TALENT PROGRAMME

The SCGS Talent Programme stretches the potential of pupils and provides opportunities for them to achieve personal excellence.

Desired Outcomes
The school values of sincerity, courage, generosity and service anchor our vision and mission. They have given us a treasured heritage of 112 years and nurtured many outstanding women of character and relevance, who are trailblazers in their respective fields.  Among them are Ms Yong Ying-I (Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health), Mrs Ow Foong Pheng (Second Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Trade and Industry), Dr Susan Lim (the first liver transplant surgeon in Singapore), Miss Euleen Goh (Chairman, Singapore International Foundation; Chairperson, Accounting Standards Council) and Ms Ang Bee Lian (CEO, National Council of Social Service).

The SCGS Talent Programme builds on the school values and develops pupils in the Five Minds for the Future advocated by Professor Howard Gardner. Based on Renzulli’s Schoolwide Enrichment Framework, the SCGS Talent programme emphasizes the development of pupils to become

• passionate and self-directed learners (disciplined individuals)
• effective communicators (synthesizing individuals)
• critical and creative thinkers (creative individuals)
• effective, innovative and self-driven workers with integrity (ethical individuals)
• servant leaders with personal mastery (respectful individuals)

Key Features
Aimed at providing academic breadth and depth, the SCGS Talent Programme has the following features, gleaned from the best practices in curriculum development:

• Infusion of character development and social-emotional learning into academic subjects to nurture social responsibility, ethical judgment and a positive and mature self-concept.
• Concept teaching for enduring understanding of disciplines using the Understanding by Design Framework to ensure academic rigour, critical analysis, and complex and abstract thinking.
• Meaningful real-world application to contemporary issues for deep learning and authentic experience.
• Constructivist approach to inquiry, knowledge creation and problem-solving.
• Individual interest-driven learning pathways for self-empowerment.
• Differentiated and responsive instruction according to pupils’ interests, readiness and learning styles.

Accelerated Curriculum 
The SCGS Talent Programme provides a broad spectrum of differentiated programmes to cater to varying abilities and interests. Spiralling from core to elective and from fundamental to advanced these customized programmes are designed to bring out the best in every student. In particular, the Talent Programme provides an accelerated curriculum for gifted pupils. The highlights of the accelerated curriculum include:

• SC Young Scholars’ Academy (SCYS Academy) aims to nurture students who show special skill and talent in one of the following areas: Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Creative Writing.
  

The SC Young Scholars’ Academy for Mathematics and Physics caters to pupils who demonstrate extraordinary mathematical ability and passion for Mathematics and Science. It cultivates a spirit of inquiry and provides a platform for pupils to scale new heights in Mathematics and Physics. Lessons are pitched at a high level, thus developing each pupil’s capacity to study concepts in greater depth, breadth and complexity. Through this dynamic programme, pupils are inspired to learn beyond the core curriculum, and are thus prepared for academic pursuits at the advanced level.

• Advanced Academic Studies to prepare pupils for post-secondary education, e.g. Electronics, Mechanics (Kinematics and Dynamics), Molecular Genetics, Spectroscopy & Chromatography, Applied Geometry, Graphic Calculators and Spatial Visualisation Using Geographical Information System.
• Enhanced Language Studies to prepare pupils for communication with the global community, e.g. Language Arts, Debating Skills, Media Studies, Southeast Asian Languages, Stanford Writing Programme, Touchstone Mentoring Programme and school-based writing mentorship by local writers, Future Problem-solving and Moot Parliament.
• Independent Research Studies allow pupils to undertake authentic research projects in specialised fields mentored by renowned scientists and researchers, e.g. Science Mentorship Programme, Our Pet Project, Odyssey of the Mind, Future Problem Solving, Creative Arts Programme and Innovation Programme.
• Social or Entrepreneurship Programmes to inculcate social entrepreneurship and environmental responsibility, e.g. LYRICS, Business at School and Apprenticeship-Internship programme, Junior Achivement Programme.
• Interdisciplinary Studies integrate the essential knowledge and skills of different disciplines, e.g. physical, social and cultural studies with research and fieldwork in the UK with the Field Studies Council, humanities-language arts and literature-science projects.
• Interactive Digital Media Studies for the IT savvy, e.g. creative game design, digital animation, podcasting, robotics and 3-D animation. 
• General Interest-based modules e.g. fashion design, jewellery design, digital art & graphics, hospitality services, public speaking, media literacy, merchandising and sculpturing.
• Aesthetic and Performing Arts e.g. world class CCA groups like dance, choir and debate which develop poise and confidence in communication.
• Character and Leadership Education offers a comprehensive programme which includes Outdoor Education, Social Entrepreneurial Enterprise, Effective Communication, Internationalization Studies and global service-learning programmes. All pupils attend the National Young Women Leaders’ Conference at least once in two years.

We endeavour to develop a global outlook in pupils and believe in providing them with authentic learning opportunities. Thus, the accelerated programme ensures that every gifted pupil participates in overseas curriculum field studies and exchange programmes. These help them gain a deeper appreciation of the various academic disciplines and cultural, economic and social diversity.

The accelerated programme promotes Student Initiated Activities as an extension of authentic learning experiences. Pupils initiate activities in school or engage the local or global communities through service-learning projects and internships. Examples include the Open Little Eyes (OLE) Symposium, SC Model United Nations Conference (SCMUN), Young Docents Programme (YDP) and Leading Youths in Research & Inquiry into Community & Society (LYRICS) Programme. These deepen their understanding of real-world issues and promote the application of methodology from  the academic disciplines. Through these activities, we aim to nurture autonomous and creative problem-solvers who are world-ready, compassionate and confident. 

Enhanced Project Work
Project Work in SCGS is a vehicle used to drive Talent Development in the school. It aims to nurture Creative Productive Giftedness which is characterized as production of original materials that can purposefully address a target audience. Bearing in mind the diversity of the pupils in interests and ability, the SCGS PW framework is wide-ranging yet inclusive.

All Secondary One pupils do research on the different aspects of Peranakan culture through the Malacca field trip. For Secondary Two and Three pupils, PW is offered at Type II or Type III level according to Renzulli’s School Enrichment Model. At the basic level, PW is pursued at Type II level as Our Pet Projects (OPP). Pupils can choose to research on any topic that they are intensely interested in. In Type III activities pupils play the role of first-hand investigators to pursue advanced content that yields a purposeful product meant to benefit a target audience. Projects of this nature are classified as Special Projects. Some examples of Special Projects offered this year are the Business@School, Science Mentorship Programme, Humanities Research Programme and the Innovation Programme. 
 

Enhanced Enrichment Programme
To further extend pupils’ learning beyond the standard curriculum offered by the MOE, SCGS offers pupils a wide range of enrichment modules through its Enhanced Enrichment Programme held in May every year.

The Enrichment modules focus on the development of Howard Gardner’s Five Minds for the Future and is aligned to our belief in a values-based education that emphasizes not just the cognitive but also the affective.
Click here to view programmes offered in 2011.

The SCGS Talent Programme equips pupils with the skills to process, synthesize and create knowledge in the 21st century. By providing academic rigour and allowing pupils to experience a wide range of learning experiences, they are challenged and inspired to achieve their fullest potential.