CONFERENCE ABSTRACTS

Presenters: Jan Murgatroyd, Margaret Inder, Jacqui Fitzgerald

FROM ZERO TO HERO: The journey of a sustainable gifted and talented programme.

‘From Zero to Hero’ is a unique story of the journey to implement sustainable provisions for gifted and talented students in eight secondary schools 2006-2008, and beyond. Using Talent Development Initiative (TDI) funding, the schools in the east Waikato and Coromandel embarked upon an initiative to plan and develop valid, reliable and sustainable strategies to meet the needs of students.

This paper, presented as a narrative, tells the story of the schools and their students, using The Hero’s Journey as a metaphor, student voice and relevant pedagogy. The findings from the experience will show the stages by which the needs of these students are being met. The infra-structure within each school, has become an integral part of an inter and intra-school gifted and talented programmes.

Outcomes so far include, developing teacher awareness of the need to identify students using multi-method criteria, differentiating the curriculum, bringing together students of like mind and ability, and a subsequent increase in the students’ intellectual, social and emotional wellbeing.

Two issues of future concern are sustaining the progress already made, and widening collaborative and intra-school programmes, including the professional learning of teachers, to ensure student needs are met.