Tom Lehrer's "The Elements" Animated

This is a great animation of Tom Lehrer's 'The Elements'. We had a look at many, but we both think this was the best version by far. Hope you enjoy it!

Meet the Elements - They Might be Giants

My son and I have been loving 'Meet the Elements' today.

They Might Be Giants also have many other fantastic educational songs... thanks for making it fun :)

What is Gifted Education - A powerpoint presentation

what is gifted education?

See more presentations by 48.cowens | Upload your own PowerPoint presentations

Knowledge & Skill Standards in Gifted Education For All Teachers

http://www.nagc.org/index.aspx?id=5400

"Knowledge & Skill Standards in Gifted and Talented Education for All Teachers

All teachers should:

1. understand the issues in definitions, theories, and identification of gifted and talented students, including those from diverse backgrounds;

2. recognize the learning differences, developmental milestones, and cognitive/affective characteristics of gifted and talented students, including those from diverse backgrounds, and identify their related academic and social-emotional needs; and

3. understand, plan, and implement a range of evidence-based strategies to assess gifted and talented students, to differentiate instruction, content, and assignments for them (including the use of higher-order critical and creative-thinking skills), and to nominate them for advanced programs or acceleration as needed."

Wise Ones Australia - Looking for SA Teachers.

Wise Ones Australia - www.wiseones.com.au

WiseOnes provides a support service for high potential children, in your primary school, in school time or during out of school programs. This includes secondary gifted or special needs.

The qualified, registered, experienced and happy teachers attend the school weekly to deliver specifically designed curriculum for these children.

Specialising in Gifted Education, WiseOnes helps fast learners develop their real potential through programs in school time and more. They have provided support for schools in the area of gifted education for 13 years.

They have well qualified, experienced, registered teachers/leaders and parents of a variety of gifted children. They are also a member of Gifted Services Association, VAGTC and Australian Council for Educational Leaders.

This all sounds wonderful, doesn't it? I thought so too, until I contacted them and discovered they don't have a teacher/leader in South Australia yet. So please, if you are an interested teacher, get in contact with WiseOwls via the website.

Here is some information regarding the teacher/leader role:

"All we need is a teacher leader to take up a Licence and we can supply everything they need to make it all happen; Licence, Trademark, full curriculum for primary and junior secondary, training personally and with training videos. Also full video set for Professional Development in Giftedness and Teaching the Gifted for the Licencee's eventual team of teachers. Also we have an internal secure website full of business support and know-how for Licencees and PowerPoints on each curriculum unit for
their teachers."

"We have made sure it is not expensive and it's easy for teachers to afford and to do with all the support.

Teachers who have been leaders in schools or sports clubs or parent groups are suited to this. One of our teachers has just asked to take on a Licence after teaching with us for a year, and one took one on last year after teaching for two terms with us. They are parents of gifted children themselves and see how they can grow in knowledge that helps their family as well as providing support for many more gifted children and creating a business for themselves based at home. Older teachers find there is no retirement age and they have been active leaders in schools for a long time and want to stay involved in a tax effective way."

The Dark Side of Being Bright

Throughout my week, I read many articles on giftedness. Many more than what I post here. This article 'spoke' to me because many people seem to assume that being gifted is wonderful. Sure, it has it's highlights, but sometimes it can be quite a burden. As parents, I think it is our responsibility to help our kids navigate the social and emotional burdens of being gifted.

The dark side of being bright - [read more]

Sir Ken Robinson: Bring on the learning revolution!

Not Just Child's Play - Teaching Gifted First Graders

I came across this blog today and have been absolutely captivated with Miss Trayers and her first grade class of gifted youngsters.

These kids are just the luckiest ever to have such interesting projects to do.
What an inspirational teacher!

[ Not just Child's Play ]

What Should You Tell the Teacher About Your Gifted Child?

This article weighs up the pros and cons of informing your child's teacher that he/she is gifted.

What Should You Tell the Teacher About Your Gifted Child?


Personally, I've always believed in being up front and honest, but it's also best to have an assessment made, so that the facts re:giftedness are undisputable.

However, there are moments where I worry greatly about how the teacher is feeling, knowing that their reaction could impact heavily upon my child's time at school.

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Common myths about Gifted Education

From the National Center for Gifted Education.

Common Gifted Education Myths

• 
  Gifted students don't need help; they'll do fine on their own
• That student can't be gifted; he's receiving poor grades


• Teachers challenge all the students, so gifted kids will be fine in the regular classroom



• Gifted students are happy, popular, and well adjusted in school


• Gifted students make everyone else in the class smarter by providing a role model or a challenge
• This child can't be gifted; he has a disability


• All children are gifted
• Our district has a gifted and talented program; we have AP courses


• Acceleration placement options are socially harmful for gifted students
• Gifted education requires an abundance of resources


• Gifted education programs are elitist


Please follow the link below to learn how these myths are harming the development of gifted children.

http://www.nagc.org/commonmyths.aspx

Exquisite Minds Website

This website is an excellent resource for parents and educators of gifted children.

Very easily navigated, this site has games, articles and advice for those seeking assistance or materials for their kids. There is even a forum!

http://www.exquisite-minds.com/




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The Bright Kids Club

A meeting place for highly intelligent kids.

Just recently started in October 2010, this club for highly intelligent kids is an international online forum where gifted kids can discuss what they are doing or interested in. For kids who are feeling isolated in a mainstream system, this could be a wonderful avenue to meet like minded individuals.

http://brightkidsclub.com

RSA Animate - Changing Education Paradigms

You have to watch this!
RSA Animate puts this issue forward in such a fantastic way.

GERRIC - Gifted parent course coming to Adelaide in 2011

Parents of Gifted children face situations that are, in many ways, quite unique in nature. Quite often, the accelerated development of the abilities of a gifted child, perhaps outpacing the child's physical development, can leave parents having to cater to a child's needs outside of school while still having to ensure the best education for the child in school. Further challenges exist for gifted parents in the affective needs of gifted children where they may be strongly divergent to that of the normal population.

GERRIC seeks to provide for the parents of gifted children through:

Parent Courses
GERRIC provides parents of gifted children with relevant services, programs, events and information underpinned by the latest in gifted education research and best practice.

Adelaide
Dates: 12 & 13 March 2011
Venue: Scotch College

Online registration opens 11 January 2011

[more]

Content by GERRIC
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Resources Link

I've just added some 'Resources' in the side bar. I know I am always looking for materials, educational games and ideas... hopefully these links will help someone else as much as they help me.

5 Tips for Empowering Girls in the Classroom

There are so many confusing messages in the media about what it means to be a woman in this world. How do we teach our girls to be critical thinkers and strong, confident women?
[READ MORE]

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Parenting a Gifted Child

An article from Suite 101. Also many resources for those seeking information.
[READ MORE]


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Your Gifted Child: A Weekend Information Course for Parents

4-5 September, 2010 - SYDNEY

Do you suspect, or have you been told, that your child is gifted?
Are you feeling unsure about how to be an effective parent to your gifted child?

Leading experts in Gifted Education will be giving these courses at UNSW Kensington Campus on the 4th & 5th of September.

[READ MORE] 

All bookings to be made on-line via the GERRIC Website –
http://gerric.arts.unsw.edu.au/prnt_yrch.html 

International Art Competition

If you are 10–17 years old you can participate in this art competition by reviewing the competition guidelines, learning what we currently know about human space exploration, using this knowledge to artistically express yourself, and submitting your art and other entry materials. Your submission must be received in Houston by midnight (Central Time) October 13, 2010 to be judged. International Youth Art Competition: Humans in Space [READ MORE]

Gifted and Vague

This is a really great article for those of us who struggle with this absent-mindedness on a daily basis. Word to the wise: it's not going to change anytime soon, so we'd best get used to it!

Article by Leslie K Sword
[Read More]


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Emotional difficulties in Gifted Children

A discussion of the social and emotional characteristics that may be displayed in gifted children. Article from 'A Learning Place'
[READ MORE]


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Volunteering has hidden benefits for gifted children

The Davidson Institute for Talent Development notes in their guidebook, Giving Back: A Guidebook for Volunteering and Community Service, that "a common trait among many gifted young people is an extraordinarily high capacity for empathy and a strong desire for justice at an early age." It can be overwhelming for a child to see so much wrong in the world -- human and animal suffering, pollution, apathy -- and to feel powerless to effect change.

[READ MORE]

To help with the search for suitable volunteering opportunities in South Australia, I have compiled a list:

• Volunteer List in SA
  
• Volunteer Abroad with your Family
  
• UnitingCare Wesley
  
• Volunteering in the City of Burnside
  

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A Guide to Online Educational Resources

How to Learn Something for Nothing
By JOANNA NIKAS

"Thousands of pieces of free educational material — videos and podcasts of lectures, syllabuses, entire textbooks — have been posted in the name of the open courseware movement. But how to make sense of it all? Businesses, social entrepreneurs and "edupunks," envisioning a tuition-free world untethered by classrooms, have created Web sites to help navigate the mind-boggling volume of content. Some sites tweak traditional pedagogy; others aggregate, Hulu-style."


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Attn Adelaide Young Artists

Ever wanted the chance to design the Rundle Lantern?
http://www.salainc.com.au/news_zoom.php?id=28


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500 Years of Science Subway Map

500 Years of Science Subway Map: http://j.mp/bo4H1q Don't forget your transfer at Stephen Hawking!
(thanks to ThinkGeek for this one)

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1st Global Conference Experiential Learning in Virtual Worlds

1st Global Conference Experiential Learning in Virtual Worlds http://bit.ly/98kMOq


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GTCASA - Saturday Club

have you heard about the Gifted and Talented Children's Association of SA's Saturday program for kids? This link will take you to the Term 3 sessions.


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GTCASA is moving!!

After spending the last two years at St. Ignatius Senior Campus, the Gifted and Talented Children's Association of SA will be relocating to

Glenunga International High School situated at
99 L'Estrange Street GLENUNGA SA 5064
.
Further detail will be available to GTCASA members soon and a map showing the location is available here.


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Profiles of the Gifted and Talented

Betts, G., Neihart M.
Gifted Child Quarterly
National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC)
1988

This article by George Betts and Maureen Neihart offers a succinct chart that profiles 6 different "types" of gifted individuals. They are successful, challenging, underground, dropouts, double-labeled and autonomous. It includes their feelings, attitudes, behaviors, needs, adults & peers perceptions, identification, home and school support.

go to the article

Supporting the Emotional Needs of the Gifted

SENG is dedicated to fostering environments in which gifted adults and children, in all their diversity, understand and accept themselves and are understood, valued, nurtured, and supported by their families, schools, workplaces and communities.

Working with Your Gifted Child's Teacher

This is a subject which I have thought about alot lately, since my son will be starting school soon and I really want his teachers and I to be on the same page with his education.

Just how do we go about achieving this? Well, this blog post gives a little bit of insight and has some useful tips on achieving a positive teacher/parent interaction for the benefit of all.

"Teachers can be cruel when dealing with gifted children. I have witnessed it in the classroom and have experienced it as a parent. However, parents can also be just as heartless in the demands they make and in the manner in which they approach teachers. It doesn’t have to be this way. Both sides could benefit from ‘professional development."

New blog post, "Working with Your Gifted Child's Teacher" http://bit.ly/a5Gcsl


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Dazzled & Frazzled Blog

How many parents of gifted children are told that their children have social skills deficits? I suggest, quite a few. But, do they really?

http://www.dazzledandfrazzled.com/2010/08/gifted-children-and-social-skills.html?spref=tw


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What Makes a Good Teacher for the Gifted?

What makes a good teacher for the Gifted?? http://tinyurl.com/254vqpl

Excellent reading, writted by an 8th grader!

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Giftedness and Academic Underachievement

Giftedness and Academic Underachievement, Mahoney


What lies beneath

By Andrew S. Mahoney, M.S., L.P.C., L.M.F.T.

Abstract: This article presents an example within clinical counseling of a highly gifted 19-year-old male student whose academic capabilities fall in the 99.9th percentile. He entered therapy with a desire to understand his presenting problem of academic decline over the past several years of high school as well as to deal with the impact of his decline, both on his emotional development and his academic future. An analyzed tapescript is presented in which the therapist leads him to recognize and confront his defenses and discover the depth of his emotional distress regarding his current life disposition.


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100 Univ Libraries Anyone Can Access!

http://bit.ly/deL2jC

Wonderful resource - Ingeniosus.net

Ingeniosus is igniting a new movement of strategic communications, online advocacy and collaborative alliances to aid gifted students worldwide. Check it out from this link, or from Twitter.



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From Twitter

RT @DeborahMersino: Transcript from 08.27 #gtchat "#Gifted Peeps: Why Gifted Kids Need Each Other/Groups" http://bit.ly/dnCVuh TY!


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Gifted kids & social skills

A good article on gifted kids and social skills: http://www.agateny.com/Article_SocialSkills.html



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Resources for visual spatial learner

Visual Spatial Learning page http://cybraryman.com/visualspatiallearners.html


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International Aperture Awards

Call for entries!

Amateur and professional photographers are invited to compete on a global stage for over US$80,000 in cash and prizes.

Enter online at http://www.internationalapertureawards.com

Entries are now open for The International Aperture Awards, one of the world's richest online photography competitions. This is the 3rd year of the competition, which is open to professional and amateur photographers worldwide.

With a total prize pool of over US$80,000, including a first prize in the Open competition of US$20,000 in cash, the competition attracts some of the best international professional and amateur photography.

The judging panel represents the 'best of the best' of international professional photographers. Judges include head judge and Grand Master of Photography Peter Eastway, Bob Coates, Pieter de Ras, Alycia Alvarez, Dennis Orchard, Christian Fletcher, Chris Lalonde and Ray Lowe, among others.

The competition is held over 8 categories in the Open division, and 3 categories in the Amateur division. These include People & Portrait, Sport, Landscape, Science & Nature, Commercial, Advertising & Fashion, Abstract/Illustrative, Photojournalism and Wedding.

As well as cash prizes for top placings, entrants can also be awarded Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze awards. Also importantly, entering the competition does not require you to give up your copyright, except in the display of the winning and highest ranked images in publicity directly related to the competition.

Entries close 15th October, 2010.

Enter online at http://www.internationalapertureawards.com

Email: info@apertureawards.com



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11th Asia Pacific Conference on Giftedness

11th Asia Pacific Conference on Giftedness - thinking smart: Effective partnerships for talent development Sydney 29 July - 1 August 2010

The theme of the conference is “Thinking Smart: Effective Partnerships for Talent Development”, which signals the belief that we all need to work collaboratively to ensure that gifted students are provided with the best possible education.

"It is an important time for gifted education internationally and we have secured dynamic gifted educators from across the globe to stimulate and challenge our thinking. It will be a great opportunity to hear new ideas and to renew connections with old friends and colleagues from the Asia-Pacific rim and beyond. Australian educators, too, are keen to share their practices in gifted education with our international colleagues."

The conference will feature the Think Bank Workshop, Think Bank Program and  a Youth Summit. This event will provide an opportunity for educators, professionals, students and parents to gather, discuss, exchange ideas and opinions through workshops and sessions.

It looks very exciting!

2010 Annual Mensa Conference

Save the Date - 2010 Annual Mensa Conference and Kids Conference
Australian Mensa Conference
Friday–Sunday, 15-17 October 2010
North Sydney HarbourView Hotel
17 Blue Street
North Sydney, NSW, Australia
In October 2010 Australia will be holding its annual Australian Mensa Conference at the North Sydney HarbourView. The hotel is 4 and a half stars and discounted accommodation rates are available to AMC participants.

For more information, visit Australian Mensa.

Finding Schools

Shaun Hately undertook the mammoth task of putting all of this information online to serve as a guide for 'parents of intellectually gifted children living in South Australia, Australia, who are seeking an appropriate education for their child.' 

Thanks for all your hard work, Shaun :)

However, while this is a valuable resource in the 'great school search', please keep in mind that it was written in 2001 and has a 2006 copyright. In my research, I have found some of the information to be a little out of date, especially in relation to SHIP schools, since this program is no longer run in state schools.

In my opinion, a collation of potentially suitable schools really needs to be redone, but until then, this is the best I have come across so far.

Gifted Education Policy in South Australia

The gifted and talented children's policy in South Australia
- a pdf from the Department of Education & Children's Services (DECS).

(last updated 2007)

Characteristics of Gifted Children

From About.com, thus is a good summary of traits common in gifted & talented children.
The links within this article are also very interesting, in particular Dabrowski's Excitables.


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Mensa considering seperate schools for gifted children

Printed on May 30, 2010
 

"Some schools do have departments for advanced kids, but often this just means getting them through their schooling quicker, with no great advantage to the community or the student," Mr Vats said."


Visit the Herald Sun for more on this story.

New Zealand - Question & Answer Time

Always good to keep up with what is happening in other countries too.

From the Scoop NZ website
Wednesday, 16 June 2010, 5:17 pm
Press Release: Office of the Clerk

I have taken out the relevant section for this blog. 
For more on this Q&A time, please visit the Scoop NZ website.

Education, Associate Minister—Statements on Gifted and Talented Students

7. Hon TREVOR MALLARD (Labour—Hutt South) to the Associate Minister of Education: Does she stand by the statement in her blog about Gifted Awareness Week that gifted and talented students are “often overlooked as the attention of parents, politicians and teaching professionals is often drawn to students who are getting into trouble or underachieving”; if so, what is she doing about it?
Hon BILL ENGLISH (Acting Minister of Education) on behalf of the Associate Minister of Education: Yes. The Ministry of Education is currently working with three providers to ensure continued improvement for gifted and talented students. The ministry is developing a range of online tools to support teachers so they can plan effective learning programmes for those students,
and they can be easily integrated into the classroom. The Associate Minister of Education has also established an independent advisory group to provide her with independent advice about how to incorporate international best evidence into provision for gifted and talented students in New Zealand.

Hon Trevor Mallard: Does she agree with the Education Review Office’s assertion in its 2008 report on gifted education that schools providing well for their gifted learners have had ongoing, indepth professional development support; if so, why has the advisory and professional learning support for teachers in gifted and talented education been cut?

Hon BILL ENGLISH: The steps I outlined in answer to the substantive question are the steps that the Associate Minister and the ministry have taken in response to the Education Review Office report, which said that about 50 percent of schools were found to be either somewhat or not appropriate or responsive in the provision for gifted and talented students.

Hon Trevor Mallard: In light of her concern about gifted and talented students being overlooked, why do the national standards not acknowledge students who are well above the standard as they acknowledge those who are well below it?

Hon BILL ENGLISH: That is one of the reasons why the Associate Minister has moved to make some changes in the support of gifted and talented students. It is important that those changes are integrated with national standards.

Hon Trevor Mallard: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. It was a very specific question. The question part of it asked why the national standards do not acknowledge students who are well above standard, when they acknowledge those well below standard.

Mr SPEAKER: I must say I thought the Acting Minister of Education, in answering on behalf of the Associate Minister, said that changes were being made to the national standards policy to meet the needs of gifted students. I thought that was exactly what the Minister said in his answer.

Kids' Worksheets and Printables | Education.com

Kids' Worksheets and Printables | Education.com

An American Website, Education.com provides some great worksheets for you to print off, categorised into grade levels.
My son LOVES these :)

Gifted Education Professional Development Package

View the Gifted Education Professional Development Package

Designed for teachers, these modules contain an overview of current research about particular areas of gifted education. This research, in plain language, is illustrated by cartoons, case studies and examples of how it can be applied in the mainstream classroom.

Authors:
Gifted Education Research, Resource and Information Centre (GERRIC)
Professor Miraca U.M. Gross
Caroline Merrick
Ruth Targett
Dr Graham Chaffey
Bronwyn MacLeod
Stan Bailey
Publication Details
Type : Resources
Published : 2005

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SELECTIVE high schools for the state's most academically gifted students should be introduced in South Australia.

View the story on the AdelaideNOW website. Writer: XANTHE KLEINIG, EDUCATION REPORTER From: The Advertiser November 18, 2007 11:30pm



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International, high-ability adventures: an interview with Miraca Gross (2007)

From thefreelibrary.com : An interesting interview of one of the leading gifted education researchers and advocates in Australia, Miraca Gross.

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The Top 10 Myths in Gifted Education

It seems that no matter where we are, there are the same issues.