The following information will help you complete the Workshop Planning Sheet and provide you with other information about our program.

Complete all details on the Planning Sheet and return it to us by May 16 2008 for the Winter 2008 Program. If you are held up, please contact us – you may be able to give us enough to get started with over the phone, or by email.

Check the dates of planned workshops on the Holiday Program pages of the website.

The Thinking Ahead program is designed for very able or gifted students. A number of 'bright' students may also choose to attend.

Workshop participants are grouped developmentally according to the level the children are capable of working at, not strictly by chronological age.

The three groups provide for children who are capable of working at levels approximating:

Within any group you will have a range of abilities. You may notice some of these gifted students are not particularly talented in your workshop area, or do not produce work at a very high level, although they will still be of high ability.

Expect students to move at a faster than average pace through the work you provide and be prepared to use language, concepts and delivery methods aimed beyond that suitable for students of their chronological age.

When you are planning your workshop, give some consideration to the different learning styles of the students you will meet and how they can be accommodated in your workshop.

You can plan a workshop ranging in length from a half day to several days. Feedback from parents indicates that their preference is for single whole day workshops (except at Level 1 where the preference was for half days)

Workshops run from 9am – midday and 12.45 – 3.45 pm each day. Please feel free to contact us to discuss your preferences and mark these clearly on the Planning sheet.

Class Size

Maximum group size will be 18. Classes of fewer than 10 will only run if there is a sound reason for the small class size. You will need to prepare for 18 students. Final class numbers may only be available a few days before your workshop. We will contact you a week before the workshops to let you know the latest numbers, although we continue to take enrolments if places exist until the workshop is scheduled.

Plan a catchy workshop title for your course. This is very important!!!! Feedback indicates this is what the students use to choose which classes they want to attend.

Parents have indicated that they want to read details about the sort of things that you will be doing in the workshop. Make this sound interesting. Feel free to use technical terms if they are appropriate but keep it light and entertaining. You are effectively competing with other workshop presenters for the students. Sell yourself!! The course outline should be about 100-150 words or so.

Biosketch

Some detail about where you teach, areas of interest or passion and your qualifications are required in this section (this is to reassure parents and to get the students excited about meeting you).

Students may need to have specific physical or academic skill levels (eg fine motor skills, reading level) to fully participate in your workshop. Please be sure to include these in your outline if necessary.

If you require a specific type of room for your workshop (wet area, laboratory etc), you will need to note this on your planning sheet. This also applies to any special equipment you may need to use. We have to book rooms early and may not be able to access other equipment at the last minute.

You will be responsible for arranging your own consumables and photocopying for use in the workshop.

Refunds of a reasonable sum for consumables can be made if you supply us with tax receipts and you have advised us at the planning stage. We may charge a materials fee based on what you indicate your consumables to be.

'Consumables' refers to the materials the students will use up during the workshop, not to materials or resources you purchase to prepare for your workshop, nor to rewards or 'motivators'.

Some courses may have significant extra costs, and these will need to be negotiated early. Please contact us if you think this may apply to a workshop you are planning.

You may decide to ask students to bring particular materials they will need, to your workshop. Please provide all the relevant details on your Workshop Planning sheet. Alternatively, it may be more appropriate for you to provide ‘a kit’. In this case you will need to indicate what the kit will contain and the estimated cost.

Many parents will expect tangible evidence (eg notes, worksheets, models etc) of workshops attended. Please keep this in mind when planning a workshop.

If you are only available on certain days, please indicate these on the Planning Sheet to facilitate our planning. Once we publish the program we are not able to make further changes.

Some schools require that teachers advise them of any other work commitments they may take on, so please discuss this issue with your employer if necessary.

Remuneration for a workshop will be $150 (inc GST) for a half day workshop, or $300 (inc GST) for a full day workshop each of which will include assisting with supervision at lunchtime. Payment will be made by Direct Transfer to the account of your choice. We will forward you forms to facilitate payment prior to your workshop.

More questions? Contact us by email or phone Derrin on 9474 4594 or Sian on 9317 7709

Thinking Ahead Extension Workshops ABN 50 017 429 348
PO Box 171 Como WA 6952