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August 2011
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Newsletter
August 2011 |
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Hi Derrin,
I looked after my young niece and nephew for a few days at the end of last week and the weekend and it proved to be a great reminder of what life is like with young gifted children - their need for stimulation and also the richness of their imagination. It was wonderful to watch what evolved when a 4 and 6 year old were given a bucket each and pointed towards a tree with a carpet of gum nuts below it. And I had thought they would just collect a bucket full! It was also great to see my nephew getting into Harry Potter and being able to read the stories again with him. My oldest daughter wasn't much older when she started reading them! I was also reminded that life with young gifted kids is a tiring business, or perhaps I am just out of practice! Book Sale starts Wednesday 24th I have spent quite a bit of time over the last month getting all the background for the Book Sale sorted out. Everything is in place with just a final check to be done and the Book Sale will start on Wednesday morning August 24th. There is a large selection of books covering a wide range of topics including advocacy and general gifted topics, early childhood, intensity and emotional aspects, improving performance, maths and some stories on tapes (just in case anyone still has a cassette player). There is another page with resources for teachers including teaching resources - some of these may be of interest to parents, particularly if you are home schooling at present. There are more resources to follow and I will let you know as soon as they are up on the website. The fine print.........All books are sold as second hand although some are unused. Most books previously had a sticker indicating the book belonged to Thinking Ahead on the cover, these have been removed. The condition of the book is indicated, images shown are scanned copies of the cover of the book or item for sale. Unless otherwise indicated there is a single copy of each item available. I also have a number of journals and magazines plus some CDs containing conference papers and I will include one freebie for each item you order as a bonus when shipping your order, until the supply runs out. You will find the details of the book sale here Resource Book I now have plenty of stock available and you can now order and pay for your copy of the resource book Gifted Children in WA: Resources for Parents and Teachers via the online shopping cart with Paypal. What else have I been doing? I am still working away on The Beginners Guide to Life on the Bright Side. Progress is slow because there don't seem to be enough hours in the day. There have also been a few new blog posts this month so if you have a minute, click over and check them out. The Dangers of Speed How Challenge can reduce stress Boredom turns the brain off In the Midwest Congratulations to the group of parents in Geraldton who have banded together and formed a support group and opportunities for gifted children in the Midwest. I will be in Geraldton next Thursday for the official launch of Expanding Minds Midwest. If you are in Geraldton and would like to attend get in touch with Kate Tonkin. The flier for the launch can be downloaded from the Thinking Ahead website.
Family Activity Nights
Go to the Thinking Ahead website
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Gifted Children: Resources for Parents and Teachers in WA
 This 150 page A5 size book is packed full of information. It includes current information on programs and competitions plus a vast new collection of websites, useful readings and links to other services and resources. Entries are coded to make it easy to find what you are looking for. Conferences
International Research Association for Talent Development and Excellence
2012
13th International European Council for High Ability Congress
2013 Find us on Facebook Thinking Ahead now has a Facebook page. Please come by and if there is something you have found which you think others might also be interested in, leave a link or a message. Visit the Thinking Ahead Facebook page Click to view this email in a browser |
Links to Information you might find useful
Articles, blogs and Webinars
Is it 'If kids do well in school they will be happy' or 'If kids are happy they will do well in school' - find out what what neuroscience and psychology are discovering Let the Gifted Fly One fundamental myth of gifted education is "you can't put all the smart kids together, because the less-smart need the smarties around to challenge the others". Does the presence of smarter kids help the middle of the Bell Curve do better? Trial and Error and the ‘God’ Complex What’s the best way to educate kids? The search for the answer to this question only leads to more questions. Human beings are complicated. There is no one mass answer to this question. There is only a mass of answers. This blog post also dips into the concept of why we spend so much time focussing on disability and uses the example of dyslexia (suggesting schools typically treat dyslexic kids as if they’re broken). It notes that schools have effectively decided that there is one right way to be, and all kids— no matter how complicated human beings are—must be standardized to fit into that mould.)
The power of expectation on achievement levels Strange advice for parents of bright kids
Does online learning make the grade? Academic Talent Development and the Equity Issue in Gifted Education - article by Francoys Gagne which appears in the latest IRATDE journal with 32 responses to his article. This article looks at the source of inequity and representation of minority groups. If Dr Suess had a gifted child - a humourous poem
Succeeding in school - A change in perspective could be all it takes to succeed in school - Study finds stress boosts performance for confident students, but holds back those with more anxiety The Price of Privilege by Madeline Levine. Looks at epidemic rates of emotional problems amongst privileged children, more than any other socio economic group Doing School: How We are Creating a Generation of Stressed Out, Materialistic and Miseducated Students by Denise Pope
Websites
Working memory training- evidence based program for improved attention from Cogmed
Dyslexia
Technology
iPad apps to support Blooms revised taxonomy - lots to choose from.
Robotics
Thinking
About giftedness 10 social emotional needs of gifted kids with links to more reading on each
Gifted adults links on Hoagies 4 ways to reduce behaviour problems with gifted students - looks at the difference between high achievers and gifted students
Maths
Online Learning |
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Thinking Ahead Extension Workshops
ABN 50 017 429 348 PO Box 171 Como, Western Australia Email: derrin@thinkingahead.com.au |
