Humanities at Quest
Humanities is the study of our language, history, and ideas. An interdisciplinary, foundational humanities structure combines English and Social Studies providing a learning environment designed for the interaction of the two disciplines. Humanities expand our knowledge of human cultures and help us understand what binds us together and what differentiates us from one another. Learning is guided by essential questions that provide a clear focus for students and teachers. Passionate engagement by students with the world of opportunities that surrounds them in school develops a tremendous love of learning and the opportunity to develop a clear, thoughtful and engaged sense of voice. Humanities supports gifted students in multiple ways:
- Critical Thinking—The ability to receive and analyze knowledge and to use your creativity to develop innovative solutions to problems.
- Communication—The ability to form unique viewpoints and to express yourself clearly and persuasively in both written and spoken forms.
- Empirical and Quantitative Reasoning—The ability to comprehend and use numerical data to formulate and deliver educated decisions.
- Teamwork—The ability to understand and accept the viewpoints of others and to work collaboratively with them to achieve common goals.
- Personal Responsibility—The ability to see the consequences for your actions and take responsibility for and justify the choices you make.
- Social Responsibility—The ability to see what’s best for society and the world as a whole and to act accordingly.
A STEM focus in Science
A STEM focus in Science seeks to foster inquiring minds, logical reasoning and collaboration skills while seeking to incorporate these seven standards of practice or skill necessary in a STEM program:
- learn and apply content
- integrate content
- interpret and communicate information
- engage in inquiry
- engage in logical reasoning
- collaborate as a team
- apply technology appropriately
Why STEM?
- STEM teaches students to think critically, prepares them for careers and creates professionals that can work across scientific disciplines to solve challenging problems.
- STEM integrates multiple disciplines and trains students to use cross-disciplinary knowledge to solve problems.
- STEM programs promote a learn-by-doing approach. Students participate in real-world projects with real-world consequences.