GiftNet - Excellence in Gifted Education

GiftNet Professional Development 2009
Workshops and Mini - Conferences

As part of the GiftNet professional development programme, annual mini-conferences and after-school workshops are offered to all staff from The Gifted Kids Programme contributing schools. This is an opportunity to learn from national leaders in gifted education and to raise awareness around issues relating to gifted education. The mini-conferences and workshops offer practical strategies, methods and tools for teaching gifted students.

Workshops and mini-conferences are free for staff from schools that send students to the Gifted Kids Programme. If you would like to express your interest in attending please email Anna Meuli

GiftNet 2009 Mini-Conferences
Auckland GiftNet Mini - Conference Term Two 2009
Theme: Motivation, Underachievement and Gifted Kids
Date:Wednesday 27th May, 2009 9.00am - 3.00pm.
Venue: Quality Inn, Manukau, 477 Great South Road, Manukau City - Auckland.
Keynote:Revealing the “Me” behind the mask – Ruth McAllum This presentation documents the decisions, tensions and practice directions of six gifted underachievers, their teachers, parents and a novice researcher. Participants will share the journey and tools of collaborative problem-based inquiry to improve classroom participation and motivation.
Breakout Workshop 1:Getting Gifted Boys to Write – Rosemary Cathcart How often have you heard it? One of the commonest cries from teachers of gifted boys - great ideas, won't write them down, hates writing, never finishes, his work's like a dog's breakfast ... !!! This practical workshop tackles the problem with high-interest strategies to get boys writing before they notice what they're doing.
Breakout Workshop 2: Whakapakepake-guiding the waka – Charlene Barnett Ever wondered how to improve motivation for your gifted Maori and Pasifika students? Do you want to develop strategies to creating a stimulating learning environment for Maori and Pasifika learners? Do you have ideas to share with others? Are you keen to develop your critical, creative and caring talents to raise the waka and steer it forward? If you answered yes to any of the above this is the workshop for you… Stop banging your head against the fale pole. See how 'Kohitahitanga' and 'Ka Hikitia' are implemented in a gifted class in a meaningful exchange with other 'like minds'.
Breakout Workshop 3: In the Zone – Ruth McAllum Negotiated learning, personalised learning, independent learning - catch phrases that have the potential to facilitate engagement for hidden gifted. This workshop will focus on how inquiry based learning can be used as a tool to develop and manage negotiated learning, and personalised learning pathways so that gifted learners can be independent, motivated learners in the classroom.
Breakout Workshop 4:From the Mouths of our Gifted Babes: Not 3 R’s but 5 C’s – Anna Meuli Ask gifted kids what works and what doesn’t, you’ll be surprised just how well they can put their finger on what is important. Underachieving gifted kids have identified Challenge, Complexity, Creativity, Choice and Caring as missing for them and what they feel would make the difference in raising their achievement. Anna will unpack these with you, sharing a range of teachings strategies that help to target each, and workshop with you just how they can look in planning and teaching.


Whangarei GiftNet Mini - Conference Term Three 2009 Theme: Motivation, Underachievement and Gifted Kids
Date: Saturday 1st August, 2009 9.00am - 3.00pm.
Venue: Settles Hotel, Hatea Drive- Whangarei
Keynote: Revealing the “Me” behind the mask – Ruth McAllum This presentation documents the decisions, tensions and practice directions of six gifted underachievers, their teachers, parents and a novice researcher. Participants will share the journey and tools of collaborative problem-based inquiry to improve classroom participation and motivation.
Breakout Workshop 1: Getting Gifted Boys to Write – Rosemary Cathcart How often have you heard it? One of the commonest cries from teachers of gifted boys - great ideas, won't write them down, hates writing, never finishes, his work's like a dog's breakfast ... !!! This practical workshop tackles the problem with high-interest strategies to get boys writing before they notice what they're doing.
Breakout Workshop 2: Whakapakepake-guiding the waka – Charlene Barnett Ever wondered how to improve motivation for your gifted Maori and Pasifika students? Do you want to develop strategies to creating a stimulating learning environment for Maori and Pasifika learners? Do you have ideas to share with others? Are you keen to develop your critical, creative and caring talents to raise the waka and steer it forward? If you answered yes to any of the above this is the workshop for you… Stop banging your head against the fale pole. See how 'Kohitahitanga' and 'Ka Hikitia' are implemented in a gifted class in a meaningful exchange with other 'like minds'.
Breakout Workshop 3:In the Zone – Ruth McAllum Negotiated learning, personalised learning, independent learning - catch phrases that have the potential to facilitate engagement for hidden gifted. This workshop will focus on how inquiry based learning can be used as a tool to develop and manage negotiated learning, and personalised learning pathways so that gifted learners can be independent, motivated learners in the classroom.
Breakout Workshop 4:From the Mouths of our Gifted Babes: Not 3 R’s but 5 C’s – Anna Meuli Ask gifted kids what works and what doesn’t, you’ll be surprised just how well they can put their finger on what is important. Underachieving gifted kids have identified Challenge, Complexity, Creativity, Choice and Caring as missing for them and what they feel would make the difference in raising their achievement. Anna will unpack these with you, sharing a range of teachings strategies that help to target each, and workshop with you just how they can look in planning and teaching.

GiftNet 2009 Professional Development Workshops

Whangarei GiftNet Workshops
Date	Venue	Facilitator	Topic
Wednesday 17th June	GKP Unit Tikipunga	Anna Meuli	Meaningful Topic Learning for Clever Kids
Wednesday 12th August	GKP Unit Tikipunga	Bev Shapherd	Assessment Ideas to Support Differentiated Learning
Wednesday 21st October	GKP Unit Tikipunga	Debbie Green	Creative Problem Solving


Rotorua GiftNet Workshops
Date	Venue	Facilitator	Topic
Thursday 12th March	Rotorua Education Centre	Louise Tapper	"Cruising – he was just cruising along." Underachievement in gifted students.
Thursday 4th June	Rotorua Education Centre	Sue Bufton and Anna Meuli	Meaningful Topic Learning for Clever Kids
Thursday 10th September	Rotorua Education Centre	Rosemary Cathcart	Acceleration – Making it manageable – and should we?
Thursday 5th November	Rotorua Education Centre	Debbie Green	Creative Problem Solving


Wellington GiftNet Workshops
Date	Venue	Facilitator	Topic
Thursday 2nd April	GKP Unit Wilford Street School	Anna Meuli	From the Mouths of our Gifted Babes: Not 3 R’s but 5 C’s
Thursday 11th June	GKP Unit Wilford School	Joanne Young	Meaningful Topic Learning for Clever Kids
Thursday 27th August	GKP Unit Rata Street School	Christine Sangster	Creative Problem Solving

Thursday 23rd October	GKP Unit Wilford School	Rosemary Cathcart	Motivating Gifted boys to write