Mindjet MindManager

For many years now I have used Mindjet MindManager Mindmapping software http://www.mindjet.com/  and have included either a sample I month trial CD or sample 1 month trial download link sticker in the Gifted Resources Information Pack. Mindjet have also been generous in their support of Gifted Resources activities.
I have used other types of Mindmapping programs as well and found Mindjet well suited to business mapping and some of the others more useful for educational mapping.
Recently I received a request to complete a survey relating to how I use Mindjet in my work and I realised after talking with them that I was still using a very early version of the program. There have been many improvements and additions in the recent versions.
Mindjet sent me a copy of the most recent version and I am having a great deal of fun exploring the new features.
I started by making a map about Edward de Bono’s 6 Action Shoes while I was preparing my presentations for the Fine Focus webinars.  

Here is a close-up of one section of the map

There are a number of new features in MindManager 2012

It is easy to import images and other media from your own files and to include links to websites. The mindmap can be presented as a slide show and can be used collaboratively.

I particularly enjoyed using the Guided Brainstorming feature and the Brainstorm Idea cards.

I still have much to discover about the new version of Mindjet.

For details about Mindjet MindManager, to purchase or to download a trial version see the website http://www.mindjet.com/  and the blog http://blog.mindjet.com/

 

Fine Focus webinar

Last Friday I presented the first of two SerendipEd Fine Focus webinars ‘Which de Bono Action Shoes are best for a 2E student on Gagne’s DMGT Road?’
An overview and the recording of the presentation can be seen on Jo Hart’s E-verything blog a http://johart1.edublogs.org/2012/10/23/webinar-overviews-edublogs-serendipity-de-bono-action-shoes-for-2e-students/

In preparation the Feetspeak 2E shoes page on Gifted Resources website http://www.giftedresources.org/  has been updated to include links to the resources and websites used as references and Sprite’s Site blog has included posts on de Bono’s 6 Action shoes

Orange gumboots http://spritessite.wordpress.com/2012/09/15/orange-gumboots/
Pink slippers http://spritessite.wordpress.com/2012/09/19/pink-slippers/
Grey sneakers http://spritessite.wordpress.com/2012/09/28/grey-sneakers/
Blue formal shoes http://spritessite.wordpress.com/2012/10/02/blue-formal-shoes/
Purple riding boots http://spritessite.wordpress.com/2012/10/04/purple-riding-boots/
Brown brogues http://spritessite.wordpress.com/2012/10/07/brown-brogues/
and also
More shoes http://spritessite.wordpress.com/2012/10/12/more-shoes/

I will give the second part of the presentation this week. Details about how to join the session and find the time for your part of the world can also be found in Jo Hart’s blog post.

Willow Connection sale

I guess it is a Murphy’s Law type of thing! I often learn of events just after I have sent out the Gifted Resources newsletter. Sometimes the events are happening before the next newsletter is due to appear. That is why I set up the In Tray on Gifted Resources home page.

Having sent out the second newsletter for October yesterday I received this note in my Email Inbox today.

Hi Jo,

Thank you for the newsletter. Your network may be interested in taking advantage of a huge sale we are having at http://www.willowconnection.com.au/ . All the books and resources are on sale at 50% or more off the RRP. The sale is only for 3 days.

Please let your people know.

Kind regards,
Catherine Wiltshire
Customer Service
Willow Connection
PO Box 288, Brookvale, NSW 2100, Australia
Tel (02) 9948 3957
Fax (02) 9948 8153

This is a really great opportunity and needed to be mentioned!
Willow Connection stock books published by Eerdmans, Free Spirit, Prufrock Press and Youth Light.
Have a look particularly at the books available on the topic of giftedness at http://www.willowconnection.com.au/Gifted

 

Living with ANTs

Living with ANTs by Sally-Anne McCormack
First published in Melbourne Australia by Sally-Anne McCormack 2012
ISBN 978-0-9806867-2-2

Psychologist, Sally-Anne McCormack http://www.sally-annemccormack.com.au/  has written a new book titled Living with ANTs. It is a children’s picture book, beautifully illustrated by Lindsay Flatt, and is the companion to her book Stomp out the ANTs

ANTs (Automatic Negative Thoughts) are annoying creatures that trouble everyone!
Sally-Anne refers to the analogy of the ANTs – everyone gets them, they are hard to get rid of, and we often don’t notice them until there is a huge pile of black pests hiding all of the good things (thoughts) underneath them. She also describes some popular strategies to “stomp” out the ANTs, and ways of helping yourself to prevent future infestations!
The pages of Living with ANTs illustrate the analogy by comparing the actions of ‘ants in your home’ on the left hand page with the ‘ANTs in your head’ on the opposing page.

Sally-Anne McCormack is a clinical psychologist with private practices in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria. She is a registered psychologist, counsellor, media consultant, former teacher, wife and mother of four. In addition, she became an author when her first book – “Stomp Out The ANTs – Automatic Negative Thoughts” was launched in 2010.
Sally-Anne has specific interests in the prevention and treatment of depression in children and adolescents, and the unique difficulties that gifted students face in their schooling and personal lives.
She co-facilitates groups for adults – “Dealing with Anxiety” and “Dealing with Depression”. Currently she is writing a book giving practical advice to parents of gifted children which she hopes to publish in 2013.
In her practices, she regularly counsels parents with the issues they face raising their children and teens in the 21st century. She has another website – ParentsOnline http://www.parentsonline.com.au/  – which has articles, forums and information for those dealing with the younger generation. She also speaks on issues such as the problems with computer (& internet) addiction, and presents to organisations and schools on various cyber safety challenges.Sally-Anne is often consulted as a psychologist by various media to comment professionally on current topics both in Victoria and interstate/overseas.

Living with ANTs can be purchased on Sally-Anne’s website at
http://www.sally-annemccormack.com.au/index.php/store?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=36&category_id=1   

Clock dance

Time to do the World Time Zones Clock Dance again! On 7 October some Australian states went onto Daylight Saving Time. Now Jo Hart’s Serendipity and Fine Focus Webinars http://johart1.edublogs.org/about-edublogs-serendipityfine-focus-webinars/ will be at 10.00am Friday and #gtchat http://www.txgifted.org/gtchat sessions at 10.00am Saturday for Victoria and New South Wales. You can work out the time for your part of the world at http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/converter.html

GT CHAT

#gtchat
gtchat is a discussion group on Twitter for parents, teachers and gifted advocates from all over the world to share resources, ideas, experiences and new ways of thinking about gifted issues #gtchat was founded by Deborah Mersino of Ingeniosus website

In 2012 Deborah Mersino, has passed the moderator baton of #gtchat to the very capable hands of Lisa Conrad. GT Chat is now powered by Texas Association for the Gifted and Talented and all the details can be found on their page at http://www.txgifted.org/gtchat

Transcripts of the #gtchat sessions are now created in Storify http://storify.com/  and shared at http://www.txgifted.org/gtchat-transcripts

Lisa Conrad has also created a blog Global #gtchat Powered by TAGT http://globalgtchatpoweredbytagt.wordpress.com/ where she gives an overview of the session including any links and other resources that were shared and announces future session topics and guest experts.

For the next couple of months guests will be Carolyn Coil (@carolyncoil from @PiecesOLearning) on October 5^th, Lisa Van Gemert (@gifted_guru) on October 26th, Brian Housand (@brianhousand) on November 2nd, & Ian Bryd (@ByrdseedGifted) on November 9th. All will be presenting at the Texas Association for the Gifted and Talented (#TAGT2012) Annual Conference in Dallas in November. They have agreed to give a preview of their presentations and their current work.

Twitter provides excellent opportunities for sharing ideas and resources.

In a wonderful, amusing and thought provoking blog entry on Dr Jeff’s Blog on the Universe astrophysicist, Dr Jeff Goldstein, the Center Director for the National Center for Earth and Space Science Education, explains why Twitter is so much more than a place for announcing the tuna sandwich you ate for lunch.

http://blogontheuniverse.org/2010/05/05/tweetisms-for-the-21st-century-on-science-education-and-the-human-condition/

Dr Jeff says:
Twitter is a water cooler for the 21st century. At this cooler you can meet fellow human beings from across the planet, and share thoughts about life, our world, and our children—common thoughts that bind us all, regardless of nationality. In an age when as never before humanity faces a perfect storm of global problems, it’s precisely this kind of water cooler you’d like to see, and to frequent.

There people, that is why I spend so much time with the Twitter Birds!

Let the tall poppies flourish

A new Australian collection of papers on topics relating to justice in the education of gifted students edited by Dr Susan Nikakis, Gifted & Talented Education Officer Catholic Education Office Melbourne, will be launched at Parliament House by David Southwick MP on Tuesday 16 October 2012

Edited by: Dr Susan Nikakis

Publisher : Heidelberg Press Heidelberg, Victoria

Front cover: Mr Martin Tighe (Original painting)

Foreword: Mr David Huggins

Acknowledgements and Introduction:     Dr Susan Nikakis

The papers included are

1          Why do gifted students need justice?  Dr Susan Nikakis  

2          Seeking justice for twice exceptional learners.  Ms Carmel Meehan

3          The voices of gifted girls call for justice.  Ms Carmel Meehan and Dr Susan Nikakis        

4          Justice for gifted rural students. Dr Margaret Plunkett

5          Gifted from an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island perspective. Delsie Lillyst and Prof Mark Rose

6          Justice for gifted marginalised students.             Arrigo Dorissa

7          The Hidden Girls. Challenges facing gifted girls in Saudi Arabia.  Mr Faisal Alamiri

8          Justice for Gifted boys Mr Paul Double

9          Justice ‘across the ditch’. Dr Janna Wardman

10        How to nurture artistically gifted students. Jane Strickland,

11        Justice for highly able gifted and talented secondary students with a passion to learn, but who may or may not be typical ‘high academic achievers’. Christine Ireland

12        Final words.  Dr Susan Nikakis

The book can be purchased by:

 

• Emailing an order to info@heidelbergpress. com.au
• Fax an order to Heidelberg Press on 03 9459 8827
• Post order to Heidelberg Press, PO Box 234, Heidelberg VIC 3084

The book retails for $70 and there is a $10 charge for postage and handling.