Volume 32 Issue 14 25 May 2023 5 Sivan 5783

Gifted Awareness Week

Craig Moss – HSIE Teacher, Co-ordinator of Gifted & Talented 7-12

Sabrina Hards – Co-ordinator of Gifted & Talented K-6

Gifted Awareness Week 2023

From Monday 22 May 2023 – Sunday 28 May 2023, marks Gifted Awareness Week (GAW) in Australia. The aim of GAW is to raise awareness of the identification, support and learning needs of gifted children and to celebrate the dedication of individuals and educational bodies who are making a positive difference in the lives of gifted children and their families.

The 2023 GAW theme,‘The Diverse Faces of Giftedness’, is a continuation of the 2022 theme of ‘Like Minds’. 2022 focused on gifted individuals finding their own tribe to support their social and emotional health and intellectual engagement. In 2023 the AAEGT seeks to highlight the breadth of our gifted tribe. Gifted individuals range from mildly gifted to profoundly gifted and include socioeconomic, cultural and ethnic diversity as well as those with a disability and many whose giftedness remains masked.

High Potential and Gifted Education

Gifted children, like all children, deserve to receive an education in line with their abilities – an education that provides them with the opportunity to reach their full potential. To support your child to help them to achieve their full potential is giving your child your voice to help them on this journey.

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989), along with statements from educational providers including Australia’s Mparntwe Education Declaration (Council of Australian Governments Education Council, 2019) specify the need for provision of opportunities to enable all students to achieve their full potential. Given this, it is reasonable to expect that your gifted child will be excited about and interested in school; that they will be allowed a reasonable amount of time to work with like-minded peers on material that challenges them; and will be taught by teachers who understand their unique needs. 

How can I support my gifted child?

  • Learn as much as you can from many sources of information. Visit websites such as Gifted NSW & Davidson Institute 
  • Find out about the common myths surrounding educating gifted children (Gifted and Talented Association of Montgomery County, 2010, February 24) and how to dispel these myths
  • Investigate widely (National Association for Gifted Children, 2018) and consider attending gifted education seminars, webinars and conferences on gifted children and their education, for example the Gifted parenting series at UNSW
  • Learn some of the language and words that educators might use, and be prepared to ask them to define what they mean if you don’t understand during a meeting
  • Encourage your child to participate in challenges and competitions, and everything in between. Take a look here at extracurricular opportunities we offer at Emanuel School. 

On behalf of the Gifted & Talented Department, we would like to say a HUGE thank you to everyone who supports the gifted children at Emanuel School. 

Contact us:
 Sabrina Hards – Gifted & Talented Co-ordinator (K-6) 
Craig Moss – Gifted & Talented Co-ordinator (7-12)

References