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Suggestions?
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| Admin |
Posted on November 25 2007 09:47 PM
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Super Administrator
Location: Earth
Posts: 389
Joined: 2005-03-10
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Cruachan suggests that we involve YouTube bloggers to help spread the word on Dyscalculia Day.
Countess suggests that we email all our friends and contact our local politicans.
Rac suggests that we advertise in a magazine or on a website.
ert suggests that we write an offical press release and send it out to the media all around the world. And make a dyscalculia day website where people can read a short introduction to dyscalculia, or watch a video.
Countess suggests that we get people to translate the press release in tons of local languages. She'll do a German version and be the German contact person, but would like to start a group with other German people on the forum who wants to help out.
eoffg wants all your ideas and opinions before we (as in everyone on the forum) decide to do anything.
And that's where you can begin. Share all your ideas! Even if you are not sure that you want to join in yet. |
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| heatherriver |
Posted on November 26 2007 02:32 AM
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Location: No value
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i suggest that we all post a bulletin on our my space page about dyscalculia day! and ask everyone who reads it to post a bulletin to support . |
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| Toe_Nail |
Posted on November 26 2007 04:36 AM
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Location: No value
Posts: 915
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If you guys need any help to translate in French, ask away, I can do that
It's not that I'm so smart, it's just that I stay with problems longer -- Albert Einstein |
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| ert |
Posted on November 26 2007 01:46 PM
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Member
Location: Denmark
Posts: 1388
Joined: 2005-03-11
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Awesome Toe_Nail
heather - great idea, and if people have a facebook, bebo, xanga, friendster or some other social networking site they can use that too. Writing blogs, posting bulletins, making it an event, posting videos, change their profile picture for the day to a picture that somehow says that dyscalculia exists... Anything else? |
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| Alunasa |
Posted on November 26 2007 04:14 PM
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Member
Location: Florida, US
Posts: 75
Joined: 2007-06-25
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1. Press Release
2. "Documentary" or Interviews with Dyscalculia Experts and Dyscalculics.
3. Some kind of free product for the public. (Shirts, bumper stickers, etc)
4. Participate in general Learning Disability events or Dyslexia events.
5. Public Speaking Events by Samantha Abeel?
6. Interview with Samantha Abeel?
Website for Samantha Abeel with contact information:
http://www.samant.../index.htm |
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| Admin |
Posted on November 26 2007 04:38 PM
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Super Administrator
Location: Earth
Posts: 389
Joined: 2005-03-10
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Samantha has a website now! I've always wondered when that would happen. We've considered contacting her before through her publisher Scholastic, but haven't had a good enough reason to bother her. I have to check that out now, I'll be back |
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| Alunasa |
Posted on November 27 2007 04:33 PM
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Member
Location: Florida, US
Posts: 75
Joined: 2007-06-25
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Any word on contacting Samantha? If we had her support in this, it would be a great benefit towards Dyscalculia Day. If she was willing to do a public speech or presentation of some sort, we could arrange other events around her as the main event of course. And I don't see why she couldn't have the ability to pick the venue because we have that kind of flexibility.
I wish she could come to South Florida so that I could meet her and help to organize something with her, but I know she usually works in the Midwest and the east coast. (I looked at her past speaking engagements).
But now I'm just speculating. 
I'm so excited about all of this and I feel like we'll be able to accomplish great things on 3-3-08.
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| Admin |
Posted on November 27 2007 08:42 PM
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Super Administrator
Location: Earth
Posts: 389
Joined: 2005-03-10
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I'll write her a quick email now explaining who we are and asking if she would even be interested in participating, considering the fact that we can't pay her.
Maybe a US college or high school student here at the forum would want to arrange that she spoke there. Anyone? |
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| ert |
Posted on November 27 2007 09:28 PM
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Member
Location: Denmark
Posts: 1388
Joined: 2005-03-11
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Suggestion: A wikipedia article about dyscalculia day - when we have more information and something to write in it.
Wikipedia is great because of the simple fact that the google search machine loves wikipedia articles, and so a search for dyscalculia day (as I could imagine the media would do) would send them to one more site, and thereby making it "more real". We need all the "more real" we can get considering the fact that it's the first dyscalculia day ever.
Right? No? Doesn't hurt. Or does it? |
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| dawn |
Posted on November 27 2007 10:16 PM
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Member
Location: england
Posts: 463
Joined: 2006-09-10
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I was trying to think of a common thread between all the countries and I thought of universities. Often researchers link through their own communication networks. Maybe maths departments could liase with education or psycology departments . Museums are often putting on educational events and they may incorporate a learning difficulty angle. An introduction into these institutions may be the route to staging a multinational event over a week ,if not a day.
I have mentioned before that we should associate ourselves with dyspraxia and dyslexia groups who are more established and have contacts rather than starting out alone . Also so many dyscalculics have other associated learning difficulties and I think it is wrong to isolate our group from theirs. We should all lean on each other ...(not the dyspraxics,though, cos we'll fall over!!) |
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| conec |
Posted on November 27 2007 10:44 PM
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Member
Location: Ireland
Posts: 70
Joined: 2006-11-27
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Wow this sounds really exciting, we have so much ideas, cool.
I would love to do something with a video.
To the Irish ppl here with dyscalculia, maybe I could interview ye?
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| Admin |
Posted on November 28 2007 12:15 AM
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Super Administrator
Location: Earth
Posts: 389
Joined: 2005-03-10
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Great idea about the universities Dawn. If, IF, we get so lucky that anyone feels like speaking in public (Samantha, experts, us) Universities have the location. Planning stuff like that just takes time, probably more than 3 months before, but hey, there's always 2009 if 2008 bombs 
Well, before we send out the press release we should send out an "information" release to organizations, experts and other people we know would be interested in knowing about the day - and maybe even make event of their own. And in that release we'll ask if they are interested in working in coalition with us, in some form? Depends on the people/organization, if WE really want that.
Brainstorming here. Please do comment on that. Because such an information letter should be written soon - before Christmas eats everyone's energy to read such a letter.
Edited by Admin on November 28 2007 12:17 AM |
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| Alunasa |
Posted on November 28 2007 03:41 AM
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Member
Location: Florida, US
Posts: 75
Joined: 2007-06-25
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I'm a college student, and I'd be more than happy to work with Samantha Abeel or any one who wants to speak, and help them to find a college to speak at, if Florida is an option. I know of a few here and have professors that can help me out with contacts.
I also have a few contacts at colleges in Indiana from when I used to live there. |
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| eoffg |
Posted on November 28 2007 05:16 AM
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 of clu[26].jpg)
Administrator
Location: Australia
Posts: 1262
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I'm concerned about the direction that this is taking, where it looks like becoming a Sales campaign?
Where it appears that Samantha Abeel runs a business as a Public Speaker and doing Workshops.
So that we will be providing her with free Advertising.
Also I suspect that we will attract 'Experts' that have a product to sell?
I would also question the value of public speaking events, given the amount of work involved, that may only attract 20 or 30 people?
Where a short message about Dyscalculia, printed in your local newspapers 'Letters to the Editor' section, might be read by a thousand people?
Where suddenly a thousand have heard of Dyscalculia for the first time.
We really need to think Local?
Geoff, |
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| ert |
Posted on November 28 2007 09:07 AM
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Member
Location: Denmark
Posts: 1388
Joined: 2005-03-11
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Dyscalculia Day isn't a day we own. We can't stop other people from doing their thing, and I don't see why we would want to stop people, if our goal is to spread the word.
Letters to the editor/reader's letters are a great idea - but why does one thing rule out the other? I could imagine that maybe even a member would want to speak in public at their school, as some have already done. I don't know about you, but I have a feeling that a speech will leave more of an impact on high school students than a letter in the local paper that they don't even read. Their parents and other people could be reached that way though.
One thing doesn't rule out the other for me. Whatever people want to do to spread the word, they should do. |
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| Alunasa |
Posted on November 29 2007 05:05 AM
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Member
Location: Florida, US
Posts: 75
Joined: 2007-06-25
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I've got to agree with you ert. I don't feel that having public speeches would commercialize the event at all, especially seeing that we would be asking potential speakers to donate their time and wouldn't be charging for attendance - or at least that's what I assume.
As far as I can tell about Samantha Abeel, it isn't so much as that she's running a business around giving speeches, more that she is promoting her book as is usually requested or required when one is published. Feel free to correct me however, if I'm wrong.
Also, I feel that if a speech was given, it might attract other media such as television and in the venues that we were suggesting - colleges and universities, I think that you'll find your number of 20 or 30 will expand to be 200 or 300 at a modest estimate. Especially if we speak to the education department at the host college and get in touch with the department so that they will consider incorporating the speech and event into their classes.
That happens a lot in my own classes, and in that case, we would be able to speak directly to students who will go on to one day become teachers. I think it's a great way to ensure that more teachers are aware of Dyscalculia and that fewer cases go undiagnosed. |
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| eoffg |
Posted on November 29 2007 07:27 AM
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Administrator
Location: Australia
Posts: 1262
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I really don't like picking on Samantha, given that her book has been helpful to so many people.
But her 'public speaking' on her website, comes under the title: Presentations/Workshops.
Where if you look a little deeper, this is obviously a business that she is running.
Though if we reduce it to just promoting her book, [where she has just published a new book, that I look forward to hearing reports about.]
The problem is that it still introduces Sales element to Dyscalculia Day?
So do we also allow other notable authors, such as Brian Butterworth and Stephen Chinn to promote their books through Dyscalculia Day?
Along with hundred's of other Authors?
If we allow one, then can we exclude others?
So we could end up with a page of Authors and their Books?
The real issue, is that if Dyscalculia Day is to have any credibility, then it cannot be seen to have any connections with Business!
Otherwise, it will be immediately seen as a Sales Campaign!
Also the idea that a speech at a college/university would attract media attention. Just doesn't happen.
It would even battle for any attention within the university/college.
A far more effective speech, would be for one our Members here, to talk about Dyscalculia at their local schools P & C Meeting!
Geoff, |
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| Alunasa |
Posted on November 29 2007 04:29 PM
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Member
Location: Florida, US
Posts: 75
Joined: 2007-06-25
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Geoff,
I'm sorry but I still have to disagree with you. If Samantha offers her services for free and agrees to keep the sales to a minimum, then the issue of if she is running a business of giving speeches is of little importance.
That having been said, I don't think that it would be a bad thing if authors of books on the subject were able to get a little more attention, after all - their goals are similar to our own, that is - to educate.
In the case of Samantha, she is a person with Dyscalculia and I really don't see a difference between her and any of our members, with the exception that she isn't part of the forum. If one of our members were to write a book, would you feel the same way about them?
Just curious.
Also, we wouldn't have a page of Authors and their Books, that's not the way it works. I assume that any guest speakers on Dysaclculia day would be listed only by name, location and the specific topic of their speech. (At least, that's the way I had planned to write it in the Press Release.) In the case of Samantha, I can only assume that we would ask her to speak about her childhood and her own experiences with Dyscalculia, the same as we would with any dyscalculic.
One more thing to remember, we have control over the organization of this event and so we can lay down the rules. If that includes telling our public speakers that they can mention their books/products only one time and may not sell them there, then we're free to do that and enforce the rule.
I think you're underestimating our abilities to keep our own event under control and non-commercial.
I can't conceive how it could possibly be seen as a Sales Campaign if we:
1. Are not selling anything.
2. Do not endorse any product or person.
3. Treat all events / speakers equally.
4. Do not allow sales at the events.
5. Do not charge a fee for anything.
What's a P & C meeting?
As far as members giving speeches, I was hoping that we would have volunteers who would do exactly that. In fact, I encourage it. If I wasn't so afraid of people, I would volunteer to speak - but since I can't, I'm trying to help out by writing the Press Release and helping with anything else I can. |
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| eoffg |
Posted on November 30 2007 04:57 AM
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Administrator
Location: Australia
Posts: 1262
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Hi Alunasa,
Please don't feel sorry for disagreeing with me!
Though you wouldn't be aware of a message sent to Samantha, where here is a quote: "But you would be free to advertise your book and we would too of course, and you would be mentioned in thousands of press releases all around the world."
If we do this for one person, then what do we say to other authors?
In regard to your question: "If one of our members were to write a book, would you feel the same way about them?"
Our Member Hopsonk [Kathy], who I'm working with to establish an Australian Dyscalculia Association.
Has written a book on Dyscalculia, which is with the Printer and about to be published.
Where I'd have to say the same thing.
On the other hand, if we allow Samantha, then I would argue for Kathy as well?
The list would soon start to grow?
Where the simple mention of any person or product, is seen as an endorsement.
As for P&C, it stands for Parents & Citizens, where schools in Australia have P&C Associations.
Though, we are getting ahead of ourselves here, where I opened a new Topic: Aims and Objectives.
Which is in fact the first thing that we need to define.
Then we build a campaign around this.
Geoff |
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| Kyla Dilla |
Posted on November 30 2007 11:04 AM
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Member
Location: No value
Posts: 185
Joined: 2006-08-20
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hello everyone! Its been ages since i've visited this website and im very suprised and excited that there are plans to have dyscalculia day
hehe. i would love to help. but i cant seem to think of anything i can do tho.... i have a friendster blog and i've put the link of this website in my friendster profile.
anyhow, i can offer to translate articles into bahasa melayu (the main language of malaysia and singapore) and submit it to the local newspapers. Im planning to approch my school soon when school holidays end. it seems that awarness about dyscalulia is almost non exsistence in malaysia..
Out of ugly, the most important thing in life is to make something beautiful - Johnny Weir |
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