed at these, however, look for the logic that underpins the perceptions ! Nobody ‘s feelings are hurt by such parodies because everyone laughs at the joke, not at a victim. Gifted children often make links to the ‘grey areas’ of language such as innuendo and allusion. Being able to do this takes a good knowledge base, intuition and the ability to reason. Test your own ability to relate information to the appropriate system... Give 6 four-letter words ending in –OUR Give 5 four-letter words ending in –OIL Give 4 four-letter words ending in –ORD Give 3 five-letter words ending in –ENSE Give 2 five-letter words ending in –LOTH Give 1 four-letter word ending in –ENY No ... I’m not supplying answers. Accept the challenge and keep trying ! For more ‘Tools 4 Talent Development ‘ see my publications under this name at www.thinkshop.org
