Parallel Session Proceedings »
3.1.5 Imaginarium: A Holistic Approach Toward Nurturing and Growing Gifted Girls so They Can Flourish
The Imaginarium is a unique initiative catering specifically for gifted girls. Through a strengths-based lens, minds expand and soar. Innovation, curiosity and creativity are encouraged whilst social and emotional capabilities are supported and enhanced. Courses develop participants through a holistic approach, developing gifted girls’ intellectual, social, emotional and vocational domains. These transformative experiences enhance their lives well beyond each course they attend.
Imaginarium courses are open to gifted girls who attend any school in Western Australia from Years 1-9. Gifted girls’ unique characteristics and asynchronous development in relation to their chronological same-age peers often results in the increased likelihood of social and emotional difficulties. Through each course a holistic approach is employed, developing gifted girls’ cognitive, social, emotional and vocational domains. Positive Psychology underpins course content, supporting the positive development of gifted girls’ self-efficacy and self-concept, enhancing their overall state of wellbeing.
The Imaginarium courses stem from participant interests seeing courses range from; animatronics to marine biology, mythological creatures to engineering physicists, the chemistry of skincare to space engineering, biomechanics to architecture, and the art of creative thinking. Rich and flexible pedagogical structures utilising a dynamic model of differentiation provides girls with the opportunity to explore their interests and passions and delve deep into topics with like-minded peers. Interests are garnered through feedback questionnaires on conclusion of each course. STEM subjects are prominent in the girls’ responses, in topics they are curious about. New friendships establish and grow during the courses, with each girl encouraged and supported in being her unique self.
Gifted children start considering their career options earlier than their peers. A vocational education aspect is included in courses to introduce gifted girls to a range of career types, with each course incorporating an experiential learning component. Incursions or excursions with experts in their field are included with ample time for participants to ask questions they wonder about.
The Imaginarium provides opportunities for gifted girls in Years 7-12 from the School to contribute as a student mentor through each course. A mentoring programme, Girl Guardians, for gifted girls in Years 5 and 6 at the School along with alumni was developed, running in the evenings during Terms 2 and 3. Participatory action research conducted through the mentoring programme has identified positive development in each girls’ cognitive, social and emotional domains through participation in the programme.
The Imaginarium continues to grow and provide opportunities for gifted girls to flourish.