What We Teach

Brilliant Minds Enrichment Programs are unique after school programs for ALL students in grades K-7. When we say "ALL students" we mean it. Every child qualifies for this program because every child is Brilliant. Our job is to help them discover their unique Brilliance while they enjoy their friends and participate in fun and engaging lessons.

We offer courses after school at schools in Broward County. Click on your school's name under Programs to find schedules, courses offered, and costs. Don't see your school? Call us to learn more about home school programs and locally organized groups.

Courses are taught on campus, after school, twice per week by education professionals in groups of 10 - 12 students. Each course is one semester long and is compromised of varying components to meet the needs of your unique child.

What We Teach

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Builds skills and strategies necessary to practice values of character education. Direct teaching and application of skills in Emotional Intelligence (EQ) boost children's abilities in empathy, impulse control, problem solving, and emotion management.The core of Brilliant Minds Enrichment Programs are lessons in SEL. SEL is the process of developing findamental skills for life effectiveness. SEL teachers teach skills that humans need to manage themselves and relationships and to work effectively an efficiently (CASEL, 2009). Learn more...

Benefits: Improves Language Arts and Literacy Skills. Increases self-confidence and self-responsibility.

Play:Recess is the ultimate teaching time in Brilliant Minds. Children are challenged to apply SEL skills in the heat of the moment on the playground. They are gently guided to recognize their self-responsibility within a conflict and encouraged to solve problems independently.

Benefits: Achieve optimal results from peer relationships. Enhance critical thinking and problem solving skills.

Homework: Teacher circulates the room providing personalized one-on-one or peer assistance with homework. Each day, teachers review planners individually with each student.

Benefits: Strengthen communication between home and school. Professional assistance with homework.

 Life Skills:   Each course offers a blend of life skills which include nutrition, financial literacy, and leadership. Check the course outlines to see which life skills are offered.   

Financial Literacy exposes kids to budgets, spending plans, and allocating allowance into spending categories. Students set personal financial goals and learn the importance of giving.

Benefits: Upgrade Math lessons to life-long skills. Inspire responsible decision-making with money, finance and budgeting.

Nutrition teaches students Health, Science, and Math as they cook with fresh ingredients. Students gain tips for healthy eating and are inspired to become brilliant chefs. They gain experience converting units of measure, observing chemical and physical changes, and reading tables on food labels.

Benefits: Boost Science and Math abilities. Develop curiosity of healthy eating habits.

Leadership teaches students to examine leadership qualities in themselves and community leaders, set personal goals and write a plan to achieve those goals.

Benefits: Recognize and practice positive traits of leadership within peer groups. Strengthen assertiveness and self-responsibility.

What is SEL?

"SEL programming improved students' academic performance by 11 - 17 percentile points across three (scientific) reviews..." - Payton, et. al, 2008

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) : the process through which children and adults acquire the skills, attitudes, and knowledge to manage and recognize their emotions, set and obtain goals, show concern and care for others, create and sustain positive relationships, demonstrate personal responsibility, and handle interpersonal experiences effectively (Payton et. al., 2008).

Daniel Goleman, author of Emotional Intelligence speaks about the value of SEL.

Daniel Goleman's interview was recorded on December 10, 2007, at the CASEL Forum, an event in New York City that brought together seventy-five global leaders in education and related fields to raise awareness about social and emotional learning (SEL) and introduce important scientific findings related to SEL.

References
Payton, J., Weissburg, R.P., Durlack, J.A., Dymnicki, A.B., Taylor, R.D., Schellinger, K.B., & Pachan, M. (2008). The positive impact of social and emotional learning for kindergarten to eigth grade students: Findings from three scientific reviews. Chicago, IL: Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning.