Put the date in your diary NOW!

GT FOCUS autumn:Layout 1 13/11/2012 12:59 Page 1
Greater Manchester and Cheshire Explorers’ Club
Explorers is an opportunity to meet children that have a brain like
mine (most more evolved than mine). I like meeting people who
don’t just blink and change the subject when I say something to
do with science or history. I like the activities we do a lot. So far I
have done entomology, astronomy, dissecting a pig’s heart and
countless others that many children won’t have had the
opportunity to do. Every summer we do something social e.g.
rounders, cricket, orienteering and just a simple picnic in the
park. The most recent activity I did was when a Professor from
the University of Manchester who was working with CERN came
in and did an excellent talk on the Large Hadron Collider and the
history of CERN.
DANIEL WILLIAMS, AGE 10
It’s great to see that Daniel has been enjoying the activities that
we’ve been running at our Explorers’ Club recently. We’ve
certainly offered a stimulating variety of activities recently, which
have stretched both our kids and our leaders! The Anatomy
sessions that I ran earlier this year took me back to my medical
student days – but the kids really enjoyed doing a ‘proper
dissection’ of a heart. What struck me was both the depth of
existing knowledge of the youngsters as well as their ability to
take on new ideas and develop them together with their peers. I
know that Mike Seymour, the Professor of Particle Physics who is
running some sessions this term, has also been similarly taken
with the high level of the discussion. After his initial presentation
on CERN and the Higgs boson, his next session is on ‘lasers’ –
eagerly awaited by both children and their parents!
It is this ‘academic’ thinking environment that is so stimulating to
our kids with high learning potential, and which they are only
likely to experience at Potential Plus UK, as it is unlikely that they
will find a peer group of their age with similar ability in their own
schools and friendship groups. It is for this reason that I feel
really passionately about the model that we use at our Explorers’
Club in Manchester – which is to organise small groups of 6-12
children split into 3 or 4 age based groups, and for them to work
with the same leader for three or four consecutive monthly
sessions during a term. The activities may not be as ‘exciting’ to
some kids in some terms as in others – but it allows them to
properly get to know the others in their groups and make lasting
friendships. Knowing that our kids may have social difficulties
and can struggle to find like-minded friends, this is so important.
I know that our son has made some good friends through
Potential Plus UK and that he would have found it hard to do this
if our club had just arranged large ‘one-off’ activities. We also
have made some good friendships with other parents. Potential
Plus UK is all about support – both formal and informal – at our
Explorers’ Club we offer more of the latter, and sometimes think
of ourselves as ‘amateurs’. However, I think that our families
really benefit from one another’s experience and friendship as
we take this journey together!
For more information about Greater Manchester and Cheshire
Explorers’ Club, visit our Groupsite at www.nagcnorthwest.org.uk
DR DAVID KINGSLEY
CHAIR – GTR MANCHESTER & CHESHIRE BRANCH
ONE FAMILY’S EXPERIENCE
The Speranza family live in Hampshire. Here, dad Michael, shares his experience of his high learning potential daughter and the
support he has found through Potential Plus UK.
“It must be wonderful to have such a bright child!”
Well, yes. Yes it is…but.
Our daughter said her first word at four months and then her vocabulary exploded. By the time she could sit unaided she was
reading. Adult conversations and a liking for mental arithmetic followed. When we finally decided to have her assessed by an
educational psychologist the results were no surprise.
Watching her blossom was wonderful, but it was increasingly difficult to tell anyone about it. When friends announced proudly
on facebook that their child had reached yet another milestone, we would
click ‘like’ and remain silent about M. How could we do otherwise? Those few
friends we did tell (because they asked) quickly became bored of the
answers. Soon they stopped asking, and so we stopped telling.
More oddly, to us, we found hostility from schools as well. M’s first school
required things from her that she was ill equipped to give; the ability to sit
still (and she really didn’t do sitting still) was valued far more greatly than
any academic ability. Her second school refused to believe she had any
greater ability than anyone else, and any attempt to persuade it otherwise
was met with open antagonism. Boredom reigned, behaviour worsened.
A child with learning difficulties is accepted by other parents. There is no
lack of support within schools for special needs. But there is an
overwhelming lack of understanding or support for children with high
learning potential. The implication is that they need no support, they’ll be
‘alright’, they can look after themselves. Being the parent of a child who
is so very able is a difficult and lonely job. Membership of Potential Plus
UK has opened up a world of information and support, but access to
other parents who are in the same boat as us is what we appreciate the
most. The ability to speak to other parents who understand the issues
we’ve faced, to be able to make our own announcements about M’s
achievements without being accused of showing off, has removed a
huge weight from our shoulders. For M it means access to other
children who are like her and the freedom to be herself.
Yes, it is wonderful to have such a bright child, but it is difficult and it
is challenging. Talking about it makes it easier and now, thanks to
Potential Plus UK, we can do just that.
Inside this issue...
ECHA Conference
ECHA is the European Council for High Ability
and one of its major aims is to act as a
communications network to promote the
exchange of information among people
interested in high ability. The 13th ECHA
International Conference took place in Germany
from 12th to 15th September 2012 with
speakers including Margaret Sutherland of
Glasgow University presenting on Early Years
Education, Prof Valsa Koshy of Brunel University
talking about Nurturing Talent and Dr Rena
Subotnik presenting on Rethinking Giftedness
and Gifted Education. Thanks to European
funding Julie Taplin, Deputy Chief Executive, and
Rebecca Howell, Education Consultant, were
able to attend and present papers at the ECHA
Conference. The conference was also a chance
to find out about new ideas and look at the
possibility of introducing these into the UK. Julie
and Rebecca discovered that other
organisations across Europe are delivering
parenting workshops on behaviour
management, something not currently offered
by Potential Plus UK. This discovery, combined
with the fact that the workshops run by
Potential Plus UK are of interest to organisations
in Europe, has led to the possibility of applying
for funding to exchange ideas.
Partnership with German Parents’
Organisation
Potential Plus UK is delighted to announce its
partnership with DGhK, a German organisation
supporting families of children with high
learning potential. DGhK was founded in 1978
and represents 3,200 family members
organised into 15 regional clubs. The
partnership between the two organisations
aims to share information about high learning
potential; to support European studies regarding
these children; to represent the interests of
these children within the European Union; to
inform members and the general public about
each other’s activities; and to encourage mutual
participation of members in each other’s
activities, thereby promoting exchanges
between UK and German families. We look
forward to welcoming families from Germany
to our future events and also informing our
members about DGhK’s forthcoming activities.
welcome
Potential Plus UK News
Problem
One Family’s Story
Article Downloads
Opportunities
Impact Story: The Speranza Family
Greater Manchester and Cheshire
Explorers’ Club
Hello and welcome to this edition of
what was G&T Focus and we have now
renamed Focus on Potential. The reason?
If you don’t yet know, on Saturday 27th
October 2012 at our AGM, those members present voted unanimously to change NAGC’s
trading name to Potential Plus UK. This picks up our use over the past two years of the
term ‘high learning potential’ and what we say to both parents and professionals about
our ‘gifted and talented’ children. We believe that being a gifted and talented child is
the beginning of their journey and not the end and that what our children need is (high)
potential PLUS opportunities, aspiration, motivation, hard work, parental and
professional support. Such a combination will help to maximise their potential and lead
to personal success.
For those parents interested in a looking at this in more detail, I have written a short
piece on the members’ area of our website which you can download. You are, of course,
welcome to ask us any questions about our new name, which will be formally launched
at the beginning of January, or to provide your views on what you think.
The first time NAGC looked at the word ‘gifted’ and whether that was a help or a
hindrance to us in getting the right support for our children was in the second Trustee
meeting in 1967, just shortly after we were established as an organisation. Forty five
years later, I hope you will support us to ensure that our children are more widely
understood and that their learning, social and emotional needs are better catered for, for
the benefit of us all
Denise Yates
Chief Executive
Potential Plus UK
BOOK REVIEWS
Why Do I Need a Teacher When I’ve got
Google?: The Essential Guide to the Big
Issues for Every 21st Century Teacher by
Ian Gilbert (14 Jul 2010).
Here‘s another one from Ian Gilbert, the man who
brought us ‘thunks’. Despite the title, this is a book
intended to encourage all those involved in teaching
and learning to question what they are doing and
why; and to inspire them to motivate the children
and young people with whom they work. From a
macro analysis of the current learning landscape to
an evaluation of how individual children and young
people learn best, this book is a must for teachers.
At the same time it is a very useful book for
parents, as it throws in lots of practical
suggestions that teachers could try in the
classroom with different approaches for different
kinds of children.
GT FOCUS autumn:Layout 1 13/11/2012 13:00 Page 2
Workshops for Parents and
Teachers in London
BIG Family Weekend and
Enigma Challenges
The event in Walsall at the end of October
proved to be one of our best ever! We are
now preparing for the next one, which
will be in Bedford on 16th and 17th
February 2013. This is a smaller venue, so
places fill quickly. We aim to go live with
bookings at the start of December. Check
that your email address is up-to-date on
your online member profile, so that you
receive details in Denise’s monthly enewsletter at the end of November. We
look forward to welcoming you!
Professional Development to
Support Pupils with High
Learning Potential
Working in partnership with a local Teaching
School Alliance we have set up a programme
of professional development for teachers,
G&T coordinators, governors and teaching
assistants to help them identify and support
their pupils with high learning. The
programme starts this term and will run right
through to the summer term. If you know of
a teaching school alliance in your area that
might like to work with us in this way,
contact julietaplin@potentialplusuk.org
PROBLEM
Q. Please help! My son is 5 and has always developed ahead of
children the same age. He could count to ten and knew his
alphabet at 18 months, he started to read at the age of 2 and
a half, and he could add and take away when he started
school. We had him assessed and his scores came out really
high. However, after going to parents’ evening recently, I feel
like his teacher and I are talking about different children. His
teacher says he is contributing in class and has lots of friends.
At home, all I get are complaints that he is bored and doesn’t
have anyone to play with. He has started saying he doesn’t
want to go to school. When I raised the results of the
assessment with the teacher she said she is not sure why he
scored this highly as he’s not showing this in school. I feel like
now maybe I have it wrong, what can I do?
A. The test your son did when he was assessed was probably
measuring his ability and indicates that he is capable of
achieving highly given the right environment and skills in
place to do so. His teacher is looking for achievement, which
at the moment he is not demonstrating at school. These two
perceptions account for the difference in the views of your
son.
There could be many reasons why your son is not
demonstrating his ability through achievement in school at the
moment. He could have some sensory issues, like many high
learning potential children have to an extent, which are
affecting him in the classroom and causing distractions. He
could have fine motor skills that are underdeveloped meaning
he is not showing his ability through handwriting. It could also
be that he is physically very active and needs to move around
regularly, again stopping him demonstrating his ability.
The most common reason that high learning potential children
do not demonstrate their achievement in the classroom is that
they are given work that is below their ability level. When a
child’s ability is not acknowledged and catered for at least
some of the time, this can leave the child feeling
misunderstood, like he/she doesn’t belong, and can mean the
child doesn’t engage with the work on offer. This can also
affect the child’s self-esteem.
It would be a good idea to book an appointment to speak to
your son’s teacher to explore the reasons why your son’s
ability is not currently matching his achievement, with a view
to supporting him so that he can fulfil his potential.
Thanks to funding from The Mercer’s
Company we are running several parenting
workshops and teaching training sessions in
six of the London Boroughs: Hackney, Tower
Hamlets, Camden, Newham, Islington and
Westminster. The programme has to be
completed by the end of March 2013 and
there are a couple of workshops still
available, so if you know a school that might
like to host one, contact
julietaplin@potentialplusuk.org
Professional Membership
We have launched a new category of
membership to support individuals and
organisations, such as tutors or educational
psychologists, that would like to be involved
with our charity, but need a different kind of
support to our families or schools. Full details
are under ‘Membership’ on our website.
LATEST ARTICLES
POTENTIAL PLUS UK
Denise Yates, Chief Executive of Potential Plus UK, writes about
the rationale behind the charity changing its name and the
future opportunities this will give us for supporting children with
high learning potential.
WHEN STRUGGLING IS A GOOD THING
Potential Plus UK’s Information and Advice Service Manager,
Radhika Rajbans, writes about the positive aspects of finding
things difficult.
HOME EDUCATING THREE BRIGHT BUTTONS
Family member, Kim McCabe, writes about the pleasure and pain
of home educating her three children.
ENTHUSE AUTUMN 2012 –
FESTIVE ACTIVITIES FOR THE UNDER 5s
Looking ahead to the festive season, here you’ll find some fun
and interesting activities suitable to do with your little one at this
time of year.
ONE FAMILY’S EXPERIENCE
OPPORTUNITIES
Family members, the Tejura family, live in Woking in Surrey.
Here, Becky talks about what it is like parenting two special
children.
Gift Ltd Courses
Life with Amber, 10 and Oscar 7, is fun yet challenging. Oscar is
phenomenally bright across the whole range except for sport
whilst Amber is Miss Average. We first realised Oscar was
unusual when he was a baby, he just picked things up so
quickly and his speech when at last it did come was varied and
his vocabulary doubled on an almost daily basis.
FOCUS ON POTENTIAL AUTUMN 2012
GIFT is a specialist consultancy which runs both residential and
non-residential courses for gifted children of all ages with a
unique resource base of specialists providing over four hundred
different extension courses for every imaginable discipline
from Archaeology to Zoophysics. Take a look at the programme
of activities on the website:
www.giftltd.co.uk/courses/students .
Potential Plus UK is committed to bringing you
interesting and informative articles about children
with high learning potential. Each Focus On
Potential lists the latest additions to our website
ready for you to download and read whenever
you need them – no need to wait for each
magazine!
Members can find these all for free at
www.potentialplusuk.org in the members’ area.
If members don’t have access to the internet, they
can order printed copies by calling 01908 646433.
13
bruary 20
e
F
h
t
7
1
16th &
Bedford
Put the da
your diary te in
NOW!
Starting nursery at three, we decided not to say anything as it’s
hard to blow your own trumpet without seeming smug. Within
a term, his leader had brought in someone from Surrey Council
to observe Oscar as they felt unsure how to deal with him not
through behavioural problems but more the scope of his
abilities. This was in some respects a relief but also the true
realisation of what we had on our hands.
Progress was rapid and his thirst for knowledge was constant.
My approach though was a little different from some in that I
knew what he was capable of but I was also very conscious of
him only being 4 and wanting to treat him as such rather than
accelerate him and have him doing GCSEs at 10. So we spent a
lot of time doing “normal” things but just explaining everything
in a bit more detail. We were also very aware not to let Amber
realise his potential as it could be demotivating for her.
Now in year 2, he is flourishing under wonderful teaching and
surrounded by professionals who relish his potential. Amber
meanwhile at 10 has realised what her brother’s capabilities
are, which of course throws up other problems. “You love Oscar
more because he’s so clever”. How ridiculous but also so
painful.
Life is hard and challenging, keeping everyone occupied and
motivated. One of the best things I have done is join Potential
Plus UK. The support that I receive is wonderful and it’s the
relief of actually being able to talk about Oscar openly as I have
never done so except with teachers and family. Going to the
Big Weekend was enlightening and thought provoking and
great to meet people in the same boat struggling with a family
that contains children of differing abilities. The Facebook group
‘Parenting High Potential’ also is a place to go to unburden and
seek advice which I use on a daily basis so thank you so much
just for being there.
The Big Bang Fair 2013
This huge free science and engineering event takes place at
London, ExCel from Thursday 14th to Sunday 17th March 2013.
Booking is now open, so head on over to the website
www.thebigbangfair.co.uk to reserve your tickets.
Discounts on IGGY membership
A new website has been launched by IGGY – the International
Gateway for Gifted Youth. It provides a social network to help
gifted young people aged 13-18 realise their full potential. It
gives members access to great educational resources and
encourages them to work with top academics and other young
people around the world. Annual membership of IGGY is
usually £120, but family members of Potential Plus UK can join
for £90 during the month of November. Take a look at
www.iggy.net To activate this special price, type ‘NAGC’ into
the mobile phone number box on the member/child page of
the application. The registration page can be found at
www.iggy.net/registration
END
K
E
E
W
Y
L
I
et, but
M
FA
weeks y xt
w
fe
a
le for
K’s ne
THE
r
vailab
Plus U
n’t be a for Potential ing activities fo
o
w
g
in
w
n
it
o
c
a
n
x
s
Book
e
e
te
f
the da
ange o
d provid
reserve event. With a r s, the weeken r to meet,
t
l
e
nationa dren and paren come togeth his is an
to
T
il
s
h
.
c
ie
d
il
h
n
e
bot
y for fam njoy the week rtain!
it
n
u
rt
o
opp
ente
nd e
iends a
ate and
make fr enthuse, educ
event to