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Learning Labs Offer Ongoing Challenges and Benefits
In addition to the stimulation of a high-interest curriculum, GRC’s Learning Labs provide exceptional children with hands-on courses, in-depth academic experiences and unique opportunities for personal growth. High-Interest Curriculum For nearly two decades Gifted Resource Council has developed a repertoire of courses which engage and challenge bright students to explore areas of special interest. Students continue to enroll in GRC courses year after year because of their ongoing appeal. Perennial favorites like chess, Spanish and chemistry are offered along with newer courses in robotics, Web page design and engineering a mousetrap car. Sixty percent of the course offerings are new each session. "Learning Labs offer us the opportunity to teach courses we have a passion for, and our enthusiasm inspires students as much as the topics themselves," says veteran GRC teacher Barbara Roussin. Open Enrollment – No Testing Required Any child, ages 3 through 14, ready to explore an engaging topic in depth can participate in Gifted Resource Council’s Learning Labs. Bright children are screened into the courses by their interest, not by having to excel on standardized tests. By design, GRC classes are inclusive. Children are gifted in different ways, and if a child is interested enough to spend six weeks building a robot, mapping human genes, discussing Harry Potter, enjoying math games or studying the Latin roots of words, he or she is gifted enough for GRC’s Saturday Learning Labs. Small Classes, Hands-on Involvement GRC courses are unlike any that students take in their own schools. Small classes - typically 8 - 10 students each, rarely more than 12 - enable students to receive the individual attention they need to thrive. The content level and pace of the courses are accelerated, and the in-depth focus allows students to move far beyond the limitations of text books and traditional courses. Perhaps even more important than the enriched content of the courses, though, is the hands-on way these students learn. GRC students are active learners. They experiment make things, debate and explore alternatives. With instructors raising challenging questions, providing resources and facilitating their explorations, Learning Labs maximize the interests and talents of students. Learning Without Grades Bolsters Self-Esteem Unless parents are savvy and very determined, gifted children tend to narrow their focus to areas in which they excel. Fearful of not being the best at something, they may avoid many healthy activities, causing their world and sense of self to constrict. Even their academic work may focus on making top grades rather than learning and growing. GRC’s non-graded curriculum enables high achieving students to open up and explore their talents and interests. In the supportive environment of Learning Lab, they acquire the self-confidence to take risks and develop additional skills outside of the narrow range within which they had previously defined themselves. They begin to try things they may do adequately but not superbly. Cooperation, Teamwork Foster Social Skills Learning to work together is an extremely important life skill for any student, but it is even more important for students who tend to be isolated by their unusual gifts. Since they learn much more quickly than other students, gifted children tend to relate to adults more readily than to other children and to build their self-esteem on adult approval of their intellectual prowess. Because their social skills are often under-developed they become isolated from their peers. Gifted Resource Council is well aware of this danger, and for this reason courses are taught in ways to maximize the social interactions of the students. The Learning Labs challenge them to engage in interactive learning. Instead of competing to be the best, they function as learning teams pursuing common objectives. This is a new experience for students accustomed to working alone or being isolated as the unchallenged class leader by virtue of being "the brightest." Although it may initially feel uncomfortable to be teamed with so many other bright students, this is an important developmental experience in a gifted child’s trek toward becoming a well-rounded person. In addition to the stimulation they receive from the courses themselves, even students who participate in a gifted program at their own school benefit from GRC’s emphasis on team projects and the opportunity to meet and form friendships with other gifted children from throughout the metropolitan area. "It’s a great way for kids to spend time on Saturdays - making friends while pursuing their interests," adds Roussin. Exploring Interests Bright children have many interests, and a six-week immersion in a Learning Lab class is the perfect amount of time to explore a topic in which a child may be curious. A student may select as many as two ninety-minute courses during the six-week fall session, and as many as three during the winter session. Almost fifty classes are offered each session. Over the course of both sessions, a curious student could explore a variety of different topics, or cluster courses in areas of greater personal interest. After six weeks of studying the fossil history of Missouri, one fourth grader may want to preview algebra, while another may wish to continue delving deeper into geologic time. Either way, both benefit from an enriching experience without the pressure of having to live up to a reputation of knowing the most and being the best. Premier Faculty Gifted Resource Council not only structures the Learning Labs to provide students with these important learning experiences, but also hires the finest teachers in the area to work with them. Teachers are encouraged to stress interpersonal relations, as well as the social and emotional growth of students. "Because classes are small, I can be more creative with what I teach and have more individual contact with each child," says Roussin to explain why she values the GRC teaching experience so much. Unique Opportunities The faculty, the high-interest curriculum, the hands-on approach and the emphasis on teamwork make each course a special opportunity for students. They can explore their interests while developing social skills and friendships with intellectual and chronological peers from throughout the metropolitan area. Children who have the opportunity to participate in these unique experiences are indeed fortunate. For more information regarding Gifted Resource Council, please call the GRC office at 314-962-5920. |
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