Waka Ama
Keeping you afloat
Waka Ama is a waka that requires an outrigger to keep balanced and afloat. Waka Ama provides access to Kaiārahi (leaders) in gifted education who provide on-the-spot support to educators and co-ordinators with an immediate need or query.
Waka Ama has two support strands; 1) resources sharing on our Gifted Aotearoa Facebook Page and 2) specialist support with your FAQ's.
Our gifted education specialists are available to personally respond to your queries, challenges or concerns. Read through their bios and decide who best fits your needs in your current situation. Then email your query, challenge or concern to your chosen expert with "Gifted Aotearoa: Waka Ama" in the subject line. She will respond to you personally. Go on ... Sue, Brooke and Rosemary are ready to help you now!
All questions and answers are edited for anonymity and suitability, then published to the Gifted Community on TKI so that everybody can benefit. Click on over to see the Waka Ama Q and As at date.
Sue Barriball
NZ Centre for Gifted Education
Email: sue.barriball@nzcge.co.nz
Sue is an experienced educator, having taught primary, secondary and tertiary levels, and has specialised in teaching gifted learners for the past 15 years. She is a former director of the George Parkyn National Centre for Gifted Education and REACH Education tutor, and currently oversees all student programmes at NZCGE. Sue has extensive knowledge and experience in gifted education, thinking skills, and the depth and complexity framework. In addition, Sue has delivered PLD online and face-to-face and presented nationally and internationally on gifted education. She is also a parent of gifted children and contributes regularly to both educator and parent groups.
Rosemary Cathcart
REACH Education
Email: reacheducation@xtra.co.nz
Dr Rosemary Cathcart is director of REACH Education, Ministry-accredited providers of the award-winning Certificate of Effective Practice in Gifted Education, and was formerly founding director of the George Parkyn Centre for Gifted Education. Rosemary has been proactively involved in almost every aspect of gifted education for over 30 years, working intensively with children, teachers, parents, education groups and organisations and as a political advocate. She is deeply committed to supporting teachers and schools in improving their knowledge in this field, both through her published materials and through workshops, courses, conferences and individual advisory work.
Waka Tīwai
Learning together
Waka Tīwai were every-day waka. They were used often and were ideal for moving small groups of people – like our regional network hui. They were also used for recreation, which reflects our desire to enjoy what we are participating in.
Waka Tīwai supports the growth of regional networks for educators enabling them to network and collaborate together as a community of learners, growing regional capability to meet the needs of gifted learners. The regional network consists of face to face hui and online collaboration and are focused on practical support for classroom practice.
Waka Tīwai networks are in operation in the following regions: Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Canterbury, Manawatu, Northland, Taranaki, Waikato, Wakatipu & Wellington.
UPCOMING ONLINE HUI's:
Invitations to the Gifted Aotearoa online workspace are sent upon hui registration.
Online National Hui during Gifted Awareness Week
|
Date: TBC, 4-4:45pm
Short Zoom session with Deb Walker looking at Who’s who and What’s what in gifted education in Aotearoa New Zealand.
|
|
Waka Kōpapa
Leading together
Waka Kōpapa were ideal for moving small groups of people together, just as our leadership development course helps to move groups of educators along on their journey as leaders in gifted education.
For further information about the courses offered as part of this, download the Waka Kōpapa Information Sheet.
Summary
Waka Kōpapa are distance short courses supported by a gifted education specialist facilitator. These short courses are designed to help you lead in this area within your own educational setting. Each module of the course commences with a Zoom session at the time specified above. While these sessions are not compulsory, they are highliy recommended. Each module should take around 3 hours to complete.
We currently have three courses being offered in 2021:
1. Inclusive World - from the lens of gifted (2 modules). Will be offered in Term 3, interest permitting.
- Module 1: Putting gifted in your school’s culture
- Module 2: The multi-exceptional scaffold
2. Learning Support Action Plan - through the lens of gifted (4 modules). Will be offered in Term 3, interest permitting.
- Module 1: The Learning Support Action Plan
- Module 2: Understanding the Learning Support Coordinator Role: Purpose and principles
- Module 3: Understanding the Learning Support Coordinator Role: Creating teams
- Module 4: Leading and connecting with specialist supports
3. Leading Together - Practical Strategies for Leading in Gifted Education.
This four-module short course has now been adapted by its author Rosemary Cathcart to be a self-guided exploration rather than a supported course.
You can download it HERE.
An explanation of how to work through the course can be found on page 2 of the booklet.
This course is recommended for those who have a responsibility for gifted learners in their setting. From it, you will take away practical strategies to navigate a supportive environment for the cohort of learners.
- Module 1: Defining a starting point
- Module 2: Policies, systems, procedures
- Module 3: Critical issues
- Module 4: Developing your strategic plan
