Ask The Experts: Why Would All-Day Gifted Curriculums Be Better For Some Children?

Q: Why would an all-day gifted curriculum program be better for a child than a pull-out program at his or her local school district?

A: “If they are a gifted learner, they’re going to be a gifted learner throughout their entire day, not just for an enrichment hour here and there,” says Tara Schmitt, head of school at Menlo Park Academy. “And so having an all-day program really allows us to address their interest in increased challenges and ability to go deeper in particular subjects or spend a longer period of time on a topic. But it also allows us to address some of the social and emotional needs of gifted learners, because they’re in an environment where not just the curriculum, but the entire program, is designed around their needs. It’s cool for them to be a little geeky, or a little bit more intense.