Has HGC not worked out for your child?

[Anonymous]

And if not, why not? I have a child going into CCES HGC next fall. DS has been incredibly "bored" in his home school. I put quotes because I don't like the whole thing of "my child is so smart that he is bored". But what happens is that he gets his work done quickly and then his teacher allows him to read the rest of the time. So he mostly reads and he isn't engaged in school as a result. I am nervous that the HGC will not be enough of a challenge either. Has that been the case for anyone?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:And if not, why not? I have a child going into CCES HGC next fall. DS has been incredibly "bored" in his home school. I put quotes because I don't like the whole thing of "my child is so smart that he is bored". But what happens is that he gets his work done quickly and then his teacher allows him to read the rest of the time. So he mostly reads and he isn't engaged in school as a result. I am nervous that the HGC will not be enough of a challenge either. Has that been the case for anyone?

My DC loves her classmates, but she is also bored at HGC and very much looking forward to Eastern next year. Compacted math is no challenge and her passion is writing so finds all the reasearch and writing projects to be easy. She is also a fast reader and typer so assignments are completed very quickly. my older DC was at HGC pre 2.0 and the curriculum was much more challenging then. He did not enjoy reading or writing so assignments took him much longer to complete.

[Anonymous]

We left after 4th grade to go back to our home school. There was nothing really extra added and she missed her old school and wanted to be promoted with them. There was also a lot of quirky kids in her HGC class. Not a fun loving social group. The school was lower class and the transportation was way too far. I was very upset we even went thru the hassle. I was in gifted classes in ES and we did debate, frog dissection, algebra word problems, science experiments, etc... Really pushed us to think outside of the box. This was just basic school. Nothing extra. The teacher was really nice though. We did like her more than the 4th grade group at our home school.

[Anonymous]

Seems like your options are staying where you know your child is bored and trying something new..unless private is an option but that might not help above a certain level.

[Anonymous]

My child has had a very positive experience in the HGC. Half has been the more challenging curriculum/teachers and the other half has been the peer group.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My child has had a very positive experience in the HGC. Half has been the more challenging curriculum/teachers and the other half has been the peer group.

Same here. And mine is a "math" kid. Very positive experience.

[Anonymous]

Both our boys benefitted greatly at clearspring. But so so local school was not really at comparable achievement level.

[Anonymous]

Great experience at CCES HGC. This was preC2.0 and pre 4th grade teacher turnover. 5th grade teachers still there are great. One of them even let my DC do individual projects in areas where DC was still far ahead of even HGC peers.

That said, for my DC, the best part of HGC was the peer group -- other really bright kids who worked hard in class, had deep interests (even if those interests weren't the same as my DC's) and who pursued interests even when they might not be cool. Very supportive environment among kids. Now in HS, these HGC friends are still some of DC's closest.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Great experience at CCES HGC. This was preC2.0 and pre 4th grade teacher turnover. 5th grade teachers still there are great. One of them even let my DC do individual projects in areas where DC was still far ahead of even HGC peers.

That said, for my DC, the best part of HGC was the peer group -- other really bright kids who worked hard in class, had deep interests (even if those interests weren't the same as my DC's) and who pursued interests even when they might not be cool. Very supportive environment among kids. Now in HS, these HGC friends are still some of DC's closest.

My child won't go to middle or high school with anyone in HGC. That is a huge issue for me.

[Anonymous]

Why not? S/he can not be the only one from your cluster that is not going to a magnet...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why not? S/he can not be the only one from your cluster that is not going to a magnet...

Their HGC is not in our cluster. There are 4 kids total from her school in her cluster. The other 25 go to 2 other middle schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Great experience at CCES HGC. This was preC2.0 and pre 4th grade teacher turnover. 5th grade teachers still there are great. One of them even let my DC do individual projects in areas where DC was still far ahead of even HGC peers.

That said, for my DC, the best part of HGC was the peer group -- other really bright kids who worked hard in class, had deep interests (even if those interests weren't the same as my DC's) and who pursued interests even when they might not be cool. Very supportive environment among kids. Now in HS, these HGC friends are still some of DC's closest.

My child won't go to middle or high school with anyone in HGC. That is a huge issue for me.

Our child went on to magnet middle school with many HGC peers either at the magnet ms or in the magnet bus. Now, in HS. they have gone different ways but keep in touch and socialize easily. For our DC, the greater problem is going to a boring school rather than not knowing a lot of kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Great experience at CCES HGC. This was preC2.0 and pre 4th grade teacher turnover. 5th grade teachers still there are great. One of them even let my DC do individual projects in areas where DC was still far ahead of even HGC peers.

That said, for my DC, the best part of HGC was the peer group -- other really bright kids who worked hard in class, had deep interests (even if those interests weren't the same as my DC's) and who pursued interests even when they might not be cool. Very supportive environment among kids. Now in HS, these HGC friends are still some of DC's closest.

My child won't go to middle or high school with anyone in HGC. That is a huge issue for me.

Our child went on to magnet middle school with many HGC peers either at the magnet ms or in the magnet bus. Now, in HS. they have gone different ways but keep in touch and socialize easily. For our DC, the greater problem is going to a boring school rather than not knowing a lot of kids.

But HCG is boring. There isn't anything great going on in the classrooms. Having kids that have done both there really isn't a difference. Especially to have to take away so much of their play time to commuting. Peers yes it can be a plus but it all depends on the class. And HGC does not guarantee magnet entrance. Many do not go on Magnet. Either because they didn't get in or the location.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why not? S/he can not be the only one from your cluster that is not going to a magnet...

Their HGC is not in our cluster. There are 4 kids total from her school in her cluster. The other 25 go to 2 other middle schools.

So your child could go to middle or high school with any of those 4 right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Great experience at CCES HGC. This was preC2.0 and pre 4th grade teacher turnover. 5th grade teachers still there are great. One of them even let my DC do individual projects in areas where DC was still far ahead of even HGC peers.

That said, for my DC, the best part of HGC was the peer group -- other really bright kids who worked hard in class, had deep interests (even if those interests weren't the same as my DC's) and who pursued interests even when they might not be cool. Very supportive environment among kids. Now in HS, these HGC friends are still some of DC's closest.

My child won't go to middle or high school with anyone in HGC. That is a huge issue for me.

Our child went on to magnet middle school with many HGC peers either at the magnet ms or in the magnet bus. Now, in HS. they have gone different ways but keep in touch and socialize easily. For our DC, the greater problem is going to a boring school rather than not knowing a lot of kids.

But HCG is boring. There isn't anything great going on in the classrooms. Having kids that have done both there really isn't a difference. Especially to have to take away so much of their play time to commuting. Peers yes it can be a plus but it all depends on the class. And HGC does not guarantee magnet entrance. Many do not go on Magnet. Either because they didn't get in or the location.

Speak for yourself or your HGC, Not the case at my children's HGC.