Which school best supports children who are advanced academically?

[Anonymous]

OP again: Friends, you are right it is an open forum. It is certainly your right to keep posting nasty little snipes and fill your time that way. I "closed' the thread because it appeared there was a consensus and it did not seem like anything new and interesting was going to filter in. The consensus has largely been that with an advanced child, one needs to go to MoCO or Northern Virginia. The top private schools are less than worthless in helping advanced students. A few posters are now coming out with some other opinions, but the majority stands by my summation above. If there is nothing more to add then there is no need to carry on further. (But you certainly can keep posting if you would like to do so.)

If any parents do post whose kids go to Beauvoir, Maret, Sidwell or GDS, please provide the name of the school and details on how the school goes about meeting (or not meeting) different needs. Thank you.

[Anonymous]

OP: It's an open forum, you don't get to "close the thread" because you're not getting the answers you want. Your attitude is completely obnoxious. Unless you are Jeff posting anonymously (which I doubt), you have no power to close the thread.

Done.

[Anonymous]

I think the real answer is whether the child at issue is really just a very bright kid or some super genius kid. This town is filled with dozens of super smart kids. Most of the kids attending the top private schools are very bright so, by its nature, the entire class is advanced to various degrees. The private schools also do some differentiating by dividing into small groups. Some do this more formally, some less so. For hopefully obvious reasons, the schools play this low key with the kids. Norwood does this more formally, for math and reading. Kids do move between groups as their needs evolve.

[Anonymous]

I think the real answer is whether the child at issue is really just a very bright kid or some super genius kid. This town is filled with dozens of super smart kids. Most of the kids attending the top private schools are very bright so, by its nature, the entire class is advanced to various degrees. The private schools also do some differentiating by dividing into small groups. Some do this more formally, some less so. For hopefully obvious reasons, the schools play this low key with the kids. Norwood does this more formally, for math and reading. Kids do move between groups as their needs evolve

.


The OP question posed does not address super genius kids or super smart kids; the inquirer simply wanted to know how 4 private schools handle children that are academically advanced and work above grade level at those particular schools. From your response I gather some will group kids according to ability within their grade level at those schools in question. Therefore, for example, I imagine that capable 2nd and 3rd grade students are pulled out to study pre-algebra (fractions, ratios, proportions, percents and decimals) within their respective grade level?

[Anonymous]

OP,

Do you know about the Johns Hopkins Gifted and Talented Program?

[Anonymous]

Do you know about the Duke TIP program, the Northwestern NUMATS program, the C-MITES program, the Stanford EPGY program and the Davidson Young Scholar Program?

[Anonymous]

GDS parent here. Haven't sent a kid to any of the other schools you mentioned, so this is not a comparison. It's just commentary on our experience with a highly gifted kid who is more language and science-oriented than math-oriented.

On the whole, we've been very happy. In general, major assignments involve enough choice (books, topics, sources) that your DC will set his or her own challenges. Mine decided to do a report on Plato's "Allegory of the Cave" in 4th grade. And chose a sufficiently obscure character for the 5th grade traveling biography project that all of the research involved primary sources or pop-academicy stuff written for adults. In both cases, there was a sort of informed consent process -- where the teacher pointed out the difficulty, asked for a plan, and then said, "ok -- go for it!" In both cases, I thought DC did a great job and DC was excited and engaged throughout. No stress/angst/drama -- just hard work, discovery, a feeling of accomplishment, and ongoing interest in the topics.

There's lots of science from an early age at GDS (starts in PreK) and an emphasis on scientific method. Hands-on projects, reports, field trips, and experiments, broad range of disciplines (biology, earth science, botany, physics, ecology). Some tie-ins to other parts of the curriculum. Basically, science is taught as a way of figuring out the world. For my DC, the effect has been an interest in a career in research.

At the lower school level, math is not differentiated. Some parts are challenging (and therefore fun) for DC -- Continental Math League, logic problems, Math Olympiad have been hits. But the everyday stuff hasn't always been inspiring or challenging and a number of DC's peers have said the same thing. That said, it's clear that at the HS level GDS's curriculum is very challenging (if math's your thing) and that a large cohort (14-18 is the estimate for next year) will make it through a second full year of college level math before they graduate from HS. I'll be curious to see what the bridge from LS to HS looks like and, in retrospect, whether the LS curriculum seems to have been a crucial foundation.

One thing about GDS is that often the process of learning looks effortless. Some parents worry that their kids aren't being pushed hard enough. I don't (in part because I think that with a kid like mine the goal should be to provide tools and get out of the way). What I tend to look at is before and after pictures (what DC could do at the beginning vs. end of the year) and to compare where I was at at the same age. On both measures, I'm very impressed with the education DC is getting. And I think cohort plays a role in that. DC's friends tend to be playfully intellectual, very smart, and good critical thinkers. That's not every GDS kid, but there's certainly a critical mass.

Not every year or teacher is great, but, overall, I can't imagine a better school for my DC.

[Anonymous]

OP,

Do you know about the Johns Hopkins Gifted and Talented Program?



02/05/2010 12:59 Subject: Re:Which school best supports children who are advanced academically?

Anonymous

Do you know about the Duke TIP program, the Northwestern NUMATS program, the C-MITES program, the Stanford EPGY program and the Davidson Young Scholar Program?

I do. Our children participate in all.

[Anonymous]

GDS parent here. Haven't sent a kid to any of the other schools you mentioned, so this is not a comparison. It's just commentary on our experience with a highly gifted kid who is more language and science-oriented than math-oriented.

On the whole, we've been very happy. In general, major assignments involve enough choice (books, topics, sources) that your DC will set his or her own challenges. Mine decided to do a report on Plato's "Allegory of the Cave" in 4th grade. And chose a sufficiently obscure character for the 5th grade traveling biography project that all of the research involved primary sources or pop-academicy stuff written for adults. In both cases, there was a sort of informed consent process -- where the teacher pointed out the difficulty, asked for a plan, and then said, "ok -- go for it!" In both cases, I thought DC did a great job and DC was excited and engaged throughout. No stress/angst/drama -- just hard work, discovery, a feeling of accomplishment, and ongoing interest in the topics.

There's lots of science from an early age at GDS (starts in PreK) and an emphasis on scientific method. Hands-on projects, reports, field trips, and experiments, broad range of disciplines (biology, earth science, botany, physics, ecology). Some tie-ins to other parts of the curriculum. Basically, science is taught as a way of figuring out the world. For my DC, the effect has been an interest in a career in research.

At the lower school level, math is not differentiated. Some parts are challenging (and therefore fun) for DC -- Continental Math League, logic problems, Math Olympiad have been hits. But the everyday stuff hasn't always been inspiring or challenging and a number of DC's peers have said the same thing. That said, it's clear that at the HS level GDS's curriculum is very challenging (if math's your thing) and that a large cohort (14-18 is the estimate for next year) will make it through a second full year of college level math before they graduate from HS. I'll be curious to see what the bridge from LS to HS looks like and, in retrospect, whether the LS curriculum seems to have been a crucial foundation.

One thing about GDS is that often the process of learning looks effortless. Some parents worry that their kids aren't being pushed hard enough. I don't (in part because I think that with a kid like mine the goal should be to provide tools and get out of the way). What I tend to look at is before and after pictures (what DC could do at the beginning vs. end of the year) and to compare where I was at at the same age. On both measures, I'm very impressed with the education DC is getting. And I think cohort plays a role in that. DC's friends tend to be playfully intellectual, very smart, and good critical thinkers. That's not every GDS kid, but there's certainly a critical mass.

Not every year or teacher is great, but, overall, I can't imagine a better school for my DC.

Thanks for your informative post about GDS. The educational flexibility and an approach to tailor and customize appropriate intellectual challenge (intellectual fit) for students with different skill sets, interests and strengths is appreciated. That's worth sending a kid to private school for.

[Anonymous]

I recognize this OP, she posted a few months ago with the same style. In other words, she doesn't realize that DCUM is a "discussion", instead she thinks she can demand answers from willing , and then she gets to "close" the thread when she's done.

From the previous thread, she doesn't live in the DC area, by the way. She's pretty sensitive to people who don't abide by her rules, or who question her motives. And she's pretty much inalterably opposed to public schools (for reasons I don't recall, but I do remember she got a lot of flack because they were superficial).

In short, the public school champions are "barking up the wrong tree".

[Anonymous]

I recognize this OP, she posted a few months ago with the same style. In other words, she doesn't realize that DCUM is a "discussion", instead she thinks she can demand answers from willing , and then she gets to "close" the thread when she's done.

From the previous thread, she doesn't live in the DC area, by the way. She's pretty sensitive to people who don't abide by her rules, or who question her motives. And she's pretty much inalterably opposed to public schools (for reasons I don't recall, but I do remember she got a lot of flack because they were superficial).

In short, the public school champions are "barking up the wrong tree".

Who are you warning and so what?

Join another kernel.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I recognize this OP, she posted a few months ago with the same style. In other words, she doesn't realize that DCUM is a "discussion", instead she thinks she can demand answers from willing , and then she gets to "close" the thread when she's done.

From the previous thread, she doesn't live in the DC area, by the way. She's pretty sensitive to people who don't abide by her rules, or who question her motives. And she's pretty much inalterably opposed to public schools (for reasons I don't recall, but I do remember she got a lot of flack because they were superficial).

In short, the public school champions are "barking up the wrong tree".

OP again. You don't have the same person unfortunately.

A lot of you are convinced that I am opposed to public schools. You don't know me, don't make assumptions. This isn't the correct board to post a specific question about public schools and magnet schools. I will do that separately on the relevant boards. However, if one of the schools I've asked about did not work out for your child who works above grade level, I want to hear which school and the specific ways in which it didn't work out. If your solution was to go to a great public school, tell me about that too and the ways in which it is doing a better job.

It is very useful when people have given carefully thought out responses like the one Beauvoir parent and now a GDS parent. I thank you both immensely.

I am not looking for a specific answers. Just for your experience whatever it was.

For those who think that looking for an answer is not OK, I am fairly confused as I thought that this was one of the reasons why DCUM exists. I am not sure why its helpful to question motives. I have a question. If you have some information that can help answer the question, by all means post away.

[Anonymous]

Not everyone on the board masks their insecurity by peppering their prose with statements about trolling, snarking and ulterior motives. Some do try to answer posed questions without threat to our worldviews even if opinions differ.

My suggestion is not to worry to much about the defensive, insecure and the labile. Keep truckin.

[Anonymous]

The reason OP seeks this type of information here anonymously rather from face-to-face interactions is fairly obvious ...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP: I have heard from others that we should look at MoCO magnets. Thanks to people who've suggested that. I understand that that is an option. In the meantime, we want to explore which of the schools that I've mentioned may do the best job with advanced children. Please respond only if you've dealt with this issue with one of these schools. They may not come close to the magnets, but on this thread, I want to explore only these four schools. I would like to hear from you if YOUR child is advanced above grade level in one or more subject areas, and attends one of these schools. How engaged is the school with your child's learning needs? It would be helpful to me if you told me how old your child is, what the area(s) of advancement is, how the school is dealing with him or her, and whether it gets better as the child ages. Are you pleased with what your child is getting or do you dream of finding the school that will meet his or her needs better?

Sorry, OP, but your tone is really off-putting. You've put so many conditions on who MAY or MAY NOT answer your question that I have no interest in chiming in, even though I do meet the criteria for being "allowed" to comment. Good luck, is all I have to say.