InkTober

Every October, artists all over the world take on the InkTober drawing challenge by doing one ink drawing a day the entire month. Jake Parker created InkTober in 2009 as a challenge to improve his inking skills and develop positive drawing habits. It has since grown into a worldwide endeavour with thousands of artists taking on the challenge every year. Read all about the rules of InkTober and the materials to use at the website http://mrjakeparker.com/inktober

I took the InkTober challenge last year and joined in with INKed, a group of ink artists on Facebook where I have a folder of my ink drawings. We had a list of suggested topics which we could use if we wished. I used the daily prompts but also used the month to make ink portraits of the characters on Sprite’s Site blog http://spritessite.wordpress.com/

Image Jo Freitag

The topics suggested by the INKed group for this year
There are no themes for INKtober but if you are stuck and can’t think of anything to draw, please feel free to use these prompts to help you with ideas.

1.Zodiac
2.Birds
3.City
4.Hare/hair/hairy
5.Ship
6.Moon
7.Sea Creatures
8.Collection
9.Exaggerated perspective
10.Something from space
11.Balloons
12.Elephant
13.Shoes
14.Lions, Tigers and Bears
15.House
16.Pirate
17.Family Portrait
18.Movie/Book Title
19.Mythical Creatures
20.Happiness
21.Clocks
22.Fence
23.Cemetery
24.Weather
25.Butcher
26.Bugs
27.Green
28.Carriage
29.M
30.Camera
31.Halloween

INK includes pens (fountain, dip, rapidograph, technical, ball point, gel, felt tip, fibre tip, calligraphy) markers, quills, ink blocks, brush, wash, liquid inks, Inktense pencils, Inktense blocks, stamp pads.
But most importantly HAVE FUN!!

I intend to participate in InkTober again this year.

This post completes the September challenge to write 10 blog posts for each of my 3 blogs to make up the 30 posts for September for Lisa Rivero’s #30PostsHathSept challenge.
To read all about her challenge see http://www.lisarivero.com/30postshathsept/

Best Australian Blogs 2014 Post 2

Gifted Resources Blog has been nominated in the Australian Writers’ Centre Best Australian Blogs 2014 Competition http://www.writerscentre.com.au/community/best-australian-blogs-comp/

The shiny Vote for Me Now button has arrived and been installed in the sidebar of the blog.

If you would like to vote for Gifted Resources blog (and Sprite’s Site and as many other great Australian blogs as you wish) click on the badge in the sidebar of the blog and follow the link to the Survey monkey poll. Gifted Resources Blog is on Page 2 and Sprite’s Site is on Page 4. Be sure to select all the blogs you wish to vote for as you will only be given one chance.

Guest on Twitter #gtchat

March was a very busy month and I am now playing catch up and blogging about the experiences.

It was a great thrill to be invited to be the guest for #gtchat on Twitter on 1 March 2014. The topic was the use of De Bono’s Six Action Shoes as applied to planning gifted programs and in particular programs suitable for Twice-Exceptional children.

I enjoyed the experience very much. The moderator #gtchat, of Lisa Conrad, provided me with the questions in advance so that I could prepare my answers and have them ready to post during the session. I also provided links which Lisa posted throughout the chat.

Here are the Q & A posts that we pre-planned

Hi! Jo Freitag from Gifted Resources & Sprite’s Site blog Victoria Australia here at 11.00am Saturday for #gtchat

Hi everyone! Today we are going to rummage through Sprite’s shoes especially her De Bono 6 Action shoes collection #gtchat

Q1) Who is Sprite and how is she involved with De Bono’s shoes? #gtchat

A1) Sprite is my 2E character exceptionally gifted with an unspecified learning difference/disability who illustrates Feetspeak. #gtchat

A1) She is always shown with an injured ankle to show that not all the shoes (plans) will fit comfortably on both feet #gtchat

Q2) What are De Bono’s 6 Action Shoes? #gtchat

A2) Most people know Edward De Bono’s 6 Thinking Hats program about ways to think about a situation or problem #gtchat

A2) Edward De Bono’s 6 Action Shoes is a book about ways to approach planning courses of action #gtchat

A2) Up there for thinking, down there for dancing, walking etc – taking action #gtchat

Q3) What do each of the De Bono shoes represent? #gtchat

A3) Blue Formal Shoes = plan following routines and formal procedures; Grey sneakers = plan based on investigation #gtchat

A3) Brown Brogues = plan doing what is most practical and sensible; Orange gumboots = plan to cover emergency action #gtchat

A3) Pink Slippers = plan to act in caring compassionate manner; Purple riding boots = plan enacted by leadership or authority. #gtchat

Q4) How do you use these De Bono 6 Action Shoes plans? #gtchat

A4) I use the De Bono shoes as part of my Feetspeak 2E Shoes Program about planning suitable provisions for gifted and 2E students #gtchat

Gifted Programs Planned Using De Bono’s 6 Action Shoes as a Planning Tool http://goo.gl/vkKfvT

A4) Blue Formal Shoe Plans = fast paced accelerated above grade programs for highly motivated high achieving students #gtchat

Sprite’s Blue Formal Shoes http://goo.gl/OmokYK

A4) Grey Sneakers Plans= research investigations project/passion/problem based learning #geniushour #makerspaces #gtchat

Sprite’s Grey Sneakers http://goo.gl/kgQnZU

A4) Brown Brogues Plans = IEP or most suitable option for student – full or subject acceleration extension groups etc. whatever is needed #gtchat

Sprite’s Brown Brogues http://goo.gl/tLpXnT

A4) Orange Gumboots Plans = stop gap measures such as acting as teacher’s assistant #gtchat

Sprite’s Orange Gumboots http://goo.gl/KmYvfx

A4) Pink Slippers Plans = programs focussed on social/emotional needs coping strategies pastoral care etc #gtchat

Sprite’s Pink Slippers http://goo.gl/E7l1C4

A4) Purple Riding Boots Plans = I’ve used it to mean leadership training biographical studies & mentors could include creativity #gtchat

Sprite’s Purple Riding Boots http://goo.gl/RnIGXB

Q5) Do all the plans work well for gifted and 2E students? #gtchat

A5) All the plans have the potential to work well for gifted students but some do not fit 2E #gtchat

A5) I road tested them using Gagne’s DMGT model natural giftedness to fully developed competence/talent #gtchat

Building Gifts into Talents: Overview of the DMGT (pdf) http://goo.gl/trQ9Db

Q6) Are there any other shoe plans apart from De Bono Action shoes in Feetspeak 2E shoes? #gtchat

A6) Yes, More shoes: Bare feet = Not having a plan; Sparkly sandals = appearance of having a plan but not really having one #gtchat

Sprite’s More shoes http://goo.gl/zW3z6v

A6) The Plaster cast = ideal provisions for the Learning Differences if student is eligible & funding is available #gtchat

Sprite’s Plaster cast http://goo.gl/7yBCxq

A6) The One size fits all paper shoe cover system = claim to be giving gifted program with differentiation #gtchat

Sprite’s One Size Shoe Cover System http://goo.gl/jozdEo

Q7) What inspired you to create Sprite’s Site? #gtchat

A7) Feetspeak grew from newsletter note re problem buying suitable shoes after I injured my ankle being like 2E students problems #gtchat

A7) 2E students need provisions for both their giftedness and their difficulties #gtchat

A7) Sprite was designed to illustrate Feetspeak but then developed a life of her own and needed a blog to tell the stories #gtchat

A7) I already had a more serious Gifted Resources blog but Sprite’s Site allows more freedom for whimsy and creativity #gtchat

Gifted Resources blog https://giftedresources.wordpress.com/

Q8) Sprite has many friends to guide her on life’s journey. What resources did you find helpful when raising a family

A8) Parent support groups, online email groups, books, websites, conferences, guest speakers were all helpful #gtchat

A8 Psychologist Lesley Sword was the foundation stone for me #gtchat

http://www.giftedservices.com.au/handouts/index.html

A8) Hoagies website was/is always a great source of information #gtchat

Hoagies http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/

Q9 What people and works provided the basis for Feetspeak 2E shoes? #gtchat

A9 Edward De Bono, Prof Francoys Gagne, Dr Linda Silverman, 2E newsletter, Prof Miraca Gross, Dabrowski’s Overexcitabilities #gtchat

Q9 Susan Baum, Alexandra Golon, Iowa Acceleration Scales, Lee Singer, Lesley Sword and of course Stephanie Tolan #gtchat

http://www.giftedresources.org/gr/feetspeakforweb01.htm

Q10) What other topics are covered on Sprite’s Site? #gtchat

A10) The Tweet family of Twitter birds consult the Psych-Owl-Ogist about giftedness and social/emotional issues #gtchat

The Psych-Owl-Ogist http://spritessite.wordpress.com/tag/psych-owl-ogist/

A10) The Tweet family are using Nest Ed and discuss homeschooling their gifted tweetlets #gtchat

Nest Ed http://spritessite.wordpress.com/tag/nest-ed/

A10) Sprite’s companions Dabrowski Dogs represent Intellectual, Emotional, Sensual, Psycho Motor, Imaginational overexcitabilities #gtchat

Dabrowski Dogs http://spritessite.wordpress.com/tag/dabrowski-dogs/

A10) The Black Dogs relate to causes of depression in gifted people #gtchat

Black Dogs http://spritessite.wordpress.com/tag/black-dogs/

A10) The Memory Elephant illustrates memory and the Visual Spatial Learners way of thinking #gtchat

Memory Elephant http://spritessite.wordpress.com/tag/memory-elephant/

A10) And @gtchatmod favourite Columbus Cheetah advocates for acceleration and busts myths about giftedness #gtchat

Columbus Cheetah Myth Buster
http://www.giftedresources.org/gr/columbuscheetah.htm

The Storify transcript of the chat session can be read at http://goo.gl/58T7du

The summary post on the TAGT blog can be read at http://globalgtchatpoweredbytagt.wordpress.com/2014/03/01/de-bonos-action-plans-with-special-guest-jo-frietag/

Gifted Resources Blog has been nominated in the Australian Writers’ Centre Best Australian Blogs 2014 Competition http://www.writerscentre.com.au/community/best-australian-blogs-comp/ 

Best Australian Blogs 2014

Gifted Resources Blog has been nominated in the Australian Writers’ Centre Best Australian Blogs 2014 Competition http://www.writerscentre.com.au/community/best-australian-blogs-comp/

Gifted Resources Blog is entered in the Commentary section
Commentary
For those who are blogging about a particular industry or area such as politics, media, sport, marketing and PR, technology, cultural industries such as theatre and the arts, international relations, advocacy and human rights.

Sprite’s Site Blog is also a nominee and is entered in the Personal and Parenting section

The timeline for the event is

For readers who are new to Gifted Resources Blogs the main topics covered here are facts and myths about gifted education and gifted and 2E students, news of programs and events, book and product reviews and information about conferences, seminars and online conferences and webinars.
Gifted Resources aims to act as a signpost to sources of information, services and support.

We hope you will continue to visit and post your comments or questions (unless you are aiming to link to spam)

Jo’s CHAOS Plan 2

C-Creation:

What exactly do you want to love into existence?

I am going to use this challenge ( See https://giftedresources.wordpress.com/2013/01/19/jos-chaos-plan/) as an opportunity to consider the 2013 version of Gifted Resources, Sprite’s Site and my personal life– which in some cases means continuing with services and activities in their present form and in other cases means revising, updating or discontinuing them or creating something completely new.

H-How:

How will you know you’ve accomplished it? What kind of parameters do you need to complete your creation?
Using my image ‘Getting the 2013 wheels turning as an idea starter I will regard each activity as a separate wheel and  will be considering the activities individually with the help of mind mapping and then posting the resulting thoughts as blog posts

Gifted Resources will continue to engage in project  work with Borderlands  http://www.borderlands.org.au/
The main foundation of Gifted Resources is the website http://www.giftedresources.org/  I intend to leave the website very much as it is but to update it as needed. Some sections need a complete revision, some just need updating and some need all the links to be checked and made to open in new windows.  Possibly a shopping cart may be added in future – I am still considering this.

The other main activities of Gifted Resources are the monthly email newsletters and the four Holiday Programs newsletters. I will continue to produce these.
At present the newsletters are sent as a PDF attachment to regular emails and are also posted on the Gifted Resources website. The most recent edition can be read by following a link on the main page and back copies can be read in the Newsletter Archives http://www.giftedresources.org/gr/newsletter.htm

I may consider changing the form of the newsletter as I have seen some very attractive templates for email newsletter which are not sent as an attachment.

For many years now I have been compiling the Gifted Resources Information Pack.
See http://www.giftedresources.org/gr/infopacks.htm

It is a collection of brochures, pamphlets, articles and business cards from psychologists, education consultants, parent support groups and extension programs and information about conferences and events relating to giftedness and to gifted and twice exceptional students.
The contents of the pack vary from time to time to reflect the currency and availability of the information. Although most providers now have websites and publish their information digitally, the Information Pack collection of hard copy flyers is still useful in many circumstances.

I am currently compiling the 2013 Info Pack

At present most of my consultation work is conducted by phone, email and post.
Using Skype has enhanced the effectiveness of phone consultation and made it a more affordable method.

Presentations can be given in person or in the form of webinars or Skype sessions
Last year I gave presentations for Jo Hart’s Fine Focus webinars http://johart1.edublogs.org/?s=Jo+Freitag  using Blackboard Collaborate and hope to do so again this year.

I will be talking to a group of parents at Village School in March and would like to give other in person presentations during the year.

Last year I presented a Film Discussion on the film The Incredibles to a Lunch n Learn Group in Texas using Skype   
It worked well. The Skype connection was so good that I felt as if I were in the room with the participants. I would be happy to do more Film Discussions in that way.
Also as I have 3 plastic crates filled with Film Discussion kits another option would be to add the kits to the Gifted Resources Library collection and groups can borrow a kit to facilitate holding their own Film Discussion.

I am in the process of re-cataloguing the Gifted Resources library

See https://giftedresources.wordpress.com/2012/11/23/re-cataloguing-the-gifted-resources-library/

And https://giftedresources.wordpress.com/2013/01/04/re-cataloguing-the-gifted-resources-library-2/

When the re-cataloguing is complete the Library page can be restored to the Gifted Resources website.

In August 2012 I received an email telling me that I needed to either close the Gifted Resources blog or update it to the newer format. My tech guru, Jamie Tarling, put in a lot of work to update the blog and transfer old posts into it.
See: There’s life in the old blog yet
https://giftedresources.wordpress.com/2012/08/18/theres-life-in-the-old-blog-yet/
Since then I have posted reviews of books, programs, conferences, webinars etc to the Gifted Resources blog and I will continue to use it the same way in 2013.
At present I am reading three books published by Gifted Homeschoolers Forum and hope to post a review soon.

Sprite’s Site blog http://spritessite.wordpress.com/   has the theme of Giftedness and 2E Twice Exceptional issues
In About the Topics http://spritessite.wordpress.com/about-the-topics/  you can read about the issues that have been discussed
The About Sprite page http://spritessite.wordpress.com/  describes the main theme of the blog.
Sprite is the twice exceptional (gifted with a learning difficulty or difference) cartoon character who is the Poster Child to illustrate Jo Freitag’s Feetspeak: 2E shoes presentations.
Feetspeak: 2E shoes is about planning programs that will be suitable for gifted students who also have a learning difficulty or different learning style using Edward De Bono’s 6 Action Shoes as the planning tool.
Sprite is always depicted as having an injured left ankle and needing to wear different shoes on each foot to illustrate the concept that she needs different educational provisions for both her giftedness and her disability.
The About the Characters pages describe the other characters you will meet on the blog.

I enjoy posting to Sprite’s Site as it gives plenty of scope for imagination and creativity as well as being able to present facts and opinions in a narrative form.

I would love to be able to produce books or e-books about the Sprite’s Site characters.
Last Christmas I gave mouse pads with the Twitter Bird bowers printed on them as gifts to some techie friends and I can imagine Twitter birds adorning mugs etc.

Currently I enjoy participating in groups relating to giftedness and 2E issues on Facebook and Twitter, especially the weekly #gtchat sessions on Twitter.
I will consider possible expansion of participation in these areas – perhaps a Gifted Resources Facebook page or revisiting my Linked In profile which I set up but have not used.

I also belong to a couple of NING communities and should visit them more often.

There is always so much to learn!

There are conferences in real life.
I will be attending the VAGTC EmpowerEd conference in April.
http://www.vagtc.asn.au/empowered-for-giftedness
Local libraries and groups offer real life opportunities.

MOOCs, webinars, global education conferences and many others offer so many online opportunities.
At the end of 2012 I participated in an online course about Digital Badges  which led to Khan Academy http://www.khanacademy.org/ and several other sources of self education which I would like to pursue if I have the necessary time, energy and ability.
At the moment I am trying to learn about creating computer games at Gamestar Mechanic and programming with Scratch http://scratch.mit.edu/

This is an area which gives me so much satisfaction and happiness.
I will continue to participate in the Brilliant Chaos Group on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/brilliantchaosonline/  
monthly creating challenges
http://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/brilliantchaosonline/doc/253263591368971/

Regarding my personal life –  this year we will be celebrating 40 years of marriage.
I am enjoying the quiet pace of life in Rosebud and would like to continue to walk on the beach and appreciate the many species of birds that visit the garden.
In the past I have been very involved with writing and teaching church Sunday School programs and I have several plastic tubs of programs which I have written over the years which I would like to turn into online programs.  The church we are currently attending does not have a children’s program at the moment.

You can see on the mind map the purple dotted lines and text. These are the Wish lists or Possible? to do lists. They are the maybe I could?s . They are the What if…?
They are the Perhaps and the Imaginational Dabrowski says…. Lists
But it sounds more lofty and official to call them Aspirations!

Jo’s CHAOS plan

During the first week of each month the Brilliant Chaos Group on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/brilliantchaosonline/ issues a creating challenge
http://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/brilliantchaosonline/doc/253263591368971/

This year the group is also encouraging a yearlong CHAOS challenge http://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/brilliantchaosonline/doc/544943702200957/

Here is a my response to the yearlong CHAOS challenge

C-Creation:

What exactly do you want to love into existence?

I am going to use this challenge as an opportunity to consider the 2013 version of Gifted Resources, Sprite’s Site and my personal life– which in some cases means continuing with services and activities in their present form and in other cases means revising, updating or discontinuing them or creating something completely new.

H-How:

How will you know you’ve accomplished it? What kind of parameters do you need to complete your creation?
Using my image ‘Getting the 2013 wheels turning as an idea starter I will regard each activity as a separate wheel and  will be considering the activities individually with the help of mind mapping and then posting the resulting thoughts as blog posts

A-Achievable:

Can you realistically complete this creation in the time allotted? What resources do you need to do so?

I do not know. I can embark on it and see how far I can get. Some aspects will be easy to achieve and others at the moment are only aspirations and wishes.

O-OMG (Oh.My.Geefwidiousness!*):
*Geefwidious®: A word of Brilliant Chaos’ Chaotish Language®, meaning full of wonder and discovery with a sense of satisfaction.

On a scale from 1 to 10, how geefwidious* is this creation for you?

Which end of the scale is the most geefwidious? I hope it will be the maximum geefwidious possible!

S-Schedule:

How long do you want to take to achieve this creation? How often do you want to work toward it?
This will be a year long project and different aspects of it will be undertaken at varying times.

Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry into the Education of Gifted and Talented Students

Australia is engrossed in welcoming home the athletes who participated at the London Olympics, planning street parades for them and evaluating the effectiveness and cost of the Australian Olympic campaign

It was great to read an opinion piece by David Southwick MP, Chair of the Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry into the Education of Gifted and Talented Students,  in The Age newspaper today
http://www.theage.com.au/national/education/forget-the-games-we-need-to-support-our-gifted-students-20120817-24ddj.html

It expresses very similar sentiments to one of my posts on Sprite’s Site blog on2 July 2012 http://spritessite.wordpress.com/2012/07/02/the-un-olympics-bower/

Here is part of that post

On 25 July 2011, the day of the first of the hearings for the Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry into the Education of Gifted and Talented Students, http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/etc/article/1339

the front page news was

Cadel Evans wins Tour de France
http://www.theage.com.au/sport/cycling/a-selfconfessed-loner-with-a-nation-riding-beside-him-x2014-australia-celebrates-a-new-sporting-legend-20110724-1hvdq.html

and

http://www.abc.net.au/am/indexes/2011/am_20110725.htm

This led Carmel Meehan, President of the VAGTC, to say during her evidence

“We celebrate people like Cadel Evans. He had a problem that he has solved in a physical way, and we have him on the front page of our papers today. We have people like Gustav Nossal and people who are working in stem cell research in our universities and who are doing brilliant work, but we do not see much of that on the front page of the paper. Our gifted and talented students are the resource that we have to solve those problems and the people who tomorrow will be at the cutting edge of helping humanity to survive.”

And

“We acknowledge our sporting heroes. We have a very good model for acknowledging excellence in our sporting domains. That could be transposed very easily into celebration of academic excellence, problem-solving, music and arts. In this country if we have good leadership in acknowledging gifted and talented people and celebrating their successes in the way that we celebrate our sporting heroes’ successes, then we are well on the way to having a very smart next generation coming through.

What we are looking for is equity for all the fields, whether it be in sport, arts, dance, mathematics and science, or whatever. In a level playing field let us celebrate it all, not one at the expense of the other.”
http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/images/stories/committees/etc/Past_Inquiries/EGTS_Inquiry/Transcripts_of_Evidence/25_July_2011_VAGTC_CORRECTED_VERSION.pdf

On 12 August 2011 Cadel Evans was given a street parade through Melbourne http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2011/08/11/3291187.htm

Extract from Sprite’s Site blog entry 21 June 2012
http://spritessite.wordpress.com/2012/06/21/in-the-news/

On Wednesday 20 June 2012 the report of the Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry into the Education of Gifted and Talented Students 2011 was tabled and the report posted at http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/etc/article/1341
with the full 336 page report in PDF form at http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/images/stories/committees/etc/Past_Inquiries/EGTS_Inquiry/Final_Report/Gifted_and_Talented_Final_Report.pdf

The recommendations arising from the Inquiry can be found on the VAGTC website at
Recommendations from the Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry into the Education of Gifted and Talented Students
http://www.vagtc.asn.au/sites/vagtc.asn.au/files/Recommendations%20G&T.pdf

The Age newspaper reported on the findings of the inquiry at
http://www.theage.com.au/national/education/gifted-students-go-dumb-to-fit-in-20120620-20ogw.html

If you follow Sprite’s Site you may remember that on 2 July 2011 I was busy writing a submission for this inquiry and had delayed celebrating Sprite’s blog birthday because of it http://spritessite.wordpress.com/2011/07/02/hard-to-please-everyone/

My submission to the Inquiry can be read at
http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/images/stories/committees/etc/Past_Inquiries/EGTS_Inquiry/Submissions/113_Gifted_Resources.pdf

There’s life in the old Blog yet!

Recently I received an email telling me that I needed to either close the Gifted Resources blog or update it to the newer format. I realised what a long time it had been since I posted on it. All my blogging energy has been poured into Sprite’s Site for the last few years.

My tech guru, Jamie Tarling, put in a lot of work to update this blog and transfer old posts into it. It was exciting to see the possible formats and themes on offer for the updated version. The picture in the blog header changes randomly from a selection of Gifted Resources pictures at each page refresh. Thank you very much, Jamie!

So how will I use this blog? I enjoyed  the walk down memory lane as I read the old posts.
They are a mixture of Gifted Resources information and personal stories.
And I can see the seeds of some of my current interests expressed in some of the posts.
I think I will use this blog for posts which relate to Gifted Resources, to issues relating to giftedness and possibly include some personal stories. But if the posts relate to Sprite or any of the characters from that blog I will post them on Sprite’s Site.

I may import some of the posts from Sprite’s Site into this blog and there will be quite a bit of cross referencing between the two blogs.  I am going to add Tags to the previous posts and have fun sprucing up the blog. Maybe the Dabrowski Dogs will visit this blog occasionally too?