Awareness Week is being held from Saturday 14th-Friday 20th June 2008.

WHAT'S HAPPENING?

The purpose is three-fold:

• Primarily to raise awareness about the Gifted Education Centre and the needs of the gifted school population in general;
• To raise some much-needed funds for the Gifted Education Centre
• To have some fun, and celebrate the birthday of our inspiration, Professor George Parkyn who was born on June 17th 1910.

There will be lots of events going on, and lots of VIP visitors to One Day Schools, so bookmark this page and come back often.

Awareness Week feedback and comments: click here.

AUCKLAND PUBLIC MEETING

The Gifted Education Centre organised a Public Meeting which was held at Duncan McGhie Lecture Theatre, Faculty of Education, Auckland University, 74 Epsom Ave, Epsom on Friday 20th June 2008.

The purpose of the meeting was for spokespeople from each political party to present their party's view on education of gifted students and then to answer questions people have on this topic.

The following were present:

• CHRIS CARTER (Labour Party, Minister of Education);
• RODNEY HIDE (ACT Party);
• DAIL JONES (New Zealand First Party);
• KEITH LOCKE (Green Party);
• WAYNE MAPP (National Party);
• JUDY TURNER (United Future Party)

After the event we invited each speaker to submit a few words.

Rodney Hide:

"
It’s hard for me to grasp the difference between a child who is very, very clever and a child who is gifted. My time spent meeting the children, the teachers and parents helped.

I think it’s wrong that parents of gifted children have to pay twice for their children – or simply miss out on the special education their children need often to disastrous result.

The argument between National and Labour is over whether Chris Carter or Ann Tolley should be deciding how your money gets spent on your child’s schooling.

ACT says it’s your money and you should choose how it gets spent. Only when we fund each child will each child get treated as special.

ACT’s policy would enable specialist schools to be set up for gifted children and see specialist teachers seeking out gifted children to provide for them.

Not every child is gifted. But – every child is special. We need Education Policy that makes every child special.
"

AUCKLAND OPEN DAY

Saturday 14th June, 1 – 4 pm, Owairaka School

Bring a friend, bring a teacher, bring a parent, bring anyone who has an interest in the education of gifted children.

There will be a series of talks, displays and other happenings:

For teachers: learn how the Gifted Education centre can provide you with professional development

For parents: Find out what giftedness is, and hear what the Centre does

For children: Interactive sessions to keep your child stimulated, amused and safe while you are attending a session for adults. Each session for the children will facilitated by a qualified teacher of gifted (and all!) children.

Plus there will be displays, information, sausage sizzles, and the ubiquitous Scrabble challenges.

CHRISTCHURCH OPEN DAY

Our major event in Christchurch this week will be an Open Day on Friday 20th June. We are very keen to get teachers, RTLBs etc, especially the teachers of our current students, more knowledgeable about ODS. The plan for the day is

Children's current teachers, Canterbury RTLBs, and anyone else with an interest in the education of Gifted Children are invited.

CHRISTCHURCH MOVIE AFTERNOON

To end Awareness Week, raise some funds and have a pleasant Sunday afternoon, we will be holding a screening of "Prince Caspian" at 2.30pm Sunday 22nd June at Movieland, The Hub, Hornby.

Tickets are $12 each, bookings are essential. To book ring Terri on +64 3 352 8138 or terri.hendry@giftededucation.org.nz

WELLINGTON CREATIVE WRITING WORKSHOPS
for Children aged 8 - 12 years

In Wellington, to celebrate Gifted Awareness Week, the Gifted Education Centre will be running "The Serious Wordplay Workshop" at Tairangi School in Porirua.

These intensive and fun half-day workshops will encourage children to engage in some serious wordplay and to produce poems and stories in their own distinctive voices.

The workshops will run by Johanna Aitchison. Johanna is a One Day School teacher with the Gifted Education Centre, and is also a published poet. Her volume of poems, "a long girl ago", was published by Victoria University Press in 2007 and was described as "My pick for the sparkling debut of 2007" by Iain Sharp of the Sunday Star Times. Most recently, Johanna's poetry appears in the June 2008 issue of North and South magazine. She has a Masters of Arts degree in Creative Writing from Victoria University and is passionate about lighting the spark in children's writing.

Monday 16th June	9.00am -11.30am	8 - 9 year olds
	12.30 - 3.00pm	10 -12 year olds
Monday 23 June	9.00 - 11.30am	9.00 - 11.30am
	12.30 - 3.00pm	10 - 12 years
Monday 30 June	9.00 - 11.30am	8 - 9 years
	12.30 - 3.00pm	10 - 12 years

To be held in the One Day School classroom at Tairangi School, Omapere St, Waitangirua, Porirua East.

Cost: $20.00 per student. Bookings essential as places are strictly limited.

To book or for more information, please phone Shirley on 04 232 3523 or email: shirley.lawn@giftededucation.org.nz.

PALMERSTON NORTH CREATIVE WRITING WORKSHOP

Wed. 18th June 9.15 am until 10.30am Diana Neild , author of the highly popular "Piggity Wiggity Jiggity Jig" and also locally well known musician, will present a Creative Writing Workshop for local students. Students will have the opportunity to consider the elements of Character and Plot within a story and how they interact.

INFORMATION AT PALMERSTON NORTH LIBRARY

From the 14th until the 20th June there will be a display in the Palmeston North City Librrary promoting Gifted Education with some suggestions of characteristics to be alert to, and some interactive activites for families to take away.

PALMERSTON NORTH SAUSAGE SIZZLE

On July 26th from 10am until 2pm ODS parents will hold a sausage sizzle at Mitre 10 to promote Awareness of Gifted Education. Come grab a sausage and have a chat to a parent of a gifted child.

HAMILTON BRING A FRIEND DAY
Hamilton's Senior and Middle Classes will be bringing friends to One Day School, and children in the junior class can bring a parent, grandparent, or another adult sponsor. The theme of the day will be competition, and there will be spot prizes on the day as well as the opportunity for One Day School students to win bigger prizes in the National Scrabble competition.

Senior students have designed and will lead some of their own activities, and have picked out some of their favourite One Day School activities from the past to ensure an exciting day for their special guests.

Feedback/comments/did you see:

Regarding our appearance on Sunrise (TV3 Monday 14th):

From the slackest mother (who has a beautiful lighthouse or three at home) you did a fantastic job. you spoke so well on behalf of the centre. you are a valuable resource and do a lot for our kids. Ta heaps Sandi

Kay (parent)

Alex (student)

Cheers, Janet, Mark and family

Dear Kathy,

We really thought the Open Day was a great idea, definitely worth repeating! Thanks for all your effort & that of your team!

Pictures from the Owairaka School Open day

Questions in the House:

Question tabled by Rodney Hide, 17th June, to Chris Carter, Minister of Education. (Hansard)