Profoundly gifted child-which school?

[Anonymous]

unschooling

[Anonymous]

Not knowing where you're from, I can't give you an answer. Some places have good gifted programs, some do basically nothing. Here are some resources you might find helpful.

State Gifted Programs descriptions:

https://www.davidsongifted.org/Search-Database/entryType/3

Hoagies has a wealth of information related to every aspect of raising a gifted child. Here's a page on choosing a school:

http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/choose_school.htm

[Anonymous]

I would treat him like your normal, average-above average kid, because most-likely that’s what he is. I, personally, like private schools that have a very progressive approach. There will be very little academics in kindergarten. There will be lots of play and exploration. Most of the kids will be like yours. There will be no push for early academics or testing. It’s relaxed and fun. Your ds will love school in this environment. You cannot go wrong with this approach unless he has behavioral issues.

[Anonymous]

Another PG adult here (skipped several grades like you), with a PG spouse (went through normal schooling), and a kid who is too young to test properly. Kids are usually within 1 standard deviation (roughly 15 points) of the average of the parents' IQ, though.

I agree with what is your not-quite-stated goal -- to give your kid something resembling a normal childhood, while ensuring that school is not torture for them.

I think there are a ton of different paths that are possible, depending on the personality and orientation of your child, though. There's no one schooling answer, or parenting answer in general.

For instance, you could have a kid who is happy coasting through school because s/he is perfectly happy treating it as a social experience that they daydream through, and their real learning takes place outside of school, or with a focus on an extracurricular activity. In that case, you'd probably be best off at a school that is play-based for as long as possible, and then doesn't burden kids with a lot of academic busywork, and that has bright peers. That is more likely to be private than public.

Or maybe you have a kid with an intense thirst for knowledge and an introverted personality who wants a lot of academic challenge. In that case you're probably going to end up seeing if one of the local gifted schools is viable. If not, you will probably end up homeschooling.

And those are just two possibilities out of many. It all really depends on your kid. Keep in mind that their needs may change over time, too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Another PG adult here (skipped several grades like you), with a PG spouse (went through normal schooling), and a kid who is too young to test properly. Kids are usually within 1 standard deviation (roughly 15 points) of the average of the parents' IQ, though.

I agree with what is your not-quite-stated goal -- to give your kid something resembling a normal childhood, while ensuring that school is not torture for them.

I think there are a ton of different paths that are possible, depending on the personality and orientation of your child, though. There's no one schooling answer, or parenting answer in general.

For instance, you could have a kid who is happy coasting through school because s/he is perfectly happy treating it as a social experience that they daydream through, and their real learning takes place outside of school, or with a focus on an extracurricular activity. In that case, you'd probably be best off at a school that is play-based for as long as possible, and then doesn't burden kids with a lot of academic busywork, and that has bright peers. That is more likely to be private than public.

Or maybe you have a kid with an intense thirst for knowledge and an introverted personality who wants a lot of academic challenge. In that case you're probably going to end up seeing if one of the local gifted schools is viable. If not, you will probably end up homeschooling.

And those are just two possibilities out of many. It all really depends on your kid. Keep in mind that their needs may change over time, too.

Sounds like OP has common sense as well as being PG.

I'd like to add (as not PG--but fairly intelligent) that learning to handle a little boredom is not a bad skill to have. It allows time to think--and, not waste away posting on DCUM like some of us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Another PG adult here (skipped several grades like you), with a PG spouse (went through normal schooling), and a kid who is too young to test properly. Kids are usually within 1 standard deviation (roughly 15 points) of the average of the parents' IQ, though.

I agree with what is your not-quite-stated goal -- to give your kid something resembling a normal childhood, while ensuring that school is not torture for them.

I think there are a ton of different paths that are possible, depending on the personality and orientation of your child, though. There's no one schooling answer, or parenting answer in general.

For instance, you could have a kid who is happy coasting through school because s/he is perfectly happy treating it as a social experience that they daydream through, and their real learning takes place outside of school, or with a focus on an extracurricular activity. In that case, you'd probably be best off at a school that is play-based for as long as possible, and then doesn't burden kids with a lot of academic busywork, and that has bright peers. That is more likely to be private than public.

Or maybe you have a kid with an intense thirst for knowledge and an introverted personality who wants a lot of academic challenge. In that case you're probably going to end up seeing if one of the local gifted schools is viable. If not, you will probably end up homeschooling.

And those are just two possibilities out of many. It all really depends on your kid. Keep in mind that their needs may change over time, too.

+1
I would think in terms of future flexibility and access to a variety of different types of programs. I'd pick the well-regarded public high school, preferably over 2000 kids, which seems to have a lot of different activities going on - sports, drama, music, clubs, etc. (That's how I filled my time and interests in high school - lots of activities going on.) If you can be near a good community college, then your child has the option for extended academic learning, if they wish.

[Anonymous]

I would relocate for an appropriate school

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Check out Davidson school in Denver.

Op here. Thank you! This looks promising!

How did you know OP is in Denver? Did I miss that in her post?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Check out Davidson school in Denver.

Op here. Thank you! This looks promising!

How did you know OP is in Denver? Did I miss that in her post?

Deductive reasoning (re-read op). Plus, Davidson has an online option that’s worth considering even if you’re not near Denver.

[Anonymous]

My nephew is profoundly gifted and the reality is that no school is going to be what they need. He was so far ahead of the material and he really struggled socially as he talked like an adult and his interests were completely irrelevant to young kids. It ididn't matter if it was public, private or otherwise. He was too outside the range of normal for any curriculum or teacher to be able to challenge him.

My brother and sister in law chose not to accelerate him but they sometimes wonder if that was the right decision. Finally in high school he started to make friends and he had learned a bit more on to relate to people on their level and to find shared interests. He took online classes from a university throughout high school in an effort to keep him intellectually stimulated.

Being profoundly gifted for him has certainly meant a very hard life. Anytime you are too different from others, it comes with challenges. Academically he will breeze through anything but life as a whole has been very very hard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Check out Davidson school in Denver.

Op here. Thank you! This looks promising!

How did you know OP is in Denver? Did I miss that in her post?

Op here, I’m not in Denver but Davidson institute has resources nationwide.

[Anonymous]

Our eldest son was "profoundly gifted" at least off the charts for the school he was in (reading at 2, simple multiplication before his 3rd bday and a real gift/aptitude for foreign languages before he entered kindergarten he could speak 3 fluently ) Eventually a small local private created a small intimate program for kids like him that was subsidized through a tremendous grant by an anonymous donor.
My son stayed there until 8th grade then had to transfer to a private high school which he finished in 2 years. Going into college 2 years younger than everyone at first was difficult but eventually the gap narrowed and he found his group readily as he attended a school where such kids were pretty commonplace.
If you can find a special program geared towards addressing someone who is well above his age intellectually, pursue it until you find the right fit. It took us some time and some serious advocating but the experience and foundation he was given I believe created a very strong start to a successful academic career. There is no one path, it's just important to find that one path that is right for your child. How old is your child? I may have missed that.

[Anonymous]

It depends on the level of overcrowding in your public schools. However, a good private school (particularly for the early years) will have small classes and 2 lead teachers which allow the teachers to really assess the child's strengths and weaknesses. They will work one on one with your kid to challenge them at their individual level while also allowing your kid to learn in a normal environment with their peers which is critical to avoiding social issues. Even profoundly gifted kids will have some weaknesses (fine motor, gross motor, social, etc.). This would be the best way to balance of the issues you have raised.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Move to any flagship research university college town and send him to where the faculty kids go. They will all be extremely intellectual. That was my background, and I think it's funny what passes for gifted here in DC.

Eh, my DC goes to such a school (not in DC). At least half are faculty kids (the school is connected to the university). The kids are bright on the whole, but as far as I can tell, not in a way that's any different from any other school serving an UMC educated population.

[Anonymous]

I would settle in an area with a high number of parents with advanced degrees, whether a university town or Bethesda.