I would like DS to turn down HGC. Husband thinks I'm crazy!

[Anonymous]

DS is happy at his home school and isn't eager to switch given that most of his friends didn't get in. His friends who are staying at our neighborhood school are, IMHO, just as smart as he is and I think it's just luck that he got in and they didn't. DS is smart but not genius-level smart like some of the other kids we've met who are at HGCs and has never complained of being bored at his home school, which is considered to be very strong.

My husband agrees with the above. But he thinks this is an amazing opportunity for DS to be exposed to a really challenging curriculum and to have a highly motivated peer group. He is very insistent that DS go to the HGC.

I say let DS stay where he feels comfortable. He'll have plenty of opportunity to be "challenged" when he gets older.

I'd love to hear from others who have made the decision to stay at their home schools instead of going to an HGC. Were you happy with your decision?

[Anonymous]

I am having the same dilemma!

[Anonymous]

You'll probably be fine either way. My older child went to our HGC and though fourth grade was difficult in part because of the teacher's style, fifth grade was amazing. We had almost kept our child in our home school, then nearly transferred back after the first semester of fourth grade, but kept at it. Our child had been bored in the home school, but is very social and missed friends terribly. That said, the HGC turned out well in the end. Our younger child has now been admitted, and we are leaning toward staying at our home school, in part because this child isn't the type to embrace the hours of homework required every week. It also depends on which school you'll be going to. There were other factors for us unrelated to the HGC, like lousy recess and lunchtime policies, that we felt unduly restricted what little free time students have at school. YMMV.

[Anonymous]

Which HGC are you talking about? Do you think some are better than others?

[Anonymous]

I didn't even bother to apply. DH were on the same page. Our kid is smart, and likes her home school. We feel the HGC curriculum was not so outstanding our kid would miss out on anything. Plus, the complications of getting to and from the HGC... all told..we're good staying put.

[Anonymous]

I think you are crazy too. It is a wonderful opportunity.

My child went to the HGC and it was fantastic for him. He is in a magnet middle school now and doing great. His friend turned down the HGC for the same reasons you cite and the friend's mom told me recently that it was a major mistake. He is a regular middle school now (not admitted to magnet), and bored silly.

[Anonymous]

I'd let the kid have a significant say in this. Otherwise, motivation won't be there. I know several kids in the program who aren't motivated at all. A lot is their parents' doing.

[Anonymous]

Tough call. I say accept see how he feels in a few months.

[Anonymous]

I'd listen to your child and let that sway you. That said, I was ambivalent too -- we had a strong home school, plenty of smart kids, etc. But, we made the change and he's happy at the HGC. I have found it hard to articulate why I'm so pleased with the center, but I am. Yes, the teachers are strong (one is the best teacher my child has ever had!). Yes, the kids are all ready to learn, explore, discuss, etc. But it seems to be more than the sum of its parts in our experience. Something about the program has taken my smart child (no smarter than her brother who stayed at the home school!) - and kicked her up a notch in terms of maturity, curiosity, and personal responsibility. She was always the "best" student in the class and never had to work hard. Here, she's challenged and always "pushed" by the peer group and the teachers (not in terms of pressure, but in terms of wanting to be part of the learning).

Ultimately, your child needs to be happy and that can happen at the home school or at the center. I'm a very happy parent at our home school, but there is something special about these centers that's hard to describe until you are there.

Also, a note of caution: other parents at the home school are sometimes very odd when they find our you are looking at the center. Some get very competitive/jealous and want to down-talk the center, so be aware about that dynamic and make your decision based on your own gut.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Tough call. I say accept see how he feels in a few months.

+1

Give it one quarter, at least. He can always return to the home school. But if he turns it down now, he cannot change his mind later.

IMO friends should not be a driving force for this decision.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Tough call. I say accept see how he feels in a few months.

+1

Give it one quarter, at least. He can always return to the home school. But if he turns it down now, he cannot change his mind later.

IMO friends should not be a driving force for this decision.

Once you try the HGC for a quarter, you will not want to leave. I have only heard of one child who wanted to go back to home school in our current HGC and that happened several years ago.

[Anonymous]

You are denying your child the opportunity to have to really work hard. It is SO important to learn how to struggle and be challenges. Best ever learning opportunity is wen you are the small fish in the bigger pond, not the other way around.

My son steadfastly refused to leave his school to transfer to a new program. He really wanted to stay with his friends and he loved his school. He never claimed boredom. We made him go anyway. He LOVES it and has completely changed his tune. New school is the best ever and he likes it so much more than old school. He has made new friends who really "get" him. And, for the first time, he is learning how to be wrong and how to work through a challenge. No regrets sending him to new school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
My son steadfastly refused to leave his school to transfer to a new program. He really wanted to stay with his friends and he loved his school. He never claimed boredom. We made him go anyway. He LOVES it and has completely changed his tune. New school is the best ever and he likes it so much more than old school. He has made new friends who really "get" him. And, for the first time, he is learning how to be wrong and how to work through a challenge. No regrets sending him to new school.

we could have written this, same for our DS (although the initial adjustment was hard)

[Anonymous]

remind him that if he doesn;t like it he is allowed to change his mind and go back to his old school at any time.

[Anonymous]

He can try it and go back to his home school if he doesn't like it. Just like another poster said. Kids do it all the time. My friend's daughter is an absolute genius. She went one year and came back the next. She couldn't have been happier. Her needs were met at her home school (even though she got into the highly gifted program)