Norwood for student working several grade-leves ahead?

[Anonymous]

It is exactly the K-3 years that seem especially problemmatic for kids who are so far off the spectrum at such an early age - and this would apply to practically every school option in the area.

Yes, I agree. Every school option in the area.

I did mean the strength of non-English/non-math parts of the curriculum (art, music, language, science, PE) that can be found at most strong private schools in the area. But I also meant the community and social aspects of the school environment - which I think can vary more widely across local private schools.

People will object to this, but when I reached out to parents of unusually advanced kids, through GTA Letters and private sites, a number of them told me that Norwood, GDS, and St Anselm's were the best privates for the brightest kids, because they offer some differentiation and other accommodations and also because there are some similar kids at these schools. I've had kids at other schools, and my experience has been that Norwood is a better place for these kids than some other privates in the K-8 years. Because some other parents of similar kids have come to the same conclusion, there is a small population of these kids at Norwood, and this is helpful socially.

As I said in an earlier post, the community is very warm and accepting. On the other hand, at some of the urban schools there are more families with intellectual interests. Norwood has a lot of sports-oriented families who rarely venture into the city for cultural activities. A lot of Norwood parents are more likely to have read People Magazine than Proust. Not that there's anything wrong with that, just saying..

It helps to be athletic at Norwood. Sports are big there. Neither of my kids are athletic, though, and they are still well-liked and have great friends.

I have a feeling I'm still not answering your question. If not, word it differently, I'll give it another shot.

It IS interesting that you note that they found this "one child" in need of accommodations beyond what they would otherwise provide. I wonder how they feel about that in hindsight...if they look back and think they would do it differently...or if they still believe that he was the only one so far that really needed it and they would do it again if they were to start over again (and, of course, if that was actually how that situation came about...) I guess we'll never know.

I'm certain that they feel that they did the right thing for this kid and would do it again. I'm not sure they would do it for another talented kid, though, unless he was as extreme and as obsessed with math, which is too bad.

Do you think your other child was not satisfied at the other school because that child was simply "different" in terms of whether other topics could be stimulating enough to make up for the lack of challenge in the English/Math arenas? Or do you think there was something different about the other school in terms of atmosphere or environment that had an impact?


No, it didn't have to do with differences in atmosphere or environment. If I say more, I'll get attacked.

[Anonymous]

to 13:56 - you are definitely answering my questions and are very helpful. Sorry if I left you feeling otherwise.

You have me very curious why you would be attacked for answering the last one though (smiling). I wouldn't want this topic to go off the rails like so many others, so I will let it drop. But I guess I can take a wild guess from the hot-button topics on this forum.

Yet...on that note, I do have two questions that may be "safer" and are probably more targeted at helping me anyway. (1) Do you think your other child would have been equally unsatisfied at Norwood as they were at the other school? (2) And, in hindsight, do you think there would have been any other school that would have been better suited for that child?

Interesting report on the parental community - I guess I wouldn't have expected that on average. But that's okay - I like both Proust and People I can go with the flow and hope my child will be someone who can too! Plus - it's the presence of peers for my child (both academic and social) that matters more to me. And as a part of the parental community, it'd be a bonus to have some families who face similar challenges.

As for the sports side - is it really okay to not be so great at sports as a boy at Norwood? Do they do a good job at dealing with teasing there? (for sports and in general)

[Anonymous]

1) Yes 2) No. The truth is that some kids need radical acceleration or homeschooling. Unfortunately, when you say this on DCUM, some people on this board howl with indignation, demand proof and then don't look at the references you suggest, call you a liar, or tell you that they are a professor, which means they know you're wrong. The very posters who are most obsessed with the topic of extreme intellect are regrettably the most resistant to learning about it.

I think Norwood does a good job of dealing with bullying and teasing, a better job than other schools my kids have attended. Some parents wouldn't agree with me, but they might if they had experience with other schools. My kids have never been bullied or teased, despite some differences that might invite bullying.

Yes, it's okay not to play sports. There are bright, geeky boys who hate sports at Norwood, and I've seen boys who are great athletes come up and give them hugs, even in 7th and 8th grade. There is a wonderful outdoor education/fitness program for kids who don't like team sports. Non-sporty types also connect through theater, Model UN, etc.

Norwood is more sports-oriented than the urban schools, though. Your boy won't be bullied or friendless if he doesn't play sports at Norwood, but he would have a broader social group if he did. Brainy, non-athletes tend to be looked up to and well-liked there, but that's not the same as being popular. The most popular boys tend to be the athletes, like at any school, but, imo, more so than at an urban school like GDS.

[Anonymous]

Thanks again 15:15 - very very helpful....

Hopefully you don't get push back on the "details" you provided after answering 1 and 2 - b/c your yes/no answers were enough for me to understand

I guess we'll wait and see where we might end up on this jouney...but you (and others) have been very helpful.

It's nice when this board "works" in connecting people who can help each other....

[Anonymous]

Glad to be of help. If you've already applied to Norwood, wait until your dc is accepted, and then ask AD to put you in touch with parents of similar kids. Do same for other schools. Might help you with your decision.

You might want to look at The Oneness Family School, too, in spite of its cringe-inducing name.

[Anonymous]

Thanks again...more useful advice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: The truth is that some kids need radical acceleration or homeschooling. Unfortunately, when you say this on DCUM, some people on this board howl with indignation, demand proof and then don't look at the references you suggest, call you a liar, or tell you that they are a professor, which means they know you're wrong. The very posters who are most obsessed with the topic of extreme intellect are regrettably the most resistant to learning about it.

Hmm, you don't think that maybe your style of argumentation contributes to this hostile response?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
I reached out to parents of unusually advanced kids, through GTA Letters and private sites, a number of them told me that Norwood, the best privates for the brightest kids, because they offer some differentiation and other accommodations

Could you please explain how these children in K- 3 are accommodated? The school explained to me that outliers would not be moved to higher grade classes for any particular subject to acommodate an individual's needs. These children are limited to their same grade level classroom for all subjects.

[Anonymous]

Norwood ability groups for math and reading. There are something like 5 groups per grade for both these subjects, maybe more, not sure.

No, an outlier would not be moved to work with older kids, but the kids in the highest ability groups work above grade level. The ability grouping for math doesn't start until 1st grade, I think.

The kids aren't ability grouped for other subjects, although at the MS level there are honors classes for foreign languages.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: The truth is that some kids need radical acceleration or homeschooling. Unfortunately, when you say this on DCUM, some people on this board howl with indignation, demand proof and then don't look at the references you suggest, call you a liar, or tell you that they are a professor, which means they know you're wrong. The very posters who are most obsessed with the topic of extreme intellect are regrettably the most resistant to learning about it.

Hmm, you don't think that maybe your style of argumentation contributes to this hostile response?

Seriously. There are some posters who are extremely invested in how they think exceptional kids should be educated and, if you dare to disagree, they will tell you that you obviously your own kid is merely gifted, or HG. They refuse to accept evidence, even personal anecdotes, from posters who say they are PG and yet have done well in a normal school environment by finding their own opportunities - because this goes against their unshakable beliefs that it's impossible for a PG kid to do well anywhere but in homeschooling.

[Anonymous]

It's not about doing well by your standards. It's about what is well by the kid's standards. Your standard may fall short for the kid though more than admirable for you.

[Anonymous]

21:14 Nobody in this thread has said that "it's impossible of a pg kid to do well anywhere but in homeschooling."

[Anonymous]

@ 19:29 - just curious whether any school other than publics that has said they would accommodate k-3 kids by moving them to a higher grade class for a subject? It seemed to me that Norwood's breakdown into 5 groups was more than other schools and that at some progressives there was an option for some personalized stretch work - but none that accelerated much. I got the sense that even our local public would not accelerate a K kid who arrived doing 2nd-3rd grade math.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: The truth is that some kids need radical acceleration or homeschooling. Unfortunately, when you say this on DCUM, some people on this board howl with indignation, demand proof and then don't look at the references you suggest, call you a liar, or tell you that they are a professor, which means they know you're wrong. The very posters who are most obsessed with the topic of extreme intellect are regrettably the most resistant to learning about it.

Hmm, you don't think that maybe your style of argumentation contributes to this hostile response?

Seriously. There are some posters who are extremely invested in how they think exceptional kids should be educated and, if you dare to disagree, they will tell you that you obviously your own kid is merely gifted, or HG. They refuse to accept evidence, even personal anecdotes, from posters who say they are PG and yet have done well in a normal school environment by finding their own opportunities - because this goes against their unshakable beliefs that it's impossible for a PG kid to do well anywhere but in homeschooling.

Don't forget:

-- It's all about me and my brave struggles/martyrdom complex -- nobody else's experience is worth two cents.
-- Any conversation about giftedness and highly gifted kids must be changed to a conversation about my PG kid.
-- Sense of entitlement: all schools owe accommodation to my 99.99998 pctile kid.
-- Homeschooling is the answer to everything. There are no downsides to homeschooling. If you disagree about homeschooling, see my first point above about how nobody else's experience is worth two cents.
-- Here, have five links to Hoagies that supposedly prove that your own experience isn't worth two cents.
-- If you don't understand my position, then obviously your kid is "merely" HG. See the first point about how your nobody else's experience is worth two cents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's not about doing well by your standards. It's about what is well by the kid's standards. Your standard may fall short for the kid though more than admirable for you.

OMG, do you ever listen to yourself? Please, re-read your post and see if you don't think it's ludicrous.