MindPlus Clubs
Guide for Parents
Welcome
Whāngai ka tupu ka puawai. That which is nurtured, blossoms then grows.
At the New Zealand Centre for Gifted Education our vision is that all gifted kids in Aotearoa get the specialist educational support they need to thrive and achieve their full potential. Around 47,000 primary school aged students in Aotearoa - of all ethnicities, genders and socio-economic backgrounds - were born with brains wired to learn faster, retain more and think more deeply than other kids.
We are delighted that your child/student has joined MindPlus Clubs, and we have put together this quick guide for you, covering:
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About MindPlus
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About MindPlus Clubs
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How can I support my child?
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How can I get help?
If you have any programme questions, get in touch with our Head of Programmes, Madelaine Armstrong Willcocks on madelaine.willcocks@nzcge.co.nz
For any day-to-day administrative questions, our office team is very happy to talk with you on 0800 769 243 or hello@nzcge.co.nz
What is the New Zealand Centre for Gifted Education?
The New Zealand Centre for Gifted Education is a not-for-profit organisation that provides support for gifted children. Over the last 25 years, we’ve nurtured the talents of thousands of gifted children, and given expert support to their parents and teachers. Read more about our whakapapa, our vision, and our impact.
What does NZCGE do?
NZCGE operates the MindPlus family of programmes, providing specialised support for gifted learners, face-to-face in our units, online, or in your school. We also support teachers and schools at the ‘chalk-face’ of meeting the needs of the gifted kids in your classes.
What do you teach at MindPlus?
All of our programmes use our specialist curriculum that targets the intellectual, creative, social and emotional needs of our gifted learners. All MindPlus programmes offer a specialist teacher, a small group of other like-minded students to share and learn with, and our specialist curriculum that develops their thinking and conceptual skills (Conceptual Development); allows them to dive into strength areas (Talent Development); and helps build the social and emotional skills they need to thrive (Personal Development)
MindPlus Clubs are part of the Talent Development programme, bringing like minds together in areas of interest, but will also bring in aspects of Conceptual and Personal Development as students think about issues in their talent area, challenge themselves and work with others.
What other programmes do you have?
Our MindPlus programmes offer a variety of ways to access MindPlus in order to meet the needs of students and families in different situations. They are MindPlus OurSchool, MindPlus YourSchool, and MindPlus Online. You can find out more about our range of programmes on our website here.
MindPlus Club
Description
Creative Writers
For those full of words and ideas with tales to tell, keen writers of all genres
Readers
For passionate book-worms who would love to talk about what they read
Coders
For techie types that love to create using coding, including digital game developers, animators and creators
Artists & Artisans
For the painters, sculptors, photographers, potters, felters, weavers, sewers, embroiderers
Designers
For the practical creators, including aspiring architects, fashion designers, product designers, graphic designers
Changemakers
For those who really want to make a difference for others and for their world, including environmentalists, social entrepreneurs, politicians, animal rights campaigners
Scientists
For any science enthusiasts who would like to explore scientific thinking in any branch of science
Mathematicians
For keen number-crunchers and those who use maths in other areas
Historians
For all those who love the past, including the ancient world, broad historical periods and themes, and how the past shapes our present and future
Dreamers
For those who love to dream up and dream about created worlds like Dungeons and Dragons, film-making and world creation, as well as those more philosophical idea-machines!
Who can join a MindPlus Club?
MindPlus students who are part of our OurSchool, YourSchool and Online programmes will access MindPlus Clubs as part of their Talent Development work. Their MindPlus teacher will support them to access the club or clubs they want to join.
Students can also continue to access MindPlus Clubs once they leave MindPlus programmes, to stay in touch with their friends and to inspire and help develop the club community.
In 2023, we will be developing Senior Clubs for students in years 9 and 10 and we will be trialling offering MindPlus Clubs to gifted students who are not current or previous MindPlus students.
What does MindPlus Clubs cost?
MindPlus Clubs are free for students currently enrolled in one of our other MindPlus programmes and for MindPlus alumni.
When does a MindPlus Club meet?
MindPlus Clubs are online all the time so Club members can pop in whenever they would like. Each Club holds a live online event once each term for anyone who is available to come along to. We also hold annual in-person Club Days in a different city in New Zealand each year.
What are the MindPlus Clubs?
We have 10 MindPlus Clubs, each led by one or more MindPlus specialist teachers - the Club Lead. Each has a broad scope and includes:
What do the Club Leads do?
MindPlus students who are part of our OurSchool, YourSchool and Online programmes will access MindPlus Clubs as part of their Talent Development work. Their MindPlus teacher will support them to access the club or clubs they want to join.
Click on Sign in
Enter the NZCGE Google login and password - you will be emailed these.
Click on the 9 dots
Click on Classroom
Click on Join class
Enter the Club code - you will be emailed this code.
Click on Join
How does my child/student get started?
Once they are enrolled in the Club they will receive a Google Login and password, along with a Club code. Follow these instructions to get started:
How to join your MindPlus Club:
Congrats! You have joined your MindPlus Club!
What’s in the MindPlus Club Classroom?
What is the Classwork?
The Club Classwork has the learning experiences that each Club member can choose from. MindPlus teachers will help students put together a programme of work in the Club that suits their strengths and needs and will regularly conference with students about their progress. MindPlus alumni students can work with their own teachers or parents to put together their chosen programme of work using the Clubs Planner in each Club Classroom.
How do MindPlus Clubs keep students safe online?
MindPlus Clubs is designed to encourage students to interact with each other, share ideas and thoughts, and potentially to collaborate. Like you, we are committed to ensuring a safe, positive and inclusive learning environment in MindPlus Clubs. We recognise that students need support to operate safely and effectively in an online environment and to act with respect and thoughtfulness - these are skills that need to be developed and practised. We support positive online interaction in a number of ways:
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All MindPlus Club members sign a Clubs Code of Conduct or the MindPlus Device Use Agreement. These are also kept in the Classwork of the Club.
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Activity in the Google Classroom (chat in the Stream and student comments) is moderated by the Club Leads during the week and during the school term. Outside of this time, students are muted which means that they are not able to chat or comment in the Google Classroom, but are still able to access all the resources within it and do their own work.
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Parents can request that their child not have access to the Stream at all or over a particular period. Please get in touch with hello@nzcge.co.nz to do this.
We also ask parents and teachers to keep an eye on what students are doing in Clubs, both as a positive way to encourage and promote great work, and to ensure positive online behaviour is happening.
The Stream is the place for MindPlus Online chat about learning, activities, questions and sharing. It’s also the place where your MindPlus teacher will share news, events and new challenges!
The Classwork is where you will find the learning activities to choose from. Find out more about each of these below.
The People section is where you will find the names of your Clubs Lead Teachers and other Club members.
MindPlus Club Activities
Description
Thinking like a … introductory task
This activity is compulsory for all Club members. It gets students thinking about what it means to be learning and thinking in that field. For example, in the Coders Club, what does a Coder actually do and how does a Coder think?
Getting started activities:
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Tasters
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Tutorials
There are two sets of activities that are useful for those beginning in the Club area:
Tasters are short, sharp and high interest activities to introduce students to exciting aspects of the Club area. For example in the Historians Club a Taster activity introduces students to what education was like in ancient Athens.
Tutorials are guided learning activities that build specific skills or understandings in the Club area. For example in the Artists and Artisans Club there’s a Tutorial introducing students to blocking techniques.
Digging deeper activities:
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Badges
To go further in the Club area, Badges are a structured, ordered sequence of up to ten activities to complete that build knowledge and skill in the Club area. For example the Scientists Badge introduces students to key areas of science and scientific thinking, having some fun along the way.
High flying activities:
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Talent or Service Projects
For those ready for more independent learning, Projects guide students through the process of developing their own pathway, either with an inquiry learning focus or a service or action focus.
Join if you can:
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Talent Activator Sessions
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MindPlus Clubs Days
Each term, each Club will have a Talent Activator Session, bringing like minds together with an invited guest online to talk about the Club area. We welcome all Club members to join these sessions as time permits, and some will be recorded.
Each year, we hold a MindPlus Club Day, bringing together all Club members for an action-packed day of learning and fun together.
You might also find:
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Bonus Club Challenges
From time to time you will also find Bonus Challenges in each Club, adding an additional fun learning experience.
We are committed to providing you and your students with:
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A high quality specialist programme designed to meet the needs of gifted kids, in a like-minded group in safe, warm and inclusive online learning environment
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Opportunities to connect with us and our MindPlus whānau and to learn more about giftedness and gifted education
We know that you are just as committed to the success of our students. Our expectations of you are that you:
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Get involved in your child’s/student’s learning in MindPlus Clubs. Ask them about what they are doing, work on activities together, share ideas and questions.
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Make the most of us! We are your gifted specialists ‘on tap’ and are always more than happy to connect, chat and problem-solve with you.
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For parents and teachers, join us on Teachable to learn more about MindPlus
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For teachers, join GiftedNEX, our FREE network of expertise that connects you with other teachers just like you, for informal support and free professional learning opportunities.
MindPlus Clubs are a great way for students to connect with like minds and explore a range of learning opportunities. We know that, like us, you want your child to learn. Here are some tips for making MindPlus Clubs really successful for your child.
Set aside time
In MindPlus programmes, students have regular Talent Development time each week where they will work on planned activities including MindPlus Clubs.
At school or at home, you could support MindPlus Clubs by checking in with your child about their Club activities each week.
Use the Club Talent Planner to plan a learning pathway for your child.
Connect with others and with the learning experiences
Encourage and support your child to take up the opportunities to connect with like minds - for instance by sharing regularly in the Stream, asking questions, sharing ideas and responding to comments.
Support your child to make the most of the learning experiences as well, for instance by asking them about their learning, working through an activity with them or by supporting them in finding information or ideas.
Remember that the only compulsory task is the introductory one and after that, students can design their own pathway through Club learning experiences
Get involved
We know that the more involved our students get, the more they gain from their Club experience. To support them to get involved, find out more about the Talent Activator Chats, Club Days and Club Meets Ups and help them make time to come to one of these if possible.
Contact us at hello@nzcge.co.nz
If you and your child would like to learn more about online safety, explore The Inter-Yeti, a highly recommended interactive learning tool.
