Syahidah and Zuhairah will be on air at 3.00pm BFM to speak about the invention workshop and NAGCM, Friday 29 July 2011.

Award-winning professional inventor, Mr Bugs Tan, is back by popular demand, to conduct a Saturday morning workshop especially for NAGCM members and friends! Check out the latest on Bugs Tan and his inventions! Bugs Tan loves children and he is normally addressed as Uncle Bugs.

Workshop Date: 30 July 2011, Saturday
Time: 8.30am to 12.00pm
Venue: Pusat Sains Negara, Persiaran Bukit Kiara, KL

Recommended Ages of participants: 7-12 years
Fees: Rm 10.00 per child for NAGCM members, Rm 25.00 per child for non-NAGCM members

Please bring along your own snacks and refreshments.

Email Ms Syahidah at the.cawleys@gmail.com or sms your queries to the following number 014 7366799/ 017 8708712

COMMITTEE MEETING

Please be informed that the first NAGCM new EXCO meeting 2011 will be held on Saturday, 25 June 2011 at The Skills Mill, Subang Jaya at 4 pm. Please confirm attendance.

Summer Sky Stargazing Trip

Dates: Saturday, 23/07/2011 to Sunday 24/07/2011
Venue: Hawa Resort, Janda Baik, near Genting, 45 minutes drive from Kuala Lumpur.
Cost: 165RM per Adult and 90 RM per child (2 to 12 years old).

HURRY! PLACES ARE LIMITED!! THE CLOSING DATE IS 10TH JUNE, 2011
Package includes 6 meals, 1 night accommodation, 1-hour astronomy briefing, 1 star chart for adult, guided jungle trekking and nightsky watch with telescopes. Sleeping arrangements are relatively flexible. If there are two adults with one child, an additional mattress can be provided. Up to three adults can sleep in one room (2 single beds or 1 queen bed). Alternatively , there are dormitories for up to 8 children at a time. Reservations have been made for 30 adults and 20 children.

Please contact Ms. Sufen at +603-8071-6377 Cellphone:+6012-299 1378 or email sufen@stargazeronlinestore.com to reserve your places.

SCIENCE WORKSHOP WITH GRAHAM HANSON

Have you ever seen a metal which “burns” in water? Or watched iron catch fire? Now you can at Graham’s Science Workshop. Experienced chemistry aficionado, Graham Hanson, will guide you through some real science whilst having great fun. An opportunity not to be missed in a world class institution’s laboratory! (Pyrotechnics, Chromatography and Universal Indicators sessions adapted from the Chemistry for the Gifted and Talented by Tim Joliff).

Date: 2 April 2011
Time: 9am – 12.30pm (Registration 9am-9.30am)
Venue: Kolej Yayasan UEM (KYUEM), Lembah Beringin. The college is about 40 minutes drive from KL on the N-S
highway (map). Car pooling is encouraged!

Facilitator: Mr Graham Hanson, assisted by KYUEM teaching staff
Maximum No of Participants: 24 .
Age Group: Flexible age range, preferably an age limit of 14 years. Must be able to handle lab equipment and chemicals relatively independently & be able to appreciate lower secondary level chemistry.
Max no of Adult Observers (parents; educators): 10-12 (at a squeeze!)

Fee: RM10 ! (Subsidised by KYUEM and facilitator) Please bring your own snacks and refreshments.

To register please sms or email your child’s name to Ms Sheila at hp: 017 360 5719, sheila.philip@actuarialpartners.com. Fee is payable to “National Association for Gifted Children Malaysia” @ MBB a/c 514682104514. Registration is confirmed upon receipt of bank-in slip via fax 03 2161 3595 or email.

Registration of adult observers will be on a first-come-first-serve basis at the registration counter. The Principal of KYUEM, Neil Sutherland, has also kindly invited us to tour the college campus and see what it has to offer.

2011 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Date: 16 April 2011, Saturday
Time: 2pm to 5pm
Venue: Dewan Bestari @ Faculty of Education , Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur

“Reaching Out – Supporting Your Teens in a Crisis and After”
by En Adnan Omar
Head of Counselling & Psychological Services
Students Experience Department of Taylor’s University

Bring a friend along for the talk, sign up with NAGCM

There will be a workshop on 17 April 2011, Sunday. Details will be posted here once received.

EXPLORING PLAY WITH PARENTS AND CHILDREN
A ½ DAY HANDS ON WORKSHOP

This workshop will explore children’s play behaviour from infants to preschoolers. Parents will get to share their own playexperience with the group and develop positive play guidance skills with their children. During the workshop besides focusing on the parent-child interaction in both verbal and non-verbal behaviours, the Facilitator will also provide and insight on children’s development and play behaviours.

Fee: RM50.00 (NASOM & NAGCM members) RM80.00 (non members)
The fee is FOC for the attendance of 1st Child. A rate of RM30.00 per child will be charged if a parent brings more than 1 child. (Only Light Refreshments will be provided)

Please click here to download and register with this form.

Meet the Paleontologist, Hurry!

Date : 26 February 2011, Saturday
Time: 9.30am to 12.15 pm
Venue: Pusat Sains Negara, Persiaran Bukit Kiara, Kuala Lumpur
Registration : SMS Christine @ 012 652 3689  or email at pmchew@time.net.my

Fee: RM5 per person to be paid at PSN counter /the programme is limited to 30 adults & children

Our scheduled programmes for the first quarter, 2011

1. Science Workshop in collaboration with MACRI, by Graham Hanson, 19 Feb 2011
2. Meet Our Paleontologist, Prof Mohd Shafeea Leman
3. Play to Learn, Learn to Play Parenting Workshop, March/April 2011
4. Uncle Bugs Invention Workshop, March/April 2011

There is a fantastic article in Sunday Times ( Sunday Spotlight p 16-17) today about homeschooling. As quite a number of our members see this as an option for their children, it would be good if you could respond to the newspaper’s invitation for views at nsunt@nst.com.my.  Please also cc your views to me at president@nagcm.org so that we may gauge our members’ interest in advocating homeschooling as a legal option for Malaysians.

The abridged version may be accessed from this link.
http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/00home/Article/

Thank you.

Kind regards
Zuhairah Ali

President
National Association for Gifted Children, Malaysia
www.nagcm.org

Time                   : 10.00am to 1.00pm

Meeting Place    :  Batu Caves staircase, latest by 9.45am

Fees: RM20 per person (NAGCM members), RM30 per person (Non- members)

(Children below 7 years old are not encouraged. Parents have to be there to take responsible of their own children, eventhough there are tour guide and helpers).

This is a guided trip by a professional cave warden into the ‘Hidden World’ created over millions of years ago by water, which ran through the cracks of limestone and formed the cave you see today. Water still runs through this cave creating wondrous formations, which are a few thousands of years old.  This trip will enable you to experience personally the wondrous work of nature.

TOILET & SHOWER FACILITIES

Available under Batu Caves management at the base of stairs with a fee of RM0.20 for toilet facility and RM1.00 for shower facility.

Things to bring for the visit:-

1. Helmet and a head light will be provided
2. Since this is an outdoor activity, please wear clothing which you do not mind getting dirty.  Wear long sleeves and  long pants.
3. Wear good footwear eg: old sport shoes.  No slippers and sandals allowed due to safety reasons.
4. Drinking water and some snacks.
5. A full set of clean clothings for changing (bring slippers to be used in shower room).
6. Toiletries -shampoo, soap for shower.

Registration and Payment

Places are limited and on a first-pay-first-serve basis.

Deadline for registration is June 6, 2010

Please email your particulars to Aileen

1. Name of all participants : Parents and children
2. Children’s ages
3. Contact number
4. Photocopies of a bank-in-slip or e- banking slip (bank payments into our account: email Aileen for details)

If you have any questions about the trip in general (other than registration) please email Christine.

Admission is FREE.  Please register via email to aileen_then@yahoo.com or sms 016 2741688

About our guest speaker…

This will be an informal session and Prof Watters plans to talk about how Queensland Association for the Gifted and Talented works to support parents and relate to schools to address the constraints and opportunities faced for the gifted in the educational system. As he is somewhat familiar with the constraints in Malaysia’s school system, having trained teachers in Institut Perguruan Raja Melewar (IPRM), he indicated we could have a lively discussion on ideas that could be implemented in Malaysia.

In the Q&A session, the audience are free to ask any other questions relating to his expertise.

Do tell your friends, especially friends and educators about this exciting, not-to-be-missed session and hope to see you there!

Kind regards
ZUHAIRAH ALI
President

Persatuan Untuk Kanak-kanak Bergeliga, Malaysia
National Association for Gifted Children, Malaysia

We are organising an educational trip to an organic farm! If you are interested in exploring organic farming, vermicomposting, and activities like weeding, hoeing, and planting,  you are very welcome to join us for this field trip.

Date                : 31st of January 2010 (Sunday)
Time                : 9.00 am arrival at Bandar Harapan Enterprise
Tour                : 9.30 am – 12 noon

Speaker:
Dr. Simeon Brodsky, Director for International Division, Johns Hopkins University, Center for Talented Youth, USA. Mr. Brodsky has over 20 years of experience in gifted education. He is currently overseeing the PERMATApintar Holiday Camp for the Gifted at UKM.

Topic: When Gifted Children Grow Up: Preparing Them for the Challenges of Adulthood

There will be a panel discussiion after the talk. Panelists will also include a parent and an NAGCM representative.

Date: 18 December 2009 (Friday, public holiday)

Time: 2.30-5pm

Venue: Shah’s Village Hotel, Petaling Jaya ( next to Taman Jaya LRT)

Fee: Non-members RM20
Members RM10
Children 12 years and below: non-members RM10, members Free

Brief Programme
2.30pm-3pm Registration
3pm- 4pm Talk
4pm-5pm Panel Discussion

To register, remit payment to the following account:
Bank Muamalat, account no. 1205-000-2206716 payable to NAGCM

For registration details contact William h/p: 0162866617
email: treasurer@nagcm.org
fax: 03 9236 7333

VENUE: Social Security Training Institute (ESSET), Bangi

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?

• Teachers (Smart Schools, Cluster Schools, Sekolah Berasrama Penuh & Others)
• Other Educators
• Parents
• Policymakers

WORKSHOP OBJECTIVES

At the end of the workshop, participants will acquire competency in the following areas :

• Identification and assessment that meets Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) Standards.
• Social and emotional needs of gifted students.
• Strategy development for twice – exceptional students.
• Modification of instructional plans to meet    students’ needs.
• GATE Program Standards and their application within a standard based curriculum.
• Differentiation of curriculum content, learning process and product created based on students’ readiness, learning profile and interests.
• Designing standard based lessons with support and challenge for all students.
• Modifying of curriculum based on assessment, with tiered assignments, curriculum compacting, independent projects, learning centers, the use of varied technology and interdisciplinary thematic instruction.

TENTATIVE PROGRAMME

TRAINERS

Marilyn Lane is an educational consultant and past president of the California Association for the Gifted. She received a Master of Arts degree and an administrative credential from California State University at San Jose. She has been a classroom teacher, a library media coordinator, and teacher of the gifted. Her administrative positions include Director of GATE in an international school, elementary school principal, and Coordinator of Gifted Services. Marilyn is an international consultant in gifted education and “Creating Caring School Environments.” She has been teaching certification classes in differentiation and gifted education in various counties in California. She is also an adjunct professor at Santa Clara University. Marilyn Lane is past president of the California Center for Self-Esteem and currently serves on the advisory board for the National Council for Self-Esteem and the International Council for Self-Esteem. She is the author of articles on giftedness and social studies curriculum. She has co-authored a book on parenting. She has presented at numerous conferences both here and abroad. She divides her times between her homes in California and Arizona.

Nora Ho is the principal of Ruskin Elementary School for Berryessa Union School District. An educator for over 30 years, Mrs. Ho received her Bachelor of Arts with a Major in History and Minor in Spanish and her Master of Arts in Elementary Education with an emphasis on Reading, from San Jose State University. From the University of Santa Barbara, she completed her Reading Specialist Credential and an Administrative Credential. Her jobs have included all grade levels from Pre-school to University level. She has been a GATE classroom teacher, a reading resource teacher, a GATE resource teacher, site and district level GATE coordinator and currently, a K-5 Principal of a California Distinguished School. Nora is also a consultant in Gifted and Talented Education and Differentiated Instruction. She has taught GATE certification classes for both Solano Country Office of Education, Siskiyou Country Office of Education, and Santa Clara Country Office of Education, which culminated in GATE Certification for teachers. She has also been involved in teaching a graduate level class, focusing on implementation of differentiated instruction at Santa Clara University. Mrs. Ho is an active member of California for the Gifted Association and has given numerous workshops at the statewide and world conference. In her free time, Mrs. Ho enjoys fishing, hiking, reading and writing.

DOWNLOAD THE REGISTRATION FORM HERE
(Please print, fill it in and send it by PosMalaysia, with your registration fees)

STEERING COMMITTEE MEETING TODAY
Briefly, the meeting was to update those present on the status of the PERMATApintar project. To date about 37,000 children have done the PERMATApintar UKM1 assessment but that is still short of the targeted one million. Apart from working closely with the Ministry of Education (MoE) to increase the number, more publicity would be required to achieve the target (or close to it) by end of June.

NAGCM’S AID NEEDED
On 28th May, the MoE plans to have a chat session with graduates of the Johns Hopkins University Centre for Talented Youth Summer Camp and school children. They seek NAGCM members’ contacts and network to source these people out. If you know of anyone who has been to the JHU CTY Summer Camp, I would deeply appeciate it if you could let me know via email or phone. We would like them to share their experiences.

If you also have ideas, suggestions and comments on the project, would be happy to hear from you too.

Regards
Zuhairah
NAGCM president

We have published 857 exemplary history papers by high school students from 44 states and 35 other countries since 1987. There is a submission form on our website and 60 examples of papers we have published. The submission fee is $40, to The Concord Review, and the author receives the next four issues of the journal. We publish about 7% of the papers we receive.

John Silber of Boston University wrote that: “The Concord Review is one of the most imaginative, creative, and supportive initiatives in public education. It is a wonderful incentive to high school students to take scholarship and writing seriously.” Denis Doyle wrote that: “One of the most remarkable publications in American education sails proudly on though it is virtually unsung and almost unnoticed except among a small coterie of cognoscenti: The Concord Review. It is time once again to sing its praises and bring it to the attention of the larger audience it so richly deserves.”

===================
“Teach by Example”
Will Fitzhugh [founder]
Consortium for Varsity Academics [2007]
The Concord Review [1987]
Ralph Waldo Emerson Prizes [1995]
National Writing Board [1998]
TCR Institute [2002]

730 Boston Post Road, Suite 24
Sudbury, Massachusetts 01776 USA
978-443-0022; 800-331-5007
fitzhugh@tcr.org
www.tcr.org

For those who missed the meeting with Prof Lea Ybarra and Simeon Brodsky of Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth last Saturday, I have good news.

Upon request, Prof Lea Ybarra, has kindly passed us a copy of her slide presentation in Kuala Lumpur for our members to view. Please email me (president@nagcm.org) if you’d like to view it.

I would like to record my thanks to Dr Rosadah Abdul Majid of the Faculty of Education, UKM for answering questions about the PERMATA-JHU CTY-UKM initiative at last Saturday’s meet. Let us also hope that when JHU-CTY’s representatives return to Malaysia, we will be able to meet them again.

Meanwhile, make sure you check out the website www.permatapintar.com. The assessment is now in Bahasa Malaysia and English!

Regards
Zuhairah Ali
President, NAGCM

NEW! Read about Prof. Ybarra’s visit in The Star Online