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Wellington Students take a Closer look at Water Issues

Gippsland Water recently sponsored the Wellington District Gifted and Talented Interest Group through conducting a two-day workshop looking at those issues relating to water and the local environment.

By Gippsland Water - 22nd June 2001 - Back to News

Gippsland Water recently sponsored the Wellington District Gifted and Talented Interest Group through conducting a two-day workshop looking at those issues relating to water and the local environment. The Wellington District Gifted and Talented Interest Group is made up of teachers, and Wellington District Student Support Staff, who are concerned about meeting the needs of school students with high intellectual potential. It is often assumed that very bright students, because they are capable, are able to look after themselves.

However, gifted students do have special needs, and it is important that teachers and parents are aware of these. Often gifted students achieve below their level of ability, because they feel uncomfortable about standing out from the crowd, and because they are isolated from individuals who are able to think at the same level as they are. They are often very highly tuned emotionally, and can become very concerned about complex problems such as the environment, because they are able to understand things at such a high level, but feel powerless to do anything about these issues.

The idea of running a special two day program for students identified as having high intellectual potential, was planned over a period of months by the Wellington District Gifted and Talented Interest Group. The aim of the program was to give gifted students an opportunity to meet other students with similar ability and interests, and to present them with a project, which was challenging and outside of the kind of things they would experience at school. Gippsland Water representatives Grantley Switzer and Shelley Ikin presented the children with a hypothetical water crisis situation and the children worked in groups to offer solutions on issues including catchment and resource management, public relations and water restrictions. The feedback from the students indicated that they really enjoyed the two days that they worked together, both socially and intellectually.

For further information on this group, please contact Jenni Allen (Psychologist – Student Support Services – Wellington District) on 5144 1844.

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: gippslandwater@messenger.com.au

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