The Importance of Creative Learning for Students in Our Gifted Summer Programs

Creative learning encompasses a number of educational experiences that are designed to give students problem-based and hands-on learning participation to foster their independent and creative ways of thinking. We work to uncover, nurture, and grow your child’s natural gifts here at Summer Institute for the Gifted.

We are determined to help give our students the opportunity to grow in the ways they deserve through the continuation of creative learning experiences. We understand that academic success comes from time spent learning in the classroom as well as productive, engaging interactions outside of the classroom. Continue reading to learn more about how SIG prioritizes creative learning!

Our academic programs are offered at high-level universities across the United States, including UCLA, UC Berkeley, and Yale University. We are always looking for new ways to improve our curriculum, and have added some exciting new courses that help foster student self-exploration. For example, a new offering at UCLA is Creative Engineering and Robotics. This engaging new program unleashes student creativity through the use of craft materials to build a personally meaningful robot through the creative engineering of craft and recycled supplies. 

Another new course offered as part of our summer enrichment programs at UCLA is Cancel Culture: Should Society be Judge and Jury? In this course, students explore topics on Cancel Culture in terms of its evolution, cultural implications, and influences. Whether students are engineering robots, analyzing common societal trends, or investigating microbiology, they are given the liberty to explore their interests in a creative and supportive environment. Developing their own views and understandings of important, relevant topics allows them to grow personally as they also find academic success.

With this newfound personal growth students experience through the self-exploration opportunities found throughout their courses, many students are able to grow their confidence. Being able to explore their passions and form their own ideas about their course topics teaches students the importance of their own voice and personal expression. Understanding the value that comes with individuality and the great ideas that each student brings to the table is an opportunity for every student to learn from themselves and one another. 

Personal growth is a big part of our programs, which foster independence through these methods of creative learning, as well as other valuable life skills. Students learn time management, self-directed studying, and goal-setting as they work to meet course requirements and stick to their schedules on and off-campus. Gaining this independence and having this level of accountability helps to further develop their self-confidence, and improve their problem-solving and teamwork skills.

Gifted summer programs at SIG aren’t designed to benefit the students solely during the 2- or 3-week time period that they are actively enrolled in the sessions. At SIG, we make sure that the skills, lessons, and course material learned will benefit our students beyond our summer programs. Courses like The Eloquent Orator and Discrete Mathematics equip students with elevated knowledge in communication, public speaking, and mathematics that will help them throughout the year as they complement the demands of their regular school programs.

Feeling a sense of accomplishment from SIG course completion, combined with the skills, experiences, and lessons learned in the program will give students a new level of confidence as they start to seek out their ideal colleges. SIG helps students explore possible career options and helps them identify what their dream post-secondary path could be through a multidisciplinary STEAM+ approach that builds on students’ strengths and passions. At SIG, students gain experiences that will benefit them in the future.

Interested in learning more about our talented summer programs?

Contact Summer Institute for the Gifted for more information!