Our
objectives:
- To challenge and "feed" the
minds of the children present, at a level that is appropriate to
their needs
- Provide an opportunity for gifted children
to develop social contact with their peers
- To provide support for parents of young
gifted children and to assist them to meet the needs of their children
at home
Small
Poppies Philosophy
Small Poppies is a group designed specifically
to meet the needs of young gifted children and their parents. It provides
an enrichment and extension programme that allows gifted children
to work at their own pace and level, with children of similar abilities
and with similar interests.
It provides an opportunity for parents
to meet others facing similar parenting challenges.
Small Poppies is a child-centred environment
in which a range of challenging learning experiences are offered.
Emphasis is placed on stimulating the child's learning process, rather
than on achieving any specific end result or product.
History
In July 1996, Small Poppies began as a
parent co-operative venture, which came about when a group of parents
with very able children found they and their children had common needs
which were being overlooked in the current pre-school system in Auckland,
These children needed extension activities and contact with "like
minds".
Small Poppies was given charitable status
by the Inland Revenue and our Trustees were incorporated as a Board
under the Charitable Trusts Act 1957, in 2000.
In July 2007, the Small Poppies Charitable
Trust dissolved, in order to allow the services offered under Small
Poppies to be administered and nurtured under the umbrella of the
George Parkyn Centre.
An important feature of Small Poppies is the employment of Sue Breen,
a teacher trained and experienced in working with gifted children.
Her role is to work with the children extending and challenging them
in a variety of ways. She trains and mentors all Small Poppies teachers,
as well as maintaining her strong teaching role.
Sue also shares ideas with parents that
they can use at home with their children.
Small Poppies children come from all backgrounds
and areas of Auckland and can attend sessions from the age of two
until they turn six.
A general definition of gifted is one
that suggests the children perform in the top 10% of their age group,
in at least one area. Most of the children who attend Small Poppies
have been recognised either by parents, friends or pre-school teachers
as having "exceptional abilities" at a very young age.
In the interview Sue can tell you if she
feels your child will fit into the gifted group. A child psychologist
who specialises in gifted children will be able to tell you if your
child is gifted. Sue can give you some names of psychologists other
Mums recommend.
|
Bright Child
|
Gifted Learner
|
|
Knows the answers
|
Asks the question
|
|
Is interested
|
Is highly curious
|
|
Is attentive
|
Is mentally and
physically involved
|
|
Has good ideas
|
Has wild, silly
ideas
|
|
Works hard
|
Plays around, yet
tests well
|
|
Answers the questions
|
Discusses in detail,
elaborates
|
|
Top group
|
Beyond the group
|
|
Listens with interest
|
Shows strong feelings
and opinions
|
|
Learns with ease
|
Already knows
|
|
6-8 repetitions
for mastery
|
1-2 repetitions
for mastery
|
|
Understands ideas
|
Constructs abstractions
|
|
Enjoys peers
|
Prefers adults
|
|
Grasps the meaning
|
Draws inferences
|
|
Completes assignments
|
Initiates projects
|
|
Is receptive
|
Is intense
|
|
Copies accurately
|
Creates a new design
|
|
Enjoys school
|
Enjoys learning
|
|
Absorbs information
|
Manipulates information
|
|
Technician
|
Inventor
|
|
Good at memorization
|
Good guesser
|
|
Enjoys straightfoward,
sequential presentaion
|
Thrives on complexity
|
|
Is alert
|
Is keenly observant
|
|
Is pleased with
own learning
|
Is highly self-critical
|
©Janice Szabos
How to cater
for a bright preschooler the Small Poppies way - A Recipe
Take a
very bright, enthusiastic child
Add
an interested parent or two
Introduce them to other similar children and parents
Stir
in a heap of stimulating ideas and a never-ending supply of
balloons, straws, bubbles, paper and
pencils
Add
a heap of books and equipment
Pour
the mixture into an adequate sized space
Toss
in a motivated teacher and a "theme" for the day
Add
questions, discussions and activities
Have
fun with the results
P.S.
Allow for contagion. This recipe will expand.
