Get On Board the Talent Train

Hungarian Presidency of the EU declares Saturday 9th April 2011  EU Talent day.

Historically, Ireland has punched well above its weight in terms of talent in so many areas: literature, poetry, drama, music, sport, science. In these difficult times, this is a great opportunity for us to to remind ourselves of the immense talent our young people possess and of the importance of nurturing these talents.

Together with Peter Lydon, we invite everyone to celebrate Irish talent on April 9th. What can you do to mark this occasion? It doesn’t have to be an elaborate affair. Here are some suggestions:

●        Get your family or friends together to play music or read

●        Visit a gallery or museum

●        Go to a play

●        Hold an event for your club or organisation

●        Organise an activity for your school or class

●        Hold a quiz or treasure hunt

A number of national institutions are contributing by organising events for Talent Day and we will post details on our dedicated page as details are finalised. Over time a full list of events will appear on our websites  and on the EU Talent Day website. You might like to participate in one of these.

To compliment Talent Day, we have organised Ireland's first Gifted Education Awareness Day on Friday 8th April. The purpose of this day is to raise awareness of the specific needs of Exceptionally Able children in the classroom. There's a myth that exceptionally able children will perform well in school irrespective of teacher intervention. The result of this is that academic talent often goes unrecognised and undeveloped. International studies have shown that developing teaching methods to take account of children with exceptional ability raises whole school performance.

If you would like any further information or would like your event to be included in our list, please contact us at frazzledanddazzled@gmail.com. Alternatively,  post on the facebook page:

Our 2011 Election Promise for Gifted Advocacy

Although minds have been concentrated nationally on renegotiation of the IMF/EU bailout, job creation and our failed health service, we have recently seen some more success in raising awareness of the educational needs of Exceptionally Able learners. Yes, we know it's a side-issue in terms of the big picture of Ireland's current woes, but we and other advocates throughout Ireland have been working hard to reach those who will be part of our new government. We have been in touch with the political parties to raise awareness of the needs of gifted students over the last few months.

Education policy will be under scrutiny in the next government, from the dual perspectives of resources and of standards. The PISA results are a national concern and have been mentioned by most of the political parties in the run-up to polling day. With literacy and numeracy issues on the agenda, as well as overhaul of the Junior Certificate and parts of the Leaving Certificate, we are well placed to make our voices heard on behalf of highly able students. This is a crucial crossroads for Ireland, in many different ways. The importance of education cannot be understated, and among the nation's children exists a group who have been at the margins of education provision for many years. Our highly able students, contrary to the beliefs of many parents, educators and policy makers, will not achieve academic success on their own. They need the support of teachers and parents to find and reach their true potential. This need not use valuable monetary resources, but it does need training and planning by those who educate these learners.

We were pleased to see that Fine Gael's manifesto addresses the issue of gifted learners and that in government they intend to examine the supports in place for this group of students. It is to be hoped that they will take the views of parents, advocates and those who have expertise in teaching gifted learners on board as policy is re-examined. We will be pleased to be part of the consultation process on this issue alongside our colleagues as we endeavour to work together to move gifted awareness forward.

We have at last a chance to speak on behalf of highly able children. We need to do so cohesively, cooperatively and with due recognition of each other's work over many years of advocacy. Some have been working behind the scenes for years, others are newly arrived, some have teaching expertise, others are experienced in twice-exceptional matters, but all are valuable. Ireland is too small a country to have advocates not working together. So let us too make an election promise, let us all pledge to keep the focus on our common goal; raising awareness of highly able learners within the Irish education system.

Gifted Children Recognised!

For years, the government has ignored what can only be described as the ‘plight’ of Exceptionally Able children in Irish classrooms. The NCCA did its bit by producing the Draft Guidelines. However, there was never a wholesale attempt to develop those aspects of teacher training and practice across the school sector that would see Exceptionally Able children recognised as deserving of specific intervention on, at least, some level.

In January as part of our campaign to raise awareness of the needs of Exceptionally Able children we decided to write to various political parties. We had some contacts with Fine Gael and Labour. We wrote expressing simply ‘what’ gifted children were, that they often go unrecognised in Irish schools and that whole school performance could be improved if such needs were addressed in teacher practice.

We are very pleased that Fine Gael has now included Gifted students in their manifesto. Under the section appropriated titled ‘Quality and Standards’, the Fine Gael Manifesto states:-

“Gifted Students: We will examine the supports in place for gifted students and create improved links with third level institutions on a regional basis, to provide gifted students with access to new programmes or educational resources.”

This is the first time that a political party in Ireland has recognised the needs of gifted students and made specific provision for them. We are extremely pleased with this success. We look forward to working with a new government to move the issues of gifted children out of the dark corner in which they have too long sat into the brand new light of day.

An Post, Katie and the stamp.

While searching for ideas for a "logo" for the National Gifted Education Day/Talent Day on 8th/9th April, we came across a stamp from 2006 which just seemed perfect for the job. It's pretty, has happy children, the Irish and the European flags and for added perfection, it was the winning entry in a children’s art competition. So, we contacted An Post to ask permission to use it. A few days later, I found myself speaking to Anna McHugh, their Head of Corporate Communications. In a world where we often come to expect little, I was bowled over by her enthusiasm and the trouble she had taken to help us out.

Firstly, we would need permission from the child who painted the picture. That was Katie McMillan who was then 12 years old and in 6^th class at Mater Dei Primary School, Basin Lane in Dublin. Anna had contacted the school where they remembered Katie well. In fact, proudly on display, they have a picture of Katie receiving her prize for the drawing back in 2006. Someone there knew her mother and progress was being made in tracking her down.

Meanwhile, the actual artwork was elsewhere, at the printers. Now, printing stamps is a specialized business and An Post generally uses one particular company. In this instance, for some reason, they had used a printer in the UK. Nevertheless, Anna had found out who and where they were, had made contact and the artwork had been located. All that was necessary was Katie’s permission…

We are now highly chuffed to say Katie has been in contact and is delighted that her picture is being revived and used in this way. Now in 5^th year at Loreto College, Crumlin, she still loves art and hopes to study at the National College of Art and Design when she leaves school.

We would like to thank Anna McHugh of An Post for going out of her way to bring this together for us and to thank Katie McMillan for being so generous with her fabulous artwork. We wish her the very best for her future as a talented artist.

What a perfect ending to the story…or start to our celebration of talent!

What Exceptionally Able Kids Say About Schools

Last night at #gtie, we discussed what exceptionally able students say about school. It might have been yet another session of adults discussing what they think kids want and how they think they feel. However, thanks to two very intelligent and articulate teenagers, we had the privilege of hearing what they really do think. They made some very worthwhile and constructive comments and the discussion would not have been the same without them. 

• We're not learning what we think we should be. I think the focus should be on the future not on what has already been done...We're shown what has already been proven without being shown how it can applied to the real world and our futures.
• I think in an attempt to standardise everything we've limited what people are allowed to do. Going against what education should be? 
• Take two or so subjects for LC, real in-depth work, understanding and learning of what fascinates you, my idea of school.
• The Extended Essay is the sort of thing that really appeals to me, imagine having that as part of exam in each subject!
• DCG (Design Communications Graphics) is great for LC! 40% is an independently researched and designed project, makes it one of my favourite subjects!

So, more independent, project based learning with more depth rather than breadth would be a good start. Less of the rote learning and more room for discussion and debate. Turns out we weren't far wrong in what we thought, but it was great to hear it from the horse's mouth and to be able to tease it out with them. 

I really enjoyed this particular chat because I felt that we had all the necessary stakeholders present for a proper discussion. If we are to bring about change for gifted learners, we need to include them in the process. It is they, afterall, who will have to live with the changes. As we clearly saw last night, these young people know what they want, are well able to speak for themselves and deserve a great deal of respect. I hope they too enjoyed the chat and that they will come back to contribute again. Nia and Gavin made me proud to be Irish and all the more determined to advocate on behalf of our thousands of  gifted students.

To read the full transcript, click here and scroll to 9pm for the start.

For our international friends, below is a glossary and description of the Irish Education system!!

National Gifted Education Awareness/EU Talent Day Ireland

Hungary has for many years had a national day of talent to mark Béla Bartók's birthday on 25th March. This year, with talent support as the central theme of their presidency of the EU, they have invited the rest of Europe to join them on Saturday 9th April to mark EU Talent Day. Together with Peter Lydon, we see this as an opportunity both to raise awareness of the needs of gifted and talented children and to give them an opportunity to celebrate their exceptional ability. To this end we have planned Ireland’s first National Gifted Education Awareness Day to run complementary to the first EU Talent Day.

National Gifted Education Awareness Day 

Friday 8th April

The goal of this event is to promote awareness among teachers of the special needs of Exceptionally Able and Twice Exceptional (2e) children in classrooms across Ireland and to recognise those schools that have already developed policies to help meet the special educational needs of gifted children.

EU Talent Day Ireland

Saturday 9th April

On this day, we would like to encourage individuals, groups and organisations to organise events to celebrate talent of all descriptions. This may be something as simple and informal as parents meeting for coffee whilst their kids are at CTYI classes. We are working on a few ideas of our own, but here are some great but simple ideas which you could use to contribute to the day:-

a treasure hunt
an art and craft event

a concert

a dance-off

a poetry reading

a book club meeting

a sports event

a museum tour

a visit to an art gallery

a trip to the ‘Dead Zoo’

A trip to a real Zoo!

A picnic.

...anything goes...be creative! Organise your event for gifted children then tell your community….go to our facebook page and post your idea to inspire others.

We would love to see all gifted advocates in Ireland come together to make this occasion a springboard for taking gifted education and awareness to a new level. Please feel free to post any ideas, comments or events on the facebook wall. The Facebook page and the Talent Day are yours to share.

Many thanks must go to CTYI and ICEPE for their encouragement and support in this venture.

Teachers are Frazzled too!

Our education system is a complete mess for so very many reasons. I would imagine, from a teacher's point of view, it must be difficult at times to keep morale up. It is easy for parents to criticise, but we have no idea what it is like to face a room of thirty kids of hugely varying abilities and be under pressure to get them all safely through the state exams. Add a sprinkling of learning difficulties of all descriptions - maybe not even diagnosed - and dwindling back-up from the resource department. In secondary school at least, toss in the hormones and behaviours of adolescence and you have a potent mixture!

When it comes to special needs, how much training do teachers get before they are thrown in to sink or swim in the "inclusive" classroom? For giftedness at least, I think the answer is “none”. Rather than think the worst of them, we need to try and empathise and support teachers. As advocates for gifted children, our job is to help teachers to help this group. A very good first step which would be of benefit to us all, would be for some of the basics of giftedness to be covered in all pre-service teacher training. If we didn’t have gifted children ourselves, would we have a clue of how it might present or how to deal with it? Most of us, even with our knowledge and experience, struggle with the task ourselves at times. I believe that most teachers, if they understood what giftedness really means rather than the usual myths, would be open to working with parents.

Let’s face it, one facet of giftedness is intensity. So, at the very least, I think they should be warned that the parents of gifted students may well be very INTENSE, but they are not to be feared! They are usually just very EAGER to help, but maybe aren’t sure how. As in so many aspects of parent-school interaction, understanding, respect and openness is required on both sides. For our part, parents must remember that we don’t really know how schools operate on a day-to-day basis and what may seem obvious and reasonable to us, may in fact be  well nigh impossible to do.

Teachers, please don’t feel threatened by us. We know that our kids can be difficult to provide for in our current system. We know that you are largely unsupported in this regard. Parenting a gifted child is not easy either. Sending our children to school can be both frightening and frustrating for us and sometimes that emotion may spill into our behaviour when we interact with you. You have no idea how wonderful it feels when a teacher is receptive and supportive. Speaking from personal experience, when my own child was struggling in early secondary school, finding just one teacher who “got it” transformed the lives, not only of that child, but of the whole family. Instead of being a nervous wreck sending him to school each morning, I felt secure in the knowledge that he had someone to turn to if things began to overwhelm him. In the end, she didn’t need to do much at all. It was just knowing that she was there and that she understood that made the difference to us all. We all have teachers from our dim and distant pasts who we remember with affection and this one will certainly be one of those.

It is by talking to each other, sharing ideas and experiences, that parents and teachers of gifted children can make a difference.