Every parent wants the best for their child while ensuring they remain curious, captivated and challenged appropriately in their learning environment.
Luckily, there’s a place for gifted children to pursue their intellectual curiosity while thriving under the care of skilled educators and engaging with like-minded students to become empowered and inspired.
"We're a unique school where gifted kids come and learn how to learn—that's the objective," says Sukhbir Bolina, principal at Choice School For Gifted Children. "We're the only school in B.C. designated as a school for gifted students."
"Most schools don't really understand what giftedness is," Bolina observes. "Gifted kids see a particular thing in a different way; they're at a higher level of academic consciousness. When children enroll in Choice, we provide students with unique programs that no other schools offer."
It's important to understand that a child's giftedness can manifest in many ways with various touchstones. For example, your child may exhibit a musical or artistic ability not typical for their age, possess an early reading comprehension level than what's considered the educational standard, have elevated verbal ability, intense curiosity or sensitivity, or cognitively work at a higher level while still, nevertheless, existing physically and socially at their current age.
These archetypal characteristics, among many others, are all favourable indicators your child may be gifted and should be assessed by qualified professionals. If your child is gifted, it’s best to place them in a learning environment that includes a curriculum with the depth, pace, and complexity that aligns with their potential to challenge them to the fullest.
There are several definitions and many ways to formally identify giftedness, and at Choice School, one such definition from the BC Ministry of Education, Special Education Policy, guides their admission process and instructional community.
It relies on evidence-based criteria and defines gifted children as those with exceptionally high capability regarding intellect, creativity, or the skills associated with specific disciplines and often demonstrate outstanding abilities in several areas.
It further considers that a child may demonstrate an extraordinary intensity of focus in their particular areas of talent or interest. However, they may also have accompanying disabilities and shouldn't be expected to have strengths in all areas of intellectual functioning.
Programs to fit your child's education needs
Choice School programs match your child's deep fund of knowledge with a curriculum focused on expanding core competencies through inquiry, critical thinking and problem-based learning that reflects their readiness and interests.
"Our average class size is seven to eight kids per class, while the public school system typically has 20 to 25 students," Bolina explains. "Having small class sizes allows us to focus on what individual students need. We also have an educational assistant in each classroom, too."
Choice provides a dynamic environment in teaching the B.C. curriculum; however, "It's not what we teach, it's how we teach it," Bolina says of the programs.
"With a critical thinking approach, we try to teach kids that there's often not an absolute answer. Every answer is right, depending on which angle you look at it," he notes. "We don't just teach a fact. We try to teach why and how something can be done better and have topics and concepts with an open-ended thought process."
In addition to music and art programs, Choice offers Experiential Week, an in-depth exploration of a particular topic built around a theme, with experts, field trips, and practical skills development.
"This program gives our students more depth and breadth in their learning," Bolina says.
"Everybody the students interact with has an effect on their education, whether it's the janitor or an expert in a particular field. We all add to the flavour of learning.”
The Choice Challenge program involves a range of learning options, including teachers' topics they're personally passionate about. "For example, one teacher offered woodworking, another yoga, while knitting and drama were also choices, among others," Bolina recalls.
"It allows our kids to learn over and above the curriculum. In addition to the regular curriculum, we offer many enrichment classes, including chess, extended math, spelling bee, and coding/robotics."
"If you have a gifted child, they should be at Choice School," says Bolina. "The resources we have are going to benefit them greatly as they move through their adult life."
Book a guided facility tour or visit Choice during their open house on April 25 from 9 a.m. to noon at 20451 Westminster Hwy. in Richmond. For more information, visit choiceschool.org or call 604-273-2418.
