Madelaine's Ideas

The recent scoping report by consultants MartinJenkins, commissioned by Gifted Kids (now New Zealand Centre for Gifted Education) identified a series of ‘gaps’ in service delivery for gifted children in New Zealand’s schools (read more here: http://www.giftedkids.co.nz/Gaps+in+education+for+gifted+-+report+finds+-+Media+Release ). These thoughts are echoed by the shared Position Statement  from the New Zealand Centre for Gifted Education, giftEDNZ and the NZAGC.   When thinking about gaps in relation to the education of gifted, one springs to my mind immediately – the gap between potential and achievement in our gifted  children. This gap saddens and angers me. To see gifted children languishing in the 'above standard' zone, perhaps a year above their chronological age, is simply wrong.   While giftedness is not an automatic ticket to high achievement but our gifted children absolutely and undoubtedly have the ability to achi

The cells in a beehive has six sides. A guitar has six strings. The atomic number for carbon is six. There are six geese a-laying. And any good story has just six words. My Tuesday class of year 4-6 students at Gifted Kids (New Zealand Centre of Gifted Education) have expressed their ideas about what being gifted is all about, briefly, through 6 word stories. What better way to communicate complex ideas. You might take a minute to think about the deeper meanings here, about where these ideas come from, and about what we can learn from understanding what our gifted children think. Here's a selection that really captures the spirit of their thoughts. Getting straight to the point... An individual with advanced intellectual ability. Gifted? Me? High intellectual ability? Yes! Intellectual ability, born with the person. And with deference to Lady Gaga... Baby, I was born this way.  Being gifted doesn’t come by mail.   S ee Mum, it’s all your fault. Don’t b