Social and Emotional Needs
To address the social and emotional needs of the gifted children in the Bell School Regional Gifted Center, activities and discussions revolve around team building, self-concept, giftedness, and stress management. Students also participate in school-wide PBIS activities, Second Step lessons, and Responsive Classroom practices.
In addition, each class in the gifted center is paired with a buddy class. For example, first graders are paired with fifth graders. During the first weeks of school, fifth grade students help the younger children navigate their new surroundings (e.g., preparing to go home, finding the right bus). As the school year progresses, buddy activities include writing to each other, helping each other with projects, and taking field trips together. The first and fifth grades maintain this buddy relationship through the next three years, as second and sixth graders, third and seventh graders, and fourth and eighth graders. When eighth graders graduate, fourth graders also graduate--to being fifth graders, and the older buddies to the newest class of first graders.
Bell School has adopted the Responsive Classroom approach to teaching. Details about the program can be found at www.responsiveclassroom.org.