MODS Nomination
We accept nominations from whānau, ākonga (self or peer nomination), and kaiako all year round, with students new to MODS starting at the beginning of each term. Please be aware that nomination does not guarantee entry into our MODS programme. Nominations are carefully reviewed by our Rōpū Pūmanawa Gifted Education Team (Cristy Yonetani, Liz Coster, and Emily Wells) in consultation with your Kaiako Hapori (Classroom Teacher) and any specialists working with your child. We will then meet with you to discuss whether MODS is the best fit for your child at this time.
Please don’t be shy to nominate your child. It is not whakahīhī (boastful), to acknowledge unique learning needs. Whānau nomination has a key role to play, especially in early identification, as advanced development and early milestones can be seen in very young children.
“[There are] numerous studies by various researchers confirming that parents are, in fact, very good indeed at identifying giftedness… It does not mean that every parent is always right. It does mean that parents have a very high likelihood of being right… Parents should be our priority source of information.” (Cathcart, 2020, 31)
We are currently trialling a three-step process, which aims to support you in considering whether MODS might be a good fit for your child at this time:
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Please familiarise yourself with our St Mark’s School Definition of Pūmanawa Giftedness and Pūmanawa Gifted Education FAQ.
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Complete a pūmanawa giftedness questionnaire.
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Complete a MODS nomination form and hand in your nomination form and questionnaire to our office.
Pūmanawa Giftedness Questionnaires
Questionnaires are one part of the range of evidence we use to explore pūmanawa giftedness. These questionnaires are not diagnostic tools and there is no ‘cut-off score,’ for participation in MODS. Please print the questionnaire that feels most appropriate for you and highlight the relevant aspects before deciding whether to proceed with MODS nomination.
Early Years: Preschool Behaviours in Gifted Children (Ruf, 2022)
This questionnaire is recommended for new entrants and new students in Mōkihi. It focuses on developmental milestones from birth to five years.
Manu Tu, Mana Ora Identifying Characteristics of Māori Giftedness (Mahaki and Mahaki, 2007)
This questionnaire is recommended for those interested in a Te Ao Māori perspective on pūmanawa giftedness. It focuses on the valued qualities of Manaakitanga, Whanaungatanga, Wairuatanga, Kaitiakitanga, Rangatiratanga, Mātauranga, Te Mahi Rēhia, and Tikanga.
Identifying Giftedness in Aotearoa New-Zealand Schools
This questionnaire is recommended for older students. It was created here in Aotearoa New Zealand and recommended by the New Zealand Association for Gifted Children.
MODS Nomination Form
If you have completed a questionnaire and decided to proceed with nomination, please print and fill in this MODS nomination form. This can be handed in to our office along with your questionnaire.