Students in the Huntley Hills Elementary Gifted Program are those who are identified as gifted by professionally qualified persons and found to be capable of high performance. Gifted students have special needs in educational, social, and emotional development that should be met in a differentiated program beyond that of the regular classroom. Such a program can provide the appropriate educational setting, interaction with others and understanding of self. The curriculum can recognize varying levels of abilities, interests, and needs. It can promote individual growth by emphasizing skills in cognitive, creative, and affective areas.
Curriculum
higher-level thinking processes
study and research skills
facilitate creative and productive thinking
develop a positive and confident self-concept
promote appropriate interpersonal relationships
encourage task commitment
enrich and extend the learning environment
collaboration
Students will make explorations and connections in math, science, literature and art through interactive and hands-on activities. This approach allows children to learn in a collaborative school culture that takes advantage of resources and appropriate decision-making opportunities. The students will be taught to apply knowledge and thinking skills to solve complex problems and experience real world applications of their learning.
The HHES Gifted Program is designed to meet the needs of gifted students through long-range goals of academic development, extended inquiry, productive thinking, and personal competency. This curriculum allows teachers in the program to utilize flexibility and their understanding of the special methodology in teaching the gifted. Therefore, the concepts suggested within the short-term objectives are intended to serve as basic launching pads to which teachers add their own unique ideas, experiences, expertise, and personalities. The concepts are developed in sequential form to assist in planning instruction that is appropriate to the readiness levels of the learners.
The curriculum content is not confined to particular disciplines. Rather, it identifies concepts that are interrelated components of many areas of learning and includes the process tools of thinking and problem solving that prepare students to become the high level innovators, evaluators, and successful achievers in today’s complex society.