Gifted Aotearoa

Waka Taua

Keeping you connected

Waka Taua

Keeping you connected

Waka Taua was a large waka that could hold many people, just like our network. In the past it often transported parties going into battle - our cohort of learners are often misunderstood and misrepresented, our educators become warriors for our learners and working together strengthens our quest. Waka Taua connects Gifted Aotearoa Network members with each other and with information and opportunities to support you in your work with gifted students.

What’s going on right now

We are now taking registrations for new PLD opportunities available for the second half of this year, please email us on giftedaotearoanz@gmail.com for more information.
Registrations are open for the regional network Hui in Auckland Central, Auckland North, Canterbury, Manawatu, Taranaki, Waikato, Wakatipu and Wellington. The next round of hui will be taking place on 27 August 2020. Waka Tīwai are a series of four regional hui for educators to network and collaborate together as a community of learners, growing regional capability to meet the needs of gifted learners. These hui offer practical support for classroom practice. Scroll down to Waka Tīwai to find out more and to register.
A number of questions have been answered by our Waka Ama Kaiārahi, such as "I have been given the opportunity to comment on the school policy for one of my children, as it is currently being reviewed by the board. Do you have, or could you point me in the right direction to some well-formulated New Zealand school policies in this area, by way of comparison?" and "I am leading Gifted and Talented this year. I am a novice at this and would like to know where I should start with this for our school?". All questions and answers are published on the Gifted Community on TKI.
Our Waka Ama Kaiārahi Brooke Trenwith, Rosemary Cathcart and Sue Barriball offer specialist support in gifted education to all network members. They are available now to personally respond to your queries, challenges or concerns related to gifted education. Find out more about Waka Ama.

If you have not done so already, please register with the Network and follow the Gifted Aotearoa Facebook page, so we can inform you of up-coming events and opportunities.

For more information about who we are and what we do please click here.

Waka Ama

Keeping you afloat

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.

Brooke Trenwith

NZ Association for Gifted Children

Email: president@giftedchildren.org.nz

Brooke is a New Zealand Representative on the World Council for Gifted and Talented Children and a MOE Accredited consultant. She has taught early childhood through to university level, been a Gifted Coordinator and was assistant director of an English Language School in Taiwan. Brooke was project leader of the Te Toi Tupu contract, helping schools develop robust, transparent and cohesive approaches to gifted education. Brooke’s specialisations include giftedness, inclusive education, relationship-based learning/cultural responsiveness, coaching/change management, thinking skills, digital fluency, innovative learning and collaborative practice. Brooke is on the Reference Group for the Ministerial Review of Curriculum, Progress and Achievement.

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

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.

Download the Waka Tīwai Information Sheet

Waka Tīwai regional networks are in operation in the following regions: Auckland North, Auckland Central, Waikato, Taranaki, Manawatu, Wellington, Canterbury, Wakatipu.

Registration links can be found below. Invitations to the Gifted Aotearoa online workspace are sent upon hui registration.

REGION	HUI DETAILS	LINK TO REGISTER
National Online	Hui: Various topics - TBC 3.45-5.45pm, T4, 2020 Venue: Online via Zoom Facilitators: TBC

Auckland 1	Hui 4: Meeting the Needs of Gifted Learners through an Individual Education Programme (IEP) (read more here) 4-6pm, Thursday 27th August, 2020 Venue: Point Chevalier Primary School, 7 Te Ra Road, Point Chevalier, Auckland 1022 Facilitator: Jocelyn Hair	Register for Auckland Hui 4 here Register by Friday 21st August, 2020
	Hui 5: TBC 4-6pm, Date TBC Venue: TBC Facilitator: Jocelyn Hair
Auckland 2	Hui 4: Planning for Gifted Provision in our Units (read more here) 4.15-6.15pm, Thursday 3rd September, 2020 Venue: Green Bay High School, 143 - 161 Godley Road, Green Bay, Auckland 0643 Facilitator: Sylvie Howell	Regsiter for Auckland Hui 4 here Register by Friday 28th August, 2020
	Hui 5: TBC 4-6pm, Date TBC Venue: TBC Facilitator: Sylvie Howell
Bay of Plenty	Hui 1: TBC 4-6pm, Date TBC Venue: TBC Facilitator: TBC
Canterbury	Hui 4: Gifted Underachievers – Strategies for Engagement in Learning (read more here) 4-6pm, Thursday 27th August, 2020 Venue: Shirley Boys' High School, 209 Travis Road, New Brighton, Christchurch 8083 Facilitator: Elizabeth Wilson	Register for Canterbury Hui 4 here Register by Friday 21st August, 2020
	Hui 5: TBC 4-6pm, Date TBC Venue: TBC Facilitator: Elizabeth Wilson
Manawatu	Hui 4: Identification Essentials (read more here) 4-6pm, Wednesday 26th August, 2020 Venue: WhatBox?, 44 Worcester Street, Palmerston North Facilitator: Suzanne Smith	Register for Manawatu Hui 4 here Register by Friday 21st August, 2020
	Hui 5: TBC 4-6pm, Date TBC Venue: TBC Facilitator: TBC
Northland	Hui 1: TBC 4-6pm, Date TBC Venue: TBC Facilitator: TBC
Taranaki	Hui 4: Inviting the Best from Gifted Learners through Questioning and Discussion Techniques (read more here) 4-6pm, Thursday 27th August, 2020 Venue: Welbourne School, Arawa Street, Welbourn, New Plymouth 4312 Facilitator: Tracy Rudman & Richard Rudman	Register for Taranaki Hui 4 here Register by Friday 21st August, 2020
	Hui 5: TBC 4-6pm, Date TBC Venue: TBC Facilitator: Tracy Rudman & Richard Rudman
Waikato	Hui 4: TBC 4-6pm, Thursday 27th August, 2020 Venue: TBC Facilitator: Jodie Terry	Register for Waikato Hui 4 here Register by Friday 21st August, 2020
	Hui 5: TBC 4-6pm, Date TBC Venue: TBC Facilitator: Jodie Terry
Wakatipu	Hui 4: Interactive Profiling - Building Confidence with Identifying Gifted Children (read more here) 4-5.30pm, Thursday 27th August, 2020 Venue: Zoom Online Facilitator: Hannah Carter	Register for Wakatipu Hui 4 here Register by Friday 21st August, 2020
	Hui 5: TBC 4-6pm, Date TBC Venue: TBC Facilitator: Hannah Carter
Wellington	Hui 4: Enabling Rigorous Discussion with Gifted Learners (read more here) 4-6pm, Thursday 27th August, 2020 Venue: Queen Margaret College, 53 Hobson Street, Thorndon, Wellington 6011 Facilitator: Amanda Kitiona	Register for Wellington Hui 4 here Register by Friday 21st August, 2020
	Hui 5: TBC 4-6pm, Date TBC Venue: TBC Facilitator: Amanda Kitiona

Waka Kōpapa

Leading together

Waka Hourua

Raising new leaders

E raka te mauī, e raka te katau.
A community can use all the skills of its people.

Once you have registered to become a member, you can then register for any of our Professional Learning & Developments on offer, by clicking on the relevant waka below.

Register to become a member below

Waka Taua

Keeping you connected

Waka Taua

Keeping you connected

What’s going on right now

Waka Ama

Keeping you afloat

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.

Sue Barriball

NZ Centre for Gifted Education

Brooke Trenwith

NZ Association for Gifted Children

Rosemary Cathcart

REACH Education

Waka Tīwai

Learning together

Waka Tīwai

Learning together

Waka Kōpapa

Leading together

Waka Kōpapa

Leading together

Waka Hourua

Raising new leaders

Waka Hourua

Raising new leaders

Waka Hourua were waka used for travelling long distances. The intent of this Waka is to journey over time with local emerging leaders in gifted education, to develop their ability to lead gifted education initiatives in their community and to support other educators.