  | Gifted students need a challenging academic curriculum, but they also need support and encouragement. Gifted children are often perfectionists, holding themselves to extremely high standards, and frequently spend too much time trying to get an assignment “just right.” To create balance, we set time limits on many assignments, ensuring that students have time for other subjects and activities. By encouraging students to excel, while guiding them to develop realistic expectations, we create a nurturing, supportive atmosphere where students are free to reach their full potential without undue pressure and stress. Gifted children may seem mature beyond their years, but it’s important to remember that they are still children. In most cases, a student’s emotional age is roughly the same as his or her chronological age. That’s why we place as much emphasis on social and emotional development as we do on academic progress. Whether a student is naturally shy or extroverted, we encourage every student to be proud of his or her accomplishments, in a way that is considerate of others. We use the Character Counts! program, which is based on six pillars that are vital to a child’s development: respect, responsibility, fairness, trustworthiness, caring and citizenship. Each month during the school year, we focus on one of the six pillars. Visitors to The Rhoades School often comment on the lively, yet polite, nature of students’ discussions – not only in the classroom, but in the halls and playgrounds as well. From day one, we work to support those values in our students. We provide a structured environment where conflicts are resolved through discussion and reflection. Working with teachers and with each other, Rhoades students learn that good decisions lead to good results, both in school and in the world. |
