It's that time of the year again.

In article <bditr31p85arkcq9t47ads7lm688fau005 RemoveThis @4ax.com>,
Mummy Az <manth RemoveThis @westnet.com.au> wrote:

> In about 9 hours from now, Ishtar will be starting her tests to get
> into the Ignite Gifted Education Program for the 2009 intake. Please
> send good thoughts that she can remain calm and focused and able to
> shine at her brilliant best!

Good thoughts heading her way!

Edna


---|)--- Edna Huelsenbeck (huelsenbeck@gmailDOTcom) ------------
---|---- Goddess of the ABML Out-of-Practice-Musicians Band -----
--/|---- Member, Brute Squad, Mommy Division --------------------
-| |')-- Provisional Member of the Sisterhood of Mess -----------
--\|/----Official Bard of the Book and Bridle -------------------
|
'
 >> Stay informed about: It's that time of the year again. 

On Fri, 22 Feb 2008 08:39:56 -0500, Ree <geet.TakeThisOut@sympatico.ca> wrote:

>Mummy Az wrote:
>> In about 9 hours from now, Ishtar will be starting her tests to get
>> into the Ignite Gifted Education Program for the 2009 intake. Please
>> send good thoughts that she can remain calm and focused and able to
>> shine at her brilliant best!
>>
>> Az
>
>Tell her it's exactly the same as any other set of tests so just sit
>down, relax and answer as many of them as she can in the time allowed,
>as thoroughly as they appear to want. The less she wastes energy
>stressing over it, the more likely she will do her usual excellent job.
>
>But good luck anyway.
>
>Ree.

Seconded! Excellent advice.

The Bookwurm (with various appendages crossed)
--
Goddess of Libraries ™,
Pedant in Chief
Keeper of the BotRoM
Sister Hand Grenade of Sweet Reason
Believer, Church of the Cosmic Muffin
<spam trapped - remove the fish from address>
 >> Stay informed about: It's that time of the year again. 

Rhino 7 wrote:
> On Fri, 22 Feb 2008 08:39:56 -0500, Ree <geet.DeleteThis@sympatico.ca> wrote:
>
>> Mummy Az wrote:
>>> In about 9 hours from now, Ishtar will be starting her tests to get
>>> into the Ignite Gifted Education Program for the 2009 intake. Please
>>> send good thoughts that she can remain calm and focused and able to
>>> shine at her brilliant best!
>>>
>>> Az
>> Tell her it's exactly the same as any other set of tests so just sit
>> down, relax and answer as many of them as she can in the time allowed,
>> as thoroughly as they appear to want. The less she wastes energy
>> stressing over it, the more likely she will do her usual excellent job.
>>
>> But good luck anyway.
>>
>> Ree.
>
> Seconded! Excellent advice.
>
> The Bookwurm (with various appendages crossed)
> --

Why thank you! And remember that eyes don't count as appendages!

Ree
 >> Stay informed about: It's that time of the year again. 

Thanks, folks

We got back from the test about an hour ago. Ishtar says it really
helped her to be calm knowing she had an international cheering squad!
She feels she did really well on the English section (and this would
fit in with previous testing) but didn't do so well on the mathematics
paper. Again, this would be in keeping with previous testing - her
old school just didn't *do* the extended work in maths that the
testing is looking for.

However, in order to get to the Interview stage you only need to excel
in ONE area. Athena did extremely well in the English section last
year and about average in the Mathematics and she got in. So we're
not going to worry about it. She did the best she could on the day
and that's the important thing.

We should know the results in about 5 weeks time.

Az
 >> Stay informed about: It's that time of the year again. 

Mummy Az wrote:
> Thanks, folks
>
> We got back from the test about an hour ago. Ishtar says it really
> helped her to be calm knowing she had an international cheering squad!
> She feels she did really well on the English section (and this would
> fit in with previous testing) but didn't do so well on the mathematics
> paper. Again, this would be in keeping with previous testing - her
> old school just didn't *do* the extended work in maths that the
> testing is looking for.
>
> However, in order to get to the Interview stage you only need to excel
> in ONE area. Athena did extremely well in the English section last
> year and about average in the Mathematics and she got in. So we're
> not going to worry about it. She did the best she could on the day
> and that's the important thing.
>
> We should know the results in about 5 weeks time.

If it helps, Mummy, girls sometimes don't do particularly well in maths
just because. Not because they can't do maths, just that it takes a bit
longer for the mathematical reasoning neurons to kick in.

I kinda sorta stunk at math for quite a while, as a kiddie. Then, one day
in my early adolescence, suddenly not so stinky. A friend of mine flunked
math (spectacularly) as a high school student, came back to it in her 20's
and got straight A's.

Your DH is in a math-y kind of career field, yes? He might like to know that.

(I was going to wish her luck. But I guess I was too late.)

--
Megan
Journeyperson Dancing Barbarian
Keeper o' the FAQ: http://home.earthlink.net/~m_thomas3/abml/
 >> Stay informed about: It's that time of the year again. 

On Fri, 22 Feb 2008 21:20:15 -0800, "m_thomas[numBksInLastHrldMage]"
<"m_thomas[numBksInLastHrldMage]"@earthlink.net> wrote:

>If it helps, Mummy, girls sometimes don't do particularly well in maths
>just because. Not because they can't do maths, just that it takes a bit
>longer for the mathematical reasoning neurons to kick in.

Thanks Megan.

The problem isn't so much that they *can't* do maths. They handle it
very well indeed. Their old school Streamed maths classes for years 5
- 7 students and they were consistently placed in 'advanced' classes
allegedly working at stuff considered appropriate for kids a year
older than they are. But their new school, which they have attended
since the last week of January this year, considers them to be working
'at year level'. Just a different approach to teaching. At their old
school they were light years ahead of most of their classmates in
every aspect of the curriculum with the sole except of Sport, which
interests neither of them at all. Their new school is a Specialist
Gifted Educator and has a lot more very smart kids. They are
*thriving* in their new environment. Really loving the workload and
the more intellectual conversations with classmates. But, because of
the relative deficiencies in their old school they don't have a lot of
the background in maths. Yet. They are picking things up really
quickly but there's only so much you can do in a month of work at a
new school.

>I kinda sorta stunk at math for quite a while, as a kiddie. Then, one day
>in my early adolescence, suddenly not so stinky. A friend of mine flunked
>math (spectacularly) as a high school student, came back to it in her 20's
>and got straight A's.

I loved maths at high school. I had no trouble 'getting' it very
quickly. The Little Goddesses (actually, not so little any more -
Athena is taller than I am. Not *much* taller but measurably so) are
finding they have no difficulty in picking up the new concepts of
maths at their new school. They are just behind other kids who have
been at the school all along (their old school was Reception to Year
7, their new school is Preschool to Year 12).

>Your DH is in a math-y kind of career field, yes? He might like to know that.

Yes, he's a full-time Physicist. The Goddesses are planning careers
where maths will be important, too - Athena wants to be a Robotics
Engineer, while Ishtar wants to be a Forensic Anatomist (unless she
becomes a Botanical Artist, a Paleontologist or an Archaeologist. It
varies, but she likes all of these careers because they combine her
two great loves of art and science.). Interesting futures my little
guys see for themselves. And they have the strength of will to get
there, too!

>(I was going to wish her luck. But I guess I was too late.)

She had a whole International Cheer Squad behind her as she walked
through the door. The knowledge that lots of people in many different
countries around the world (I posted a similar message to several
groups) were behind her gave her a focus that she thinks really
helped.

Az
 >> Stay informed about: It's that time of the year again. 

Mummy Az wrote:
> On Fri, 22 Feb 2008 21:20:15 -0800, "m_thomas[numBksInLastHrldMage]"
> <"m_thomas[numBksInLastHrldMage]"@earthlink.net> wrote:
>
>>If it helps, Mummy, girls sometimes don't do particularly well in maths
>>just because. Not because they can't do maths, just that it takes a bit
>>longer for the mathematical reasoning neurons to kick in.
>
> Thanks Megan.
>
> The problem isn't so much that they *can't* do maths. They handle it
> very well indeed. Their old school Streamed maths classes for years 5
> - 7 students and they were consistently placed in 'advanced' classes
> allegedly working at stuff considered appropriate for kids a year
> older than they are. But their new school, which they have attended
> since the last week of January this year, considers them to be working
> 'at year level'. Just a different approach to teaching. At their old
> school they were light years ahead of most of their classmates in
> every aspect of the curriculum with the sole except of Sport, which
> interests neither of them at all. Their new school is a Specialist
> Gifted Educator and has a lot more very smart kids. They are
> *thriving* in their new environment. Really loving the workload and
> the more intellectual conversations with classmates. But, because of
> the relative deficiencies in their old school they don't have a lot of
> the background in maths. Yet. They are picking things up really
> quickly but there's only so much you can do in a month of work at a
> new school.

Very true. But, at their age, I'm sure they'll buzz along and catch up
rapidly. Especially since the other kids are also smart. Disheartening as
it may be, kids sometimes want the admiration of other kids more than that
of their boring ol' parents. (Parents, after all, will always love you.
The other kids are not as predictable.) If the other kids are ahead in
maths, nothing for it but to catch up...

<snip>
>>Your DH is in a math-y kind of career field, yes? He might like to know that.
>
> Yes, he's a full-time Physicist. The Goddesses are planning careers
> where maths will be important, too - Athena wants to be a Robotics
> Engineer, while Ishtar wants to be a Forensic Anatomist (unless she
> becomes a Botanical Artist, a Paleontologist or an Archaeologist. It
> varies, but she likes all of these careers because they combine her
> two great loves of art and science.). Interesting futures my little
> guys see for themselves. And they have the strength of will to get
> there, too!

Vastly more inventive career choices than most kids, that's for sure.
(Astronaut, movie star, or president?) I've been trying to learn a little
about robotics, myself -- robots are currently one of the popular ways to
try to get kids interested in science.

>>(I was going to wish her luck. But I guess I was too late.)
>
> She had a whole International Cheer Squad behind her as she walked
> through the door. The knowledge that lots of people in many different
> countries around the world (I posted a similar message to several
> groups) were behind her gave her a focus that she thinks really
> helped.

It was probably the thinking it would help that helped most. :>

--
Megan
Journeyperson Dancing Barbarian
Keeper o' the FAQ: http://home.earthlink.net/~m_thomas3/abml/
 >> Stay informed about: It's that time of the year again. 

>Vastly more inventive career choices than most kids, that's for sure.
>(Astronaut, movie star, or president?) I've been trying to learn a little
>about robotics, myself -- robots are currently one of the popular ways to
>try to get kids interested in science.

Hmmm ... IIRC I wanted to be a geological oceanographer at that age
.... or a mermaid.

The Bookwurm
--
Goddess of Libraries ™,
Pedant in Chief
Keeper of the BotRoM
Sister Hand Grenade of Sweet Reason
Believer, Church of the Cosmic Muffin
<spam trapped - remove the fish from address>
 >> Stay informed about: It's that time of the year again. 

Rhino 7 wrote:
>>Vastly more inventive career choices than most kids, that's for sure.
>>(Astronaut, movie star, or president?) I've been trying to learn a little
>>about robotics, myself -- robots are currently one of the popular ways to
>>try to get kids interested in science.
>
>
> Hmmm ... IIRC I wanted to be a geological oceanographer at that age
> ... or a mermaid.

I had ambitions to grow up to be a mermaid, too.

At least, in July I wanted to be a mermaid when I grew up. In December...
not so much.

(I bought some plants yesterday. Optimistic me. Raining now, raining
last night, raining, raining... But it is so hard to find scented
geraniums! I saw 'em, I bought 'em, now I'm hoping I'll be able to plant 'em.)

--
Megan
Journeyperson Dancing Barbarian
Keeper o' the FAQ: http://home.earthlink.net/~m_thomas3/abml/
 >> Stay informed about: It's that time of the year again. 

In article <13s1bro8lj9t987.TakeThisOut@corp.supernews.com>,
"m_thomas[numBksInLastHrldMage]"
<"m_thomas[numBksInLastHrldMage]"@earthlink.net> wrote:

<snip>

> Vastly more inventive career choices than most kids, that's for sure.
> (Astronaut, movie star, or president?) I've been trying to learn a little
> about robotics, myself -- robots are currently one of the popular ways to
> try to get kids interested in science.

I think our family is going to try some robotics. We went to Wondercon
yesterday, and attended a session on building R2D2. There are a LOT of
people around the world building their very own droids! R2D2 is too
complicated for us, but the kids are very excited at the prospect of
building a working mouse droid, so I'm going to do some research.

Edna


---|)--- Edna Huelsenbeck (huelsenbeck@gmailDOTcom) ------------
---|---- Goddess of the ABML Out-of-Practice-Musicians Band -----
--/|---- Member, Brute Squad, Mommy Division --------------------
-| |')-- Provisional Member of the Sisterhood of Mess -----------
--\|/----Official Bard of the Book and Bridle -------------------
|
'
 >> Stay informed about: It's that time of the year again. 

On Sun, 24 Feb 2008 21:38:47 -0800, Edna <huelsenbeck RemoveThis @gmailDOT.com>
wrote:

>In article <13s1bro8lj9t987 RemoveThis @corp.supernews.com>,
> "m_thomas[numBksInLastHrldMage]"
> <"m_thomas[numBksInLastHrldMage]"@earthlink.net> wrote:
>
><snip>
>
>> Vastly more inventive career choices than most kids, that's for sure.
>> (Astronaut, movie star, or president?) I've been trying to learn a little
>> about robotics, myself -- robots are currently one of the popular ways to
>> try to get kids interested in science.
>
>I think our family is going to try some robotics. We went to Wondercon
>yesterday, and attended a session on building R2D2. There are a LOT of
>people around the world building their very own droids! R2D2 is too
>complicated for us, but the kids are very excited at the prospect of
>building a working mouse droid, so I'm going to do some research.
>
>Edna

Athena has recently been researching and building robots. Extremely
simple thus far but she's getting more adventurous. Her next project
is a dragon-bot with flapping wings. All her allowance right now is
going on wires, motors and other delightful items! And she loves it.

Az
 >> Stay informed about: It's that time of the year again. 

Mummy Az wrote:
> On Sun, 24 Feb 2008 21:38:47 -0800, Edna <huelsenbeck RemoveThis @gmailDOT.com>
> wrote:

>><snip>
>>I think our family is going to try some robotics. We went to Wondercon
>>yesterday, and attended a session on building R2D2. There are a LOT of
>>people around the world building their very own droids! R2D2 is too
>>complicated for us, but the kids are very excited at the prospect of
>>building a working mouse droid, so I'm going to do some research.
>
> Athena has recently been researching and building robots. Extremely
> simple thus far but she's getting more adventurous. Her next project
> is a dragon-bot with flapping wings. All her allowance right now is
> going on wires, motors and other delightful items! And she loves it.

Oooo. Dragon-bot. I wanna see a picture!

(Eventually, of course. I completely understand the engineer's need to
fiddle and perfect before presenting to an adoring public.)

--
Megan
Journeyperson Dancing Barbarian
Keeper o' the FAQ: http://home.earthlink.net/~m_thomas3/abml/
 >> Stay informed about: It's that time of the year again. 

Edna wrote:
> In article <13s1bro8lj9t987 DeleteThis @corp.supernews.com>
> "m_thomas[numBksInLastHrldMage]" wrote:
>
> <snip>
>
>>Vastly more inventive career choices than most kids, that's for sure.
>>(Astronaut, movie star, or president?) I've been trying to learn a little
>>about robotics, myself -- robots are currently one of the popular ways to
>>try to get kids interested in science.
>
>
> I think our family is going to try some robotics. We went to Wondercon
> yesterday, and attended a session on building R2D2. There are a LOT of
> people around the world building their very own droids! R2D2 is too
> complicated for us, but the kids are very excited at the prospect of
> building a working mouse droid, so I'm going to do some research.

Feel free to contact me via email, if you like. Robot kits can be
expensive. (I tend to think class sizes: kit-cost times 20+ students.
That does not make them seem cheaper!)

But there are some cheaper kits. Georgia Tech University wants to make a
robot in the same price range as a college textbook (science textbook --
more expensive than English books). The Scribbler bot they helped with
comes close.

--
Megan
Journeyperson Dancing Barbarian
Keeper o' the FAQ: http://home.earthlink.net/~m_thomas3/abml/
 >> Stay informed about: It's that time of the year again.