Supporting Gifted Children for the Future
Supporting Gifted Children for the Future is a project of Mensa CR for increasing the awareness of talent at primary schools of the Czech Republic. It’s tailor-suited for primary school principals and their deputies.
Why?
An undeveloped talent usually means a loss, both for the individual and for society. It can result in the student’s loss of motivation, an aversion to learning, or even behavioural problems.
Unfortunately, only a fraction of gifted children are identified at schools, and the talent often remains unsupported. According to the annual report of the Czech School Inspectorate, altogether 998 exceptionally gifted students were identified at Czech schools in 2015/2016. This constitutes approximately 0.1% of all primary and lower secondary schools; statistically, however, up to 10 % are considered gifted, and approximately 2 % of all pupils are considered exceptionally gifted. Most primary schools in the Czech Republic report that “they have no exceptionally gifted children”.
Pardon me?
Yes. And this is what the project Supporting Gifted Children for the Future aims to change.
Within the framework of the project, we intend to:
- address the management of several thousand schools in the Czech Republic
- help them realize the importance of supporting talent
- get them acquainted with the specifics of gifted students as well as to make them aware of the fact that those do not always belong among the greatest, most successful, and trouble-free students
- to offer suitable methods and options to work with gifted students
- to advise how to start supporting gifted students at their schools
- to let them know of other materials, options for professional support, and further education of the teachers
How?
Within the framework of the project, there will be approximately 150 workshops throughout the entire Czech Republic. Those workshops will be carried out in co-operation with the local councils of individual cities. The seminars will provide a complex introduction into the issues of talent and the specific needs of gifted students, suitable methods of working with talented students, legislative options and limitations, sources of additional materials, and of professional help. The seminars are lead by expert lecturers, and participation is free of charge.
Who?
The project is organized by Mensa CR, and fits the entire structure of activities for children and teachers.
It builds upon the Course for School Co-ordinators of the Care for Talent, and is connected with the System of the Talent Support, supported by the National Institute for Further Education at the Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sports, NIDV MŠMT.
The general partner of this project is the Verder company.
Contact
We will be happy to answer any of your questions. Please write to us at future@mensa.cz or, alternatively, contact a member of our team directly (see below).
Team
- Tomáš Blumenstein (+420 603 726 030,tblumen@mensa.cz), project co-ordinator
- Martin Sedláček (martin.sedlacek@mensa.cz), project co-ordinator
- Marta Kubánková (marta.kubankova@mensa.cz), communication, seminars
- Zuzana Kořínková (zuzana.korinkova@mensa.cz), promotion, PR
- Hana Kalusová (hana.kalusova@mensa.cz), financial management
- and dozens of other volunteers
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9.2.2017