| Annie Balzat |
|
Sun 11:20 C203
|
This session is targeted to any parent who wishes to make a difference for their own gifted children and others in the school.
Why? Some schools hold the general view that "If the children are bright, they'll be right". Unfortunately, we all know that this is often untrue. The alarm bells started ringing in 1993 when my first two children came home from school saying "School is so easy, the work is boring". I asked the school what could be done about it and they say there are not enough resources or paid support staff to cater to such children. I felt that my children should have the same rights as the other children at the other end of the scale so I volunteered to help instead. To begin with, as a member of QAGTC, I have attended numerous conferences and workshops to arm myself with more knowledge on how to cater for G & T children and tips to work with them. With the principal's permission, I asked the teachers for children who they think need extension work. I started going into my children's classes during group work time working with the G & T children on language and problem-solving activities. We started with Edward De Bonn’s Six Thinking Hats and from there worked on Adventures in Thinking by Joan Dalton. It was a success and the children loved their group work time. However, still more could be done than just sessions in the classrooms.
I co-ordinated participation for the children in the University of N.S.W.
competitions, Excellence Expo, Tournament of Minds, Science Days,
Maths Challenge, Thinksports, Mystery Fest and the latest Lunch-time Fun
time. I will discuss in detail the above activities and building up a community
network for parents of G & T children.
Annie is a parent of four gifted children. Her background is in Office Administration. She began advocating for G & T education in 1993 when her two oldest children were assessed as being gifted. Annie is currently a committee member and a counsellor with QAGTC.
| Andrew Balzat
Lloyd Gravolin Andrew Duguid |
|
Sun 10:10 GPS244
|
Andrew, Lloyd and Andrew pose some questions to answer:
| Geoff Bishop |
|
Sat 2:00 C203
|
This workshop will introduce teachers to a clear, simple and coherent approach to unit and lesson planning for all students. It takes into account the Core Curriculum Elements and the Key Competencies and provides a practical and ‘hands-on’ approach to blending creative and critical writing and thinking skills. It is a distillation of many techniques and approaches from many sources.
You will be given the opportunity to design an outline of a unit for
your own needs as you Collect, Categorise, Compare, Consult Emotions &
Senses, Choose, Combine, Criticise, Communicate & Celebrate!
Geoff runs Thinking Learning Communication a small consultancy
business in Cairns. He has taught primary, secondary, TAFE (ASTIC) and
university groups over the last 20 years. He has worked as a Regional Language
Consultant and delivered training sessions to local government groups.
| Ruth Burnett |
|
Sun 10:10 N201
|
This seminar is concerned with how gifted children can be catered for
within the mixed ability classroom, with the support of curriculum changes.
Presentation to demonstrate how an information system can support classroom
teachers in a mixed ability classroom. Teachers can feel empowered by becoming
evidence-based practitioners knowing relevant background information about
all of their students. Mixed ability classrooms and time constraints are
the reality for classroom teachers. To enable teachers to achieve a goal
of learner centredness, information about students is the base line. Testing
for teaching can provide this base line. By using standardised test results
and other relevant information, a differentiated curriculum for a class
can be achieved. Easy access to relevant student information and teaching
strategies can empower teachers to be able to differentiate the curriculum.
Schools can tailor make an Information System that caters for its student
population and the needs of its teachers. Technology can provide this easy
access through programs such as Frontpage 98, linking teachers to the information
they need in their classroom setting.
Ruth graduated with a Masters in Education in Learning Support from QUT. Her research involved developing a model of learning support that would support both teacher and student in the mixed ability classroom. For the past two years she has been working on a special project at a private girl’s school, developing systems support for gifted and talented and special needs students. She has 10 years teaching experience in mixed ability classrooms.
| Tony Burton | Happy children – 10 easy steps for parents and teachers |
Sun 10:10 C201
|
Gifted children face many obstacles to reaching their intellectual,
social and emotional potential. These obstacles are come from a range of
internal and external sources. Helping the child to enhance their internal
strengths and understand and manage the external obstacles leads them towards
teaching their potential in a functional and positive way. Parents and
teachers can assist this process by applying ten basic principles in their
interactions with the child and their environment.
Tony Burton is a psychologist and co-ordinator of the
MEd (School Guidance & Counselling) course at QUT. He was foundation
president of the QAGTC and has worked extensively with gifted children
and their families and schools since 1978. He has a particular interest
in the area of social and emotional adjustment of the gifted.
| Johann DeBeer |
|
Sat 1:10 C202
|
In Gifted and Talented programs, educators usually over concentrate on the enrichment of knowledge. Gifted children are able to transfer their knowledge. The demands of modern society require that our children have a sophisticated education, excellent communication and leadership skills, problem solving and thinking capabilities, perspective, and a strong personality to ensure that they can meet the challenges and demands.
The Fastrackids Educational Enrichment Program concentrates on developing not only the intellectual talent but also the creative, thinking, which personality ad mental abilities of students rather than accelerate the educational process and raise academic and knowledge levels artificially.
Between 1988, and 1997, Dr De Beer set out to document the results of
three thousand four hundred and forty, three-to-seven year olds in Southeast
Asia were evaluated, Using the CPI Screening Instrument (Creative Potential
Indicator). He determined that 72.4% of the children he screened were "potentially"
gifted and/or highly creative. Two thousand, eight hundred and ninety of
these students were then exposed to an extensive enrichment and acceleration
program. The students performance was evaluated by trained testers before
and after participation in the program. After 12 months exposure to the
program, the results showed a dramatic increase in decision-making; reasoning
ability; problem solving ability, logical thinking and classification;
concentration; and general knowledge. Overall, 84% of the participants
performed at exceptionally high levels; 13% at an elevated level and only
3% failed to develop or discontinued the program.
Johann was initially trained as a Linguist and received
a Masters Degree in Linguistics, and a D.Litt-degree in 1981. He subsequently
obtained a Masters Degree in gifted education and Ph.D. in Philosophy in
1993. During his educational he taught linguistics. As a founder and President
of KIDS EXCEL PTY LTD he created and developed the Kids Excel Educational
Enrichment Program including a series of 72 workbooks for children 3 to
15 years of age. In these workbooks he stresses the importance of knowledge
enrichment, the application and transfer of knowledge, creativity and brain
development, decision-making, problem solving, as well as leadership, personality,
and communication development.
| Carmel Diezmann
James J Watters |
|
Sat 11:30 N202
|
Mathematics is a source of fascination for some gifted students. However
many students who respond enthusiastically to mathematics in enrichment
programs run by us report ongoing disinterest, boredom and frustration
with school mathematics. This negativity is often a consequence of being
given more work to do at the same level, constantly being expected to tutor
less capable students or having to work in isolation. Comments from gifted
students suggest that there is an urgent need to differentiate the mathematics
curriculum. For example, one student compared the challenge and interest
of working in an enrichment program to regular classes by using a mathematical
analogy: "The enrichment programme is like problem solving. Normal school
is like times table. Problem solving seems more important." A framework
for meeting students’ needs can be established using the curriculum differentiation
principles of acceleration, complexity, depth and novelty. During this
presentation, examples of mathematical activities based on these principles
will be described and analysed. The effectiveness of the activities will
be evaluated using children’s work samples and their reflections. The teaching
strategies that support curriculum differentiation principles will be illustrated
using video segments of various aged primary students. In mathematics,
not only is there a need to nurture gifted children’s interests, but there
is also the responsibility and satisfaction of rekindling it. This presentation
is suitable for those who work with gifted children, teach mathematics
or who are interested in effective teaching strategies.
Carmel is a lecturer in the School of Early Childhood at QUT. She is an experienced primary teacher, university lecturer, professional developer and researcher. Carmel has a strong interest in mathematics and science education and in studying reasoning in children. She regularly teaches gifted children both in classroom situations and in external enrichment programs and is actively involved in professional development programs in gifted education.
Jim is a Senior Lecturer at QUT and is Vice President of QAGTC. He has had a long involvement in teaching and researching gifted children of all ages in science.
| Rick Duguid |
|
Sat 2:00 GPS344
|
This workshop aims to assist administrators and teachers to develop
an inclusive, whole-school approach to Gifted Education. The content will
address the development of a framework and identifies practice strategies
that address eight priority areas for gifted Education, identified by Braggert.
Levels of provision will be explored and the Education Queensland model
of Curricular Provision for gifted education described. The workshop will
conclude with a snapshot of a gifted programme.
Rick provides teachers and administrators with professional development
in the areas of effective learning and teaching and gifted education. She
has worked with QAGTC as a volunteer counsellor and is an avid supporter
of Tournament of Minds in the capacity of committee member, facilitating
teams of students and judging at all levels of the competition.
| Paule Eckhaus |
|
Sun 12:00 Theatre 2
|
A present difficulty in the domain of giftedness is the tendency for ‘giftedness’ to be viewed as an homogeneous concept and one that can be understood, at a glance by an elevated score on some assessment of intelligence.
It is suggested here that this is an anachronistic model, which serves us poorly by limiting our understanding of the individual gifted child to a cognitive model. The consequence for the child is that such a view limits the capacity for appropriate facilitative action by teachers, parents and mentors, and consequently fails to capitalise on the principals of ‘best practice’ for either the individual or the community.
A contrasting model presented here views giftedness as a vast ranging,
and dynamic interplay of social, emotional, biological and intellectual
aspects underscored by an individual’s social milieu. This model reflects
four individual presentations of a ‘gifted temperament’. Each style emphasises
different socio-emotional responses to the learning context and provides
insights into learning preferences, and achievement and identifies techniques
for enhancement and maximisation of individual potential. In addition,
this model enables modification and enhancement of individual teaching
styles allowing teacher accommodation to a diverse range of gifted learners.
Paule has a Diploma Ed (Psychology), MA (Psychology) M.A.
Ps.S), is a director of the "Skills Education Centre", and a psychologist
in private practice which specialises in the problems of children and families
and focuses on the diagnosis and teaching of appropriate skills. Much of
her practice is devoted to resolving issues generated by differences of
communication and temperament styles and the assessment and development
of children and the design of intervention programs. Her speciality involves
dealing with the issues of gifted children as well as helping parents deal
with the challenges of parenting both gifted and non-gifted children.
| Eric Frangenheim |
|
Sat 4:00 C202
|
This workshop will describe a new publication for primary schools from Eric Frangenheim which uses Bloom’s Taxonomy, Gardner’s Multiple Intelligence Model, cognitive and co-operative thinking strategies. Goldilocks to the Rescue is a sequel to the original story and tracks the successful attempts of the adult Goldilocks to make amends for her youthful break and enter. This is a teacher resource consisting of four parts.
Eric is director of Rodin Educational Consultancy, which
provides teacher-inservice, classroom demonstration and team-teaching in
the use of thinking and learning strategies aimed at creating the thinking
classroom. His book Reflections on Classroom Thinking Strategies
promotes many of these strategies.
| Vicki Franson |
|
Sat 2:00 GPS 244
|
A recent article in a respected education journal contained the bold
headline, "An underachievement epidemic." Is this a true reflection of
the achievement level of today’s children and youth or is it yet another
exaggeration to sell books? This workshop will focus on the profiles of
underachievers, the relevant combinations of causes and the tough but doable
solutions for individuals. Come with your success strategies to share.
We will explore what works to get classic underachievers turned around.
Vicki is a project office with Education Queensland responsible
for implementation of strategies associated GATE Way. Vicki was a plenary
speaker at the 1998 QAGTC conference, has presented papers at international
conferences, and presents seminars and workshops to interested groups of
educators and parents. She has been a classroom educator most of her career
with experience in classroom settings of varied types and kinds, from multi-age
to self-contained gifted and talented classes. She has a Bachelor’s degree
in Elementary Education and a Master’s in Special Education of Gifted and
Talented.
|
|
Sat 4:00 C201
|
In this workshop participants will learn about Multiple Intelligence
by working through a variety of practical, hands-on problem solving activities.
Whether you are a teacher, parent or student (or all three) you can enhance
your life-long learning by understanding just how you learn and what strategies
you can employ to improve your own and other’s problem solving abilities.
Margaret is a former teacher and Department of Education
Adviser who now owns and operates Goss Education Resources and Services.
Margaret conducts workshops for Education Queensland, Independent Educational
Organisations, professional and community groups. Her workshop programs
range from practical and creative thinking skills for school age children
to comprehensive seminars for teachers and parents covering a wide number
of topics relevant to the teaching and learning process.
| Margret Hale |
|
Sat 11:30 GPS244
|
The aim of this seminar is to teach teachers how to write "Projects/Assignments" for Social Science. The technique uses bloom’s Taxonomy, Gardner’s Seven Intelligence’s, and a number of other Educational Models. The method may be used in the normal classroom, and it allows for the Gifted, capable students to be more creative in their work. I will go through step by step instructions on how to write a Project and its Assessment using Bloom’s Taxonomy - higher level thinking skills
Gardner’s Seven Intelligences – write a project to allow students to work to their strengths. A variety of hands on ways to allow students to present their ideas.
Next, the talk will also show teachers how to write a "skills/evaluation"
sheet that is given at the same time as the project. This sheet shows the
students exactly what skills they have to master within the project. By
the end of this talk the teachers will have written their own assignment/project
and an assessment sheet to be used with their own students. Samples of
students work from grade 4-9 will be shown.
Margret gained a Master of Education from Melbourne University,
studying under Dr Miraca Gross. She has worked in Victoria, Queensland
and in Hong Kong. She has worked with gifted students ranging from 5-16
years of age for the last seven years. She was involved with the initiation
of and teaching the English Enrichment Program for year 8 students at St
Aidans AGS in Brisbane.
| Margret Hale Adele Stoneley |
|
Sun 2:00 C202
|
The aims of this seminar are to discuss the identification of linguistically
capable students and the curriculum content of an Year 8 English enrichment
class which met the students needs. The talk will be taken by 2 speakers
both involved in the programme. Adele in the identification of the students,
and Margaret in the curriculum design and the teaching process. Adele will
speak about the identification of the students and the placement of students
into the class. The Curriculum design and the teaching process. Adele will
speak about the identification of the students and the placement of students
into the class. The Curriculum of St Aidans is based on the Term length,
Unitized Curriculum Model. Margaret will then speak about the specific
design of a curriculum for Gifted Language learners, of the English Enrichment
Curriculum and the organisation of the subject, called EN05. It was based
on Current Affairs and required the reading of the daily newspaper. There
will be a look at the topics within EN05, the homework set, the Units Assessment,
which asked the students to write a weekly current affairs report, using
a variety of journalistic styles, a review of the student’s work produced
will be shown, by OHP. Finally the students assessment response to the
subject will also be seen.
Margret’s profile is given above.
Adele has worked for 25 years as a teacher in England and Australia, in Primary, Secondary and Special Education sectors. Her studies at Exeter University led to an interest in "learning difference", and in identifying students with special needs at both ends of the learning spectrum. She is the Learning Support Co-ordinator at St Aidans Anglican Girls School in Brisbane. She has been involved in the identification of students for literacy enrichment programs in the secondary school.
| Lester Hardwick |
|
Sat 11:30 C202
|
This seminar presents "SITUATION", a universal training game for education
and industry, that untilizes and develops these tools. Those present will
be shown a simple three-step strategy as a universal approach to training
in education and industry and be shown a range of practical applications.
Lester has been Involved with education for the last thirty-three
years as a teacher, consultant and presenter. In 1970, began the development
of a model for learning and the production of associated materials. The
focus of the model is the maximization of an individual’s success in learning/living.
The book, Brain Tools, has been produced to describe the concept and the
universal training game, "SITUATION", has been developed to provide a simple,
practical training program in these tools. Other more advanced training
and teaching courses are available.
| Susan Hearfield
Greg Smith Scott Webster Kath Harrison
|
|
Sun 11:20 Raybould
|
The panel will outline the Philosophy for Children program and how it
is being implemented in Brisbane. We will report on the progress of the
network over its two years of existence, and on options for implementing
it in your school or class. About Philosophy for Children. Philosophy for
Children raises self-confidence and reasoning skills. It creates an optimal
environment to discuss significant issues important to the students themselves.
With its distinctive Community of Inquiry format, it encourages reflective
dialogue in an atmosphere of openness and enhances critical and creative
thinking. The session will outline the p4c programme and practices in school
systems, and share experiences and resources we use in our classroom
Susan Hearfield is an Education Consultant, Brisbane Catholic Education.
Greg Smith is Coordinator Gifted and Talented Programmes St Joseph's Gregory Terrace.
Scott Webster from the University of Queensland, is a former state secondary teacher.
Kath Harrison Primary teacher/trainer in p4c, Buranda State School.
| Judith Hewton |
|
Sun 2:00 C201
|
Eric Jensen asserts in his text "Teaching with the Brain in Mind" (1998) that the mind-body link and its effect on learning, previously envisioned only by ‘maverick scientists’, now has strong support in recent brain research. Jensen presents summaries of findings indicating that the importance of movement to learning cannot be overestimated.
All schools need a movement program. This should be developed and reviewed in conscious recognition of the vital role that movement plays in academic performance and attitude to schooling (Pollastschek and Hagen, 1996). A systematic program should include input from those with physical education and movement arts expertise, but should primarily form part of the regular teacher’s curriculum responsibility. Movement should be incorporated into classroom practices daily, and not viewed as reserved for either ‘specialist areas’ or ‘special events’.
This practical workshop will provide an outline of what a school movement
program designed specifically to address learning needs could look like,
and how teachers can incorporate movement into their daily curriculum.
Participants will need to be prepared to sing and dance as a group within
a supportive environment as they build confidence and competence through
this action workshop.
Judith Hewton has been a primary teacher, dance teacher,
classroom music teacher, in-service trainer for teachers (teaching music
through movement), and music consultant to schools. She has a masters in
education and as a researcher, she evaluated and reviewed music programs
in schools; conducted case studies on gifted and talented programs in Queensland
schools; undertook a national performance indicator study, and conducted
studies of needs-based funding in non-state schools. Judith is a writer
for the Senior Dance Syllabus for the Board of Senior Secondary School
Studies; the Senior Music Syllabus and an additional Music Extension Course
for Year 12. She is a panellist for Year 12 core skills test development.
Judith is now the Senior Education Officer, Gifted and Talented Education
in Education Queensland, advocating that gifted education is for all students,
and teaching music as a hobby.
| Judith Hewton
Anita Bailey Cameron Hall
Kathryn Fox Lyn Ryan |
|
Sat 1:10 N201
|
According to Eddie Braggett (1994:86), acceleration is about speed, where students have the opportunity "…..to move at a pace that suits their advanced achievement."
Ten years ago Queensland education reverberated to cries of "do not
accelerate children: it does irreparable harm to their social and emotional
development". This call was intended for the so-called "average" child
and inadvertently applied to all, including those with gifts and talents.
(Acceleration in Queensland is considered by all but the cognoscenti of
gifted education to consist of grade or year skipping.) It is gratifying
to some extent that grade skipping is being undertaken more frequently
but it raises questions of appropriateness of support of such action and
regular follow-up in the classroom in subsequent years. Parents and school
personnel who believe that a grade-skip will solve the issue of how to
cater for the potentially gifted need to be well-informed about this and
other aspects of acceleration and indeed to explore the options offered
by other enrichment and extension activities. In this panel presentation,
parents, students and educators will outline their experiences, both positive
and negative. Discussion of the main issues will be used to define and
expand the notion of acceleration for students with gifts and talents.
Parents and educators will be invited to contribute their experiences and
knowledge to the assembly of a summary paper for publication.
Judith’s profile is given above. The other participants are parents and children who have experiences of acceleration.
| Cornie Holz
Carmel M Diezmann James J Watters |
|
Sun 11:20 C201
|
Hatton Vale State School was one of four schools identified in 1998
under the GATE Way Project. As part of the GATE Way project, the staff
of these schools will develop an advanced understanding of the issues in
gifted education and develop supportive learning environments that provide
for gifted children. Such developments and the implementation of differentiated
practices require considerable changes in teachers’ beliefs and knowledge.
In the face of many competing priorities sustained change is problematic.
Other factors such as teacher confidence and their existing beliefs about
gifted education, their current teaching practices and school culture are
also important. This presentation will address the planning and initial
strategies adopted by the school in confronting the issues of change and
reports on work in progress in a collaborative project between the school
and a higher education institution. In particular strategies that have
been adopted in developing a community of co-operation with a shared vision
of where the school is going in the next five years will be described.
Cornie is principal of Hatton Vale State School a GATE Way focus school in the Laidley Valley. Cornie has a passion for gifted education and for the plight of small schools.
Carmel is an experienced primary teacher currently teaching in the School of Early Childhood at QUT. Her interest areas include mathematics and science education, reasoning, visual literacy and gifted education. She has co-authored two books on early childhood mathematics and science and has published internationally.
Jim is a Senior Lecturer in Science Education at QUT.
He has run programs for gifted children for some fifteen years for high
school and primary school children. Jim teachers both undergraduate and
postgraduate students in several curriculum areas including gifted education.
He has a strong interest in professional development and teacher change.
| Ken Imison |
|
Sat 2:00 GPS343
|
Conferences on the gifted provide a valuable service in informing the largely informed and enthusing the already enthusiastic. It is a necessary experience if only to encourage participants to engage once more in what seems to be the never-ending task of fighting for the right to quality education for gifted students. Even presentations, such as this, which take a somewhat pessimistic view of our achievements in gifted education, can help to renew vigour!
In this presentation it is argued that far from providing challenging
and appropriate learning experiences for gifted students, educational systems
have actually provided the majority of gifted children with an education
which is characterised by the effect of "dumbing down" high ability. This
occurs because of the underlying beliefs espoused by educational decision-makers
and by the impact these have on school and class organisation, on teaching-learning
strategies and on the curriculum. Current beliefs and practices will be
evaluated against significant research findings in gifted education to
show that unless these beliefs and practices are changed, the dumbing down
process is destined to continue despite the efforts of those who fight
so tirelessly for social justice to be applied to our gifted students.
Ken has had a long career as a teacher, teacher educator and as an educational consultant. He was the co-founder of the Australian Association for the Gifted and Talented, its foundation President of that Association and was awarded Life Membership of that Association. He is a member of the World Council for Gifted and Talented Children and has presented papers at state, national and international conferences on the Gifted and is presently writing a book on giftedness and another on a Reading and Language Arts program. Ken Imison is also the Chairman of the Queensland Board of Senior Secondary School Studies, a position he has held since the Board was created in1989.
| Bruce Jones Terry Ball |
|
Sun 11:20
|
The benefits of a multi-age structure for children with exceptional abilities are that they are best catered for an enhanced simply through the wide range of interests and abilities in such classrooms.
This structure with two teachers working as a team and across three or even four year levels closely fits the natural learning and developmental stages of all children, and especially benefits very bright children who need a forum in which to extend and practice their talents, as well as the warmth and safety of a classroom of same age peers to ensure their development in social and physical growth is not neglected because of the ‘steep ladder’ syndrome of acceleration.
The continuity of learning and the stability of a whole ‘team of teachers’ (teachers including paid teachers and aides, the administration team, volunteer parents and visitors as well as parents at home and also most importantly their fellow classmates), provides an extremely challenging and rewarding learning environment for gifted children whose talents as well as weaknesses are apparent to their peers. Their ‘expert’ input I valued and is used in a practical and supportive way by the whole team as will hopefully happen in their work life at a later time.
It is within such supportive multi-age learning environments that all
children have the opportunity to realise their full potential and be challenged
to be truly part of an exciting learning enterprise where the love of learning
is an ever deepening and overwhelming passion. Such classrooms are indeed
hard to find.
Bruce has recently retired and has been a primary principal for over 30 years. He has been principal of Atherton, a multiage school, and while at Coolum instigated a mini-school structure, which accommodated multiage and graded structures as well as innovative workplace reform practices. He is now a consultant on multiage and curriculum practices.
Terry is principal of Palm Beach State School a multiage
school which has high levels of co-operative teaching. He is also secretary
of the MultiAge Association of Queensland.
| Irena Kirpichnikova |
|
Sat 2:00
|
A fun and interactive workshop! Learn simple and quick ways to make
your teaching day more productive. The principles are understanding and
involving your whole brain for learning and living. You will truly enjoy
this workshop!
Irena is the most sought-after Kinesiologist in Australia and on the international circuit. A dynamic and passionate speaker who working with schools, institutions and businesses leading her audience through very simple techniques to ‘switch on’, and tap into their full brain potential.
| Bruce Knight |
|
Sat Theatre 3
|
This paper will encourage participants to reflect on gifted education
in the past, analyse what is happening in the present and creatively contemplate
visions for the future with a view to providing for talent in the new millennium.
Drawn from the implications of Change Theory, aspects that need to be considered
in the effective education of gifted students in the future will be presented.
Aspects such as the concepts of intelligent behaviours, effects of the
inclusion movement in Australia on gifted education, students' attitudes
to the teaching they receive and preparing for change in the new millennium
will be discussed.
Bruce Knight is Head of the Faculty of Education and creative
Arts at Central Queensland University – Mackay. He has extensive teaching
experience in primary and special education settings. He has been involved
in identifying, programming for and teaching gifted students, as well as
conducting workshops and seminars for teachers and parents of gifted children.
He has authored/co-authored four books and written more than 40 articles
in scholarly journals. His current research interests include gifted students’
perceptions of learning experiences in the regular classroom, reading and
comprehension processes and students’ use of metacognitive strategies.
| Libby Lee |
|
Sun 10:10 C203
|
In this seminar I will present findings from recent doctoral research undertaken in 1998, with early childhood teachers responding to the request "Describe your picture of a gifted and talented child". From the teacher’s response, the researcher will map an ‘outcome space’, which it will be argued, represents all the possible ways teachers perceive or ‘see’ giftedness. From this outcome space, it is possible to explore ways in which teachers may benefit from future professional development, particularly with regard to the identification of gifted and talented girls.
Recognising the individual beliefs and perceptions o teachers may allow schools to develop a shared view of giftedness as the basis for programs and strategies designed to cater for gifted and talented students. The findings may also assist parents to communicate with teachers on a shared base of understanding regarding their gifted and talented child. Other findings arising from the study include teacher beliefs regarding intelligence, IQ, future scenarios for gifted and talented girls and boys, resources and social justice issues.
This seminar will be of interest to teachers, school administrators,
teacher educators, parents, and others involved in educational provision
for gifted and talented children.
Libby is a PhD student at the Queensland University of
Technology. After graduating as a primary teacher in 1994 she taught at
early childhood level. Libby has also worked extensively with gifted children
both as a classroom teacher and in special enrichment programs. She is
interested in teachers’ perceptions of giftedness and strategies that they
use to identify gifted children – especially girls.
| Julie Maat |
|
Sat 4:00 C203
|
This workshop aims to inform participants about how to initiate a GATE
programme at their school. At Nambour State School, we have developed a
GATE programme, which involves the whole school community. This sessions
will provide the following; A model of developing a GATE programme at a
Primary school, Staff training required, Parent/community meetings and
training; Examples of action plans, programmes and good resources; How
to develop and procedures document, GATE and a teacher’s perspective.
Julie Maat is GATE Way coordinator at Nambour State School.
| Marion Mackenzie |
|
Sat 11:30 C201
|
For ninety years (1873-1962), Queensland education was dominated by the State Scholarship examination, an external examination at the end of primary school. It was at first a competitive examination for places in the early Grammar Schools, and later a qualifying examination for secondary school. The Scholarship was regarded as the measure for success and failure; it opened doors to many and slammed them for others. It was regarded as a hallmark of achievement and accorded reverence and respect. It was also seen as a shameful dividing practice and a scourge for teachers whose professional life was ruled by its requirements. Many teachers considered that the Examination was the cause of unhealthy competition, cramming, and cruel coaching, and it subjected both teachers and pupils to the role learning of facts, limited freedom of choice, and a general lack of creativity and critical thinking.
From its inception the Scholarship was intended to provide opportunities for higher education to those able children who might otherwise not have access to it. Many children who took those opportunities went on to succeed in academic and professional fields. Others were not so fortunate. This seminar is a report of a work-in-progress, tracing the life experiences of the boy and girl who each year was awarded the Lilley Medal as the first placegetters in the State in the Scholarship.
Through a few of these personal accounts some insights may be gained
into past education practices, but in particular into the meaning of being
gifted and how this early success in life affected their subsequent lives.
It may also give us cause to reflect on how much or how little has changed.
Marion has a B.A. B.S.W. Grad Dip (Arts) and is currently
undertaking a Masters degree in History at the University of Queensland.
Her thesis is concerned with tracing the lives of high achievers in the
Scholarship examination 1873-1962. Marion has had a long involvement with
QAGTC, serving as President of the Association from 1986-1991 and as Counselling
Co-ordinator from 1984-99.
| Marion Mackenzie (QAGTC Counsellors) |
|
Sun 2:40 C202
|
This session extends a particular welcome to parents who might like the opportunity to meet with other parents in an informal atmosphere to share their experiences and raise any issues that they have concerning their children. Teachers are also welcome. Several of the QAGTC volunteer counsellors will be present, and there will be opportunity for individual and group discussion.
The QAGTC Volunteer Counsellors are all members of the Association, either parents or teachers, who have undertaken a course on basic counselling skills and issues related to giftedness at home and at school.
Some of the counsellors will be present throughout the Conference and
will be happy to talk to delegates during meal breaks, or arrange to make
contact after the conference. They will be wearing distinguishing badges.
The QAGTC Counsellors are all members of the Association,
either parents or teachers, who have undertaken a course on basic counselling
skills and issues related to giftedness at home and at school.
| Wally Mark Jenni Auteri |
|
Sun 10:10 Theatre 2
|
| George Mastroyanis |
|
Sunday Plenary Raynould
|
This lecture aims to provide educators with tools to enable them to:
As philosophy is a highly personal outlook on life, it becomes important
to harness the personal qualities, interests, experiences and expertise
to create and education philosophy that will best serve the educator as
well as the students that are to be served. This philosophy will be clearly
defined and, at the same time, flexible to meet the needs of the population
it seeks to serve.
Dr. George Mastroyanis, an associate professor of Education,
has studied and taught in Europe, Africa and U.S.A. He currently teaches
courses, graduate and undergraduate in Philosophy of Education, Introduction
to Education as well as graduate classes in Gifted Education. George has
taught gifted children K - 6 in two states for seven years, as well as
being involved in serving the needs of parents and gifted children out
of school. New area of interest that is emerging is serving teachers in
rural Alaska, as the courses offered at University of Alaska, Anchorage,
is the only way teachers can be qualified to serve gifted children in the
state. He believes that all education should be excellent and relevant
to enable children to grow.
| Pam Matters |
|
Sat 11:30 N201
|
The presentation outlines the efficacy of mentoring in the development of outstanding knowledge, skilful practice, excellence and eminence in gifted individuals.
Throughout previous millennia, mentoring has been recognised as assisting individuals to achieve their potential. In particular, gifted people have derived benefit from its process. Mentees have acquired new knowledge and advanced skills, enabling them to implement sophisticated practical applications in diverse settings. In their company, mentors have honed their own expert abilities and replenished their excellent knowledge while deriving great personal pleasure from the successes of their mentoring partners. Mentoring is especially beneficial to the personal and professional development of gifted adolescents although it is sought after by gifted individuals at many other times throughout their lives.
While mentoring’s outcomes have been commonly recognised, there has been considerable debate concerning the nature of mentoring. Its efficacy as a naturally occurring phenomenon (informal mentoring) and organisationally supported process (formal mentoring) has been researched in a range of diverse organisations and professions overseas but until now (Matters, 1998) no large scale research of its nature and process has been conducted in Australia. Three cases focus specifically upon the outstanding development of gifted individuals: performing arts/dance; adolescents and scientists; author and multimedia games designer (longitudinal).
Adopting a novel approach derived from my research, my Millennium Mentoring
theory and accompanying model (hard copy, CD ROM and video) delineate how
individuals learn from one another during the mentoring process and details
practical ways to implement its process in informal and formal settings.
Pam has recently completed her PhD studies on mentoring in Australian organisations and its relevance to life long learning which comprises sixteen case studies in diverse organisations. The study focuses on mentoring'’ influence upon individual learning with particular attention to the development of superior performance, excellence and eminence throughout the life span and introduces a new theory of mentoring.
| Harry Milne |
|
Sat 4:00 GPS 343
|
This workshop will provide a collaborative learning workshop venue in which participants should be able to explore theory in terms of its practical implementation in their home and school setting. To enable participants to translate, in practical home, and classroom terms, the practices inherent in Renzulli and Reis’ (1985,1997). "Schoolwide Enrichment Model", Type I, II, and III enrichment activities into activities that should be able to be implemented from Monday. The workshop is intended for all those interested in the development of programs to help identify the potential for gifted behavior and its development in children at home and at school, especially teachers, parents, administrators, guidance officers, specialist teachers, support staff, pre-school, kindergarten, and early child care professionals. Time, novelty, and the press of many new ideas often makes the implementation of ideas offered at a conference difficult. Through this collaborative learning workshop, participants will work in small groups to explore the ways in which they may translate the theory of type I, II, and III enrichment activities into practicalities in terms of their home, early childhood centre, pre-school, primary and secondary level content, topics, themes, and programs.
The final minutes of the workshop will be spent discussing the implications
for Type III enrichment ('‘The pursuit of real problems'’), and the realization
of gifted behavior.
Harry has qualified as a primary, special, and gifted
education teachers. He has taught gifted children in regular classrooms
in New Zealand and Australia. He currently teaches postgraduate and undergraduate
courses in gifted education at Griffith University. Harry hold postgraduate
qualification in gifted and special education, and is currently completing
his PhD in gifted education through the University of Connecticut. Harry
has been involved for many years in the Queensland Association for Gifted
and Talented Children, in the Queensland Tournament of Minds, the AAEGT,
and the WCGTC.
| Roger Moltzen |
|
Saturday Plenary Raybould
|
There are numerous options for the completion of the title for this presentation that reflect the range of educational experiences of our gifted children. For those gifted young people who enjoy a positive school experience it is probably a case of Young Gifted and ‘Lucky’. All too frequently a school’s interest in and attention to the needs of the gifted is an outcome of factors other than a thoughtfully considered philosophy and a carefully planned and evaluated set of principles and practices. Often programmes for the gifted reflect the interest of one or two staff members. Sometimes gifted education becomes ‘fashionable’, and we see an upsurge in efforts directed towards this group of children. It is little wonder than that research repeatedly demonstrates that programmes for the gifted are amongst the most tenuous of any educational provision?
Changing this situation requires changing the culture of our schools.
It requires much more than one-off professional development sessions for
teachers. This presentation will look at the key elements necessary to
ensure comprehensive and enduring change in gifted education in our schools.
This will include an examination of school-wide strategies, as well as
classroom practice, with a particular emphasis on provisions within the
regular classroom.
Roger Moltzen is Director of Graduate Special Education Programs at the University of Waikato, New Zealand. He is a former teacher and principal, with teaching and research interests in special education and gifted education. Roger is a professional adviser to the New Zealand Associations of Gifted Children and a New Zealand delegate to the World Council for Gifted and Talented Children. He has considerable professional development experience, and is currently co-director of a New Zealand Ministry of Education project delivering professional development to teachers in more than 500 schools.
| Ralph Pirozzo |
|
Sun 2:00 GPS343
|
During this workshop, we will review seven case studies of gifted underachieving
students in order to ascertain why they are underachieving at school. Then,
we will devote the rest of this workshop in examining a number of programs
and strategies that the author has implemented in primary and secondary
schools during the last twenty years in order to provide fully for the
needs of these children. The author will argue that bright underachieving
students can be encouraged to become successful, happy and
productive learners by implementing a combination of Mainstream and Outreach
Programs. The Mainstream Programs include enrichment/extension activities,
contracts, thinking skills, concept maps, Bloom’s Taxonomy, Gardner’s Multiple
Intelligence, SWOT Analysis, X & Y Charts, Venn Diagrams, individualised
units, unitisation and vertical timetabling. In addition to these Mainstream
Programs, gifted underachievers also need to become involved in various
Outreach Programs including Extended Learning Programs, Camps & Excursions,
Clubs & Competitions, Tournament of Minds, Cluster Groups and Mentor
Programs.
Ralph has had a long history of association with gifted
education. A former High School Teacher and founder of the Peninsular Enrichment
Program Inc. He has applied his skills in a number of areas and accumulated
many awards and fellowships.
| Sue Raymond
& Bray Park SHS Teachers
Ros Roodveldt |
|
Sat 1:10 N202
|
This seminar aims to present units of work that were developed using
the Multiple Intelligence/Bloom’s model and discuss the process involved.
It will particularly address units of work in various subject areas e.g.
Year 9 English, Home Economics, French. The Presentation grew out of a
unicorn initiative of Education Queensland in term 4 1998, a group of Secondary
teachers from Bray Park State High School spent two full days writing units
that would address the differing needs of students in their classrooms.
This activity was a component of the Unicorn Project, and Education Queensland
initiative that focuses on Gifted and Talented students. Th whole school
staff had initially attended a Multiple Intelligence and Bloom’s Strategy
workshop conducted by Ms Roodveldt. Interested people were then funded
to develop units for their own subject area with the assistance of the
Consultant.
The teachers contributing to this program include: Karen Thomas, Kathy Owen, Wendy Keeble, Natasha Gilmore, Jenny Elford, Debbie Holland, and Karen Rojahn. Ros Roodveldt is Unicorn consultants.
| Jennifer Riggs |
|
Sat 1:10 C203
|
Are our schools Einstein-friendly? Are even our science classes Einstein-friendly?
The very factors that made Einstein a scientific genius - lateral and principled thinking, visual/spatial intelligence and independence of mind-made him a less than perfect pupil when it came to memorising words for tests. He barely survived his education. What would happen to him today?
How many of our gifted children are afflicted in similar ways?
Do we risk losing the next generation of original thinkers?
How can we present science as big ideas rather than big words? How can we nurture what Einstein called "the holy spirit of enquiry" in a setting that honours the different thinker and respects science as an ongoing process?
This workshop gives teachers and parents a chance to look at and plan
the hands-on/minds-on teaching of the sciences to primary and secondary
students, focusing on Multiple Intelligences and individual learning styles,
focusing on the Gifted Learning Disabled.
| Roslyn Roodveldt |
|
Sun 2:00 C203
|
The statement made by Dunn and Dunn in1978 to the effect that we should teach students the way they learn holds true today. Gregorc says that chronic mismatch of styles can lead to serious mental, emotional, or physical problems for both teachers and learners. Teachers who understand about learning styles are more likely to cater for the whole range of students.
In order for learning styles to have relevance for gifted students, learning experiences can be structured and ranked in a hierarchy, according to Bloom, to ensure that advanced thinking skills are built into the lesson/unit of work/assignment.
The aim of this workshop for primary and secondary educators is to integrate
the ideas of Bloom and Gregoric and thus consolidate work already being
taught in the classroom. Participants will determine their own style and
work in groups to develop a Learning Styles/Bloom matrix as a basis for
further application and design a lesson/unit of work/assignment.
Ros became interested in gifted and talented education as a secondary Resource Teacher. The interest developed into a passion during the next few years when she was Ed. Adviser/Consultant for gifted and talented education in both State and Independent systems. Currently she is Unicorn Project officer for Education Queensland and the Association of Independent Schools of Queensland Inc.
| Tony Ryan |
|
Sunday 12:00 Theatre 3
|
It is the year 2010, and the gifted education movement has become the key to transformative change on our planet. Ever since 1999, it has become apparent that the only solution to the near-intractable dilemmas facing the Earth has been to fully utilize the capacities of our gifted individuals. Because of this decade-long global support for our extraordinary people, we have recently been witness to:
Tony Ryan is a professional speaker, author and publisher.
In the past fifteen years her has been manager of a training and publishing
company – Head First – and has consulted to educational and other professional
bodies throughout the world on effective thinking and learning. He is the
author of many educational books and has presented at state, Australian
and World conferences on issues such as gifted and talented education,
change management and life-long learning.
| Kay Senzee |
|
Saturday Theatre 2
10:30 Saturday 4:00 GPS244 |
Kay is a multi-award winning teacher, certified trainer
in brain research and curriculum differentiation skills, university lecturer
and with many years of teaching experience at the secondary and primary
levels. Kay is widely sought after as a consultant and has presented at
national conferences in the USA.
| Mary Sohn |
|
Saturday Theatre 2
10:30 Saturday 4:00 GPS244 |
Mary is an award-winning teacher who currently teaches a class of gifted children in the Granite City School District in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. Mary also teaches university classes, presents at a national level, and is a certified trainer in brain research and curriculum differentiation. Most of her teaching experience is in the primary area.
| Wendy Shanley Steve O'Connell |
|
Sat 1:10 GPS244
|
The aim of this paper and seminar is to give classroom teachers and learning support teachers practical ideas for implementing their own "Night of the Notables", on ideas from Dr George Betts and adapted from Katha Decker William’s guide "Images of Greatness".
"Night of the Notables" involves children in selecting an eminent person from a field in which the child is interested, to study in depth. The child should believe that the person has made an important positive contribution to society. The student then collects data on the person, develops a learning centre, learns key information to present orally, organises a costume and on the night presents, in role as their chosen person.
Paper and seminar content will include a complete classroom program for running a successful Night of the Notables. This includes orientating activities such as introducing the idea to students through classroom activities and games that will arouse interest in eminent people. The enhancing stage takes the students through their research, developing learning centres, learning key information, organising costumes and practicing their role plays for the main event. The synthesising activity is the actual "Night of the Notables", where students in costume present their information in a way that is informative as well as actively involving the audience. A timeline for implementation, ideas on students choosing their eminent person, suggestions for developing learning centres and logistics for running a successful evening are also discussed.
This concept would be best presented as a 40-minute seminar to classroom
teachers and learning support teachers.
Wendy finished her Bachelor of Education (Primary), Second
Class Honours Division A in 1995. She currently teaches Year 5 at St Michael’s
College, Caboolture. She is the key teacher for Studies of Society and
the Environment. This role has allowed her to organise whole school activities
for World Environment Day and Waterweek.
Steve was trained at University of London (England) where
he majored in physics and has since taught for 20 years. He ran a Gifted
& Talented science club at the university for 6-14 yr olds. He was
Curriculum Manager in his previous school in the UK and has been Science
adviser for 20 schools. He arrived in Australia in 1996 and has been at
St Michaels College, Caboolture since Jan. 1997 where he is the key teacher
for Science and Computing. He currently is a Yr 4 class teacher.
| Katrina Sims |
|
Sun 2:00 GPS244
|
Readers workshop is a program that involves students reading a novel, writing letters to a partner and to the teacher in which they discuss different aspects of the novel, and then reply to their partner’s letter. The teacher is involved in undertaking the various aspects of the program with the students. I have adapted this program to suit my student’s needs and the various skills necessary to the study of literature. I am currently designing a means of using this program with the students. I have adapted this program to suit my student’s needs, and the various skills necessary to the study of literature. I am currently designing a means of using this program with the Intranet and across classes, especially senior students and kindergarten classes. It is especially suited to classes of only gifted students, or mainstream classes with clusters of gifted students. The great success of this program is in its personal, conversational writing style, and book sharing.
Writer’s workshop involves the teacher also undertaking the activities
with the students. It is also based on working in partners, brainstorming
ideas and the stages involved in a piece of writing. There are five steps
to each lesson and students can complete a piece of writing within the
one lesson. Again, I have adapted the program according to my student’s
needs and my curriculum. It has been a particularly good resource for stimulating
the reluctant writer and for getting the student writing who can’t think
of anything to write.
Katrina is a teacher in the ACT. She is interested in
Autonomous Learning and has attended international conferences on this
model. She has applied these ideas in her teaching.
| Greg Smith |
|
Sun 10:10 Raybould
|
This presentation will outline how inclusive programming for gifted
works in St Joseph’s College very successful Night of the Notables Programme
which runs every year here for the whole Year 8 cohort. The presentation
includes its rationale within the Betts Autonomous Learner Model, and will
be illustrated with video and student materials generated in the program.
This session will be directed to school co-ordinators and teachers but
will appeal to home schoolers and parents of gifted too.
Greg is a Co ordinator at Exceptional Learners program
St Joseph’s College, Gregory Terrace. Greg has been teaching, managing
and writing gifted programs for many years and has a MEd. The Night
of the Notables is his trademark one.
| Mary-Jane Smith Robyn Yared |
|
Sun 2:00 GPS344
|
Research shows high achieving students already know 40-50% of their lessons before they are taught, but how many teachers operate their classrooms to give learning experiences appropriate to students needs?
This workshop will endeavour to communicate the need for compaction, tempering current research with the real life conditions confronting classroom teachers. At Robertson State School, some students already have the skills and knowledge being taught or achieve mastery at a faster pace than others, but changing our teaching and classroom practices to cater for all learners, and guide them toward autonomous learning has been challenging.
Our workshop, will use teaching strategies to communicate the variety
of ways we have implemented compaction. These include pre-testing, post-testing,
co-operative groups, independent studies, streaming, learning centres,
contracts and accelerated activities. Proven resources will be recommended
and trialed units of work shared with participants. This workshop will
suit those interested in providing challenging curriculum for students
rather than more of the same.
Mary is a graduate of Kedron Park Teachers college and
has subsequently taught throughout Queensland at schools in Mackay, Eaton,
Darra and now Robertson. She is interested in autonomous learners and cooperative
teaching.
Robyn is the enrichment co-ordinator at Robertson State
School. She is a graduate of Kelvin Grove Teachers College and has taught
in a number of schools including Enoggera, Clinton Park, Benaraby and now
Robertson. Her philosophy has been developed on the realisation of the
need to value diversity and change teaching and classroom practices that
give opportunities for gifts and talents to be discovered and developed.
| Julie Spreadbury Janine Meakin |
|
Sun 11:20 C202
|
This seminar presents findings of research into children who can read
before going to school and looks at the implications of this for both teachers
and presents of gifted children. Research in the 60s by such peoples as
Marie Clay in New Zealand and Dolores Durkin in the USA on children who
could read before going to school has changed literacy teaching not only
in Australia but also around the world. We find, however, as we face a
new millennium that what is literacy today is different from then. Technology
is an important part of literacy learning today and will be even more so
in the future. Using a case study approach this paper will look at several
children who could read in 1998 before going to school. Contrary to popular
expectations, many come from low socio economic background. From interviews
of their preschool teachers, their parents, and themselves we will endeavour
to find some reasons why they are able to read both books and technological
print and see what are the implications of this for parents and teachers
in the new millennium.
Julie teaches Literacy Education to undergraduate and post-graduate primary teachers at QUT. Janine is completing her Master of Education majoring in literacy education. They are both parents and are especially interested in the influence of the home on children’s literacy development.
| Chrys Stevenson
|
|
Sat 1:10 C201
|
When Mensans meet, the conversation often turns to our shared experience of growing up gifted. Some Mensans have positive tales of having their giftedness identified early and of being nurtured at school by caring and talented teachers. Others talk about feeling alienated at school and in adulthood – never quite fitting in with any company. Many Mensans report growing up knowing that there was something different about them but not knowing what. Many have not been IQ tested until adulthood. When they find that their IQ ranks in the top 2 per cent of the population, a common reaction is "So, that’s what’s wrong with me!"
In this paper I will recount some of the good, the bad and the ugly experiences of Mensans childhoods. The aim of this paper will be twofold: firstly, to show that discrimination against giftedness is one of the last enduring ‘acceptable’ forms of discrimination; and, secondly, to show how even small encouragement can have a life-long empowering effect for individuals who often feel they are at war with the world.
In researching this paper I will call on submissions from Mensa’s vast international network (100,000 members worldwide). My intention is not to present a depressing paper, but one in which the pathos of bad experiences is tempered by humour and with inspiring stories of triumph over adversity and positive, life-changing encounters.
I envisage that the presentation will take 20-25 minutes, allowing 15-20
minutes for questions and discussion. I expect that the subject matter
would be appropriate for all participants, but particularly for parents,
teenage gifted children, and educators.
As the State Secretary of Queensland Mensa, one of Chrys’ priorities has been to forge closer links between Mensa and those organisations and individuals involved in helping gifted children. Chrys was a marketing executive before ‘retiring’ 5 years ago to study at university. Having completed both a Bachelor of Arts degree and an Honours degree in Humanities, Chrys is currently researching a Ph.D. thesis on the history of development at the Sunshine Coast.
| Joan Trueman Sue Alexander Dianne Girdham Sue Raymond |
|
Sun 10:10 C202
|
In August 1998, approximately 160 gifted and talented students from the Pine Rivers local area participated in our inaugural ACE Day (Across Cluster Enrichment Day). These were Year 7 and 8 students who came together from 13 different schools to participate in their choice of enrichment activities specifically designed to promote problem-solving, higher order thinking skills, and promote problem-solving, higher order thinking skills, and teamwork. ACE Day was a truly collaborative effort with teachers from all the participating schools working together to organise the Day, and with each school contributing towards the funding of the activities. The Day was a great success, and we hope it will become an annual event.
In this seminar the organising committee will discuss the ACE Day rationale,
the student selection process, the activities undertaken, and the overall
success of the Day from the students’, teachers’, and parents’ perspectives.
| Gary Tucker
Neil Pokarier |
|
Sun 11:20 N202
|
Runcorn State High School has been operating a Vertical Unitised Curriculum
since 1993. Coupled with a system of course advice and Course Co-ordinators
who track students and assist them to maintain appropriate Course Plans,
students are placed in units appropriate to their level of development.
All students entering Runcorn State High School are required to undergo
a course Planning Interview that takes approximately one hour and Year
8 is no longer a waster year for students with special abilities e.g. A
student who has studied a musical instrument or Drama for a number of years
with a private tutor may audition to commence Music or Drama at higher
level. In 1998 a Year 8 boy has completed Year 10 Junior Mathematics to
High Achievement Level while a Year 12 boy gained high distinctions in
University Mathematics in Both Semesters. The school also has had a program
for identifying gifted and talented underachievers and working with them.
The timetable structure and system of course advice that gives rise to
this flexibility will be outlined.
| Beth Wood Glenda Jorgensen |
|
Sat 2:00 C202
|
"Conventional wisdom tells us we must respond quickly to change. But the leaders of the future must be creators, not responders. The future isn’t found; it is invented. It is shared by people with the vision, courage, and wisdom to think beyond the boundaries of the known" (Kriegel.).
We need to teach our students about vision, passion and daring. We need
to teach our students about embracing change, risk-taking and innovation.
In this practical, "hands on," workshop we will focus on leadership and
how it can be taught to students. Taking some of the proposed characteristics
required of leaders for the 21st Century we will involve participants
in a range of activities hat they will be able to implement in their schools.
After teaching in both primary and secondary schools for
many years, Beth and Glenda have moved into private consultancy. The main
focus of their work is developing potential and promoting achievement in
bot he educational and business sectors. They have presented at State,
National and International Conferences and are the authors of A treasure
chest for teachers, spotlight on multiple intelligences and RATP in reading.
| Peter Zillman | "We meet you where you’re at – and lead you further": A story |
Sat 11:30 C203
|
This seminar reports on the development of Gifted and Talented Education at Caboolture High School, as an example of what can be achieved and to offer suggestions that could be of assistance to other High Schools. Caboolture State High School is an established and traditional State High School. The momentum to raise the profile of Gifted and Talented Education grew out of a full school conference. An enthusiastic group of volunteer teachers met to establish a committee; they determined: To build on what was already being done well, not to "reinvent wheels", that what was decided must sit comfortably with the culture of Caboolture High.
This process undertaken included: Establishing what was already being done; surveying of students, parents and staff; visiting other schools; gleaning information from as many sources as possible; conferring; reporting to staff; deciding; implementing. Our focus has moved to supporting gifted and talented students in the regular classroom.