As I sit to write a post for New Zealand’s Gifted Awareness Week 2020 Blog Tour I am very conscious of the difference of the situation from previous years.
Until 2016 I was living in seaside Rosebud, Victoria and it was very easy for the folk from Sprite’s Site to go down to the beach and send light hearted greetings and good wishes across the ditch. https://spritessite.wordpress.com/tag/gifted-awareness-week-new-zealand/
The Origami Secretary Bird and Intellectual Dabrowski made sure that I also included some useful information or links.
This year I am living in the beautiful village of Poatina, Tasmania on the edge of the Great Lakes country and framed by the majestic heritage listed Great Western Tiers. https://www.poatinacommunity.com.au/
There are many wonderful walking tracks around the village and the surrounding areas https://www.poatinacommunity.com.au/trailes-bushwalks
The Poatina Tree Art Gallery can be visited virtually at https://www.poatinacommunity.com.au/poatina-tree-art-gallery
So some of the folk from Sprite’s Site have gathered on the grassed area near my cabin to send their greetings and to contribute their insights and varying expertise
The mood this year during the corona virus pandemic is more sombre.
So it is very appropriate that the theme for New Zealand’s Gifted Awareness Week 2020 is Wellbeing: Why it is important to care for the wellbeing of gifted people – young and old.
When I started considering how to provide the care needed for wellbeing I thought of what the needs are and how to meet them.
Intellectual Dabrowski appeared with the diagram of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
“Here you are!” he said. “These are the needs that must be met to ensure a person’s well-being. You will notice that, most importantly, the foundations at the very base are the physical needs of food, water, warmth and rest. After that come the needs for security and safety. Then come the needs for belonging and being loved and loving. And then the esteem needs of prestige and feeling of accomplishment. At the apex of the triangle is self-actualisation, fulfilling one’s potential and being creative.”
“That is true” said Columbus Cheetah. “But when we are thinking about care for the well-being of gifted people there are a few extra things to consider.”
“If you remember the Columbus Group 1991 definition of giftedness specifies that the gifted require modifications in parenting, teaching and counselling in order for them to develop optimally”
“And why is that?” continued Columbus Cheetah. “It is because of the asynchronous development and the heightened intensity and sensitivities of the gifted.”
So what modifications are needed to provide for the wellbeing of the gifted?
The gifted are a diverse group coming from every racial, ethnic, religious, and socio-economic group. https://spritessite.wordpress.com/2017/07/03/acknowledging-diversity-gifted-is-not-a-homogenous-group/
And there are gifted people in every age group https://spritessite.wordpress.com/2015/04/20/do-you-grow-out-of-giftedness/
https://spritessite.wordpress.com/2015/04/24/back-from-the-hop/
The gifted need to be understood and the myths about giftedness https://spritessite.wordpress.com/tag/myths-about-giftedness/ to be dispelled.
They need appropriate education at the right level, depth, breadth and pace and to have time with true intellectual peers rather than being limited by being tied to the expectations for their age peers.
Gifted and 2E Twice Exceptional students need educational options https://spritessite.wordpress.com/2012/10/25/fine-focus-webinar/
that will be best suited to ensuring their progress from their innate giftedness to fully developed talent
They need examples of excellence and teachers, mentors and counsellors to support their physical, intellectual and spiritual growth.
And they need Advocacy https://spritessite.wordpress.com/2014/09/29/advocacy-just-ask-sprite-and-co/
It does matter that the gifted should be given the modifications of care necessary for them to develop optimally!
https://spritessite.wordpress.com/2014/09/15/giftedness-why-does-it-matter/
So it is great to know that New Zealand is joining with Australia and Jamaica to highlight Wellbeing: A no limits approach to the care of the wellbeing of gifted people of all ages.
All at Sprite’s Site send their greetings, message flags in the trees, and wishes for a successful Gifted Awareness Week
This is a post for the New Zealand Gifted Awareness Week 2020 blog tour.
Sprite's Site 