Are any other HGC parents dissatisfied or suspicious about their class?

[Anonymous]

5th grade parent here - I find that the projects are more challenging - they encourage deep thinking, and let each kid take the topic as far as they wish. Just my luck my child wants to go very deep and thorough. You could probably get away with much less. The program is what your child chooses to make of it.

[Anonymous]

I think it's worth it for the peer group alone and for being able to get through the material more quickly.

[Anonymous]

There is a significant difference between the expectations and curriculum in the HGC and our home school. Our home school is actually great about offering pullouts for the most advanced students. The HGC work has been at the same level as the pullout work (which was the part of class my child enjoyed the most while at the home school). The pullouts were only a couple of times a week though rather than all day and all week.

[Anonymous]

Thanks everyone for useful comments.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it's worth it for the peer group alone and for being able to get through the material more quickly.

totally agree.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it's worth it for the peer group alone and for being able to get through the material more quickly.

totally agree.

+1

I think because there are so many smart kids with different strengths that you have to rise to the challenge each day. My DC loves the fact that there are no students who do not do their homework, or disrupt the class. These were issues that used to happen a lot in the home school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:5th grade parent here - I find that the projects are more challenging - they encourage deep thinking, and let each kid take the topic as far as they wish. Just my luck my child wants to go very deep and thorough. You could probably get away with much less. The program is what your child chooses to make of it.

Academically - entirely true. Study skills and time management skills are something that every kid will learn and benefit from this program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP. It is also our observation that HGC curriculum is not that hard. We haven't seen so far anything that would be "challenging". What is different in our opinion is the pace in the classroom which requires very frequent transition from one activity to the next. This may in fact be a bit disadvantegous to a kid who is absorbed by a certain activity.

I think it is due to curriclum 2.0. Acceleration has slowed down but enrichment is still very much a part.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it's worth it for the peer group alone and for being able to get through the material more quickly.

totally agree.

+1

I think because there are so many smart kids with different strengths that you have to rise to the challenge each day. My DC loves the fact that there are no students who do not do their homework, or disrupt the class. These were issues that used to happen a lot in the home school.

There are both, in my kid's HGC classes.

[Anonymous]

I know someone who did not send her child because two of the other students going from her school were very disruptive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:my son is at 4th grade at pine crest. we are all very happy, both teachers are excellent. on the whole homework varies week to week. he comes home with a packet every week with graded work. Here is what he did this week: he had to read an entire novel and come prepared to discuss the book with his book club - each day he had different roles in the group. he also had to research and prepare a first draft of a business plan for a town he researched before the holidays. in order to complete this draft he needs to write the proposal, get a peer-editor and rewrite, only then can he type up his formal draft to submit on wednesday. he had daily math homework. his teacher gives her students ample time in school to complete work. my son is determined to minimize homework so he works his butt off in school. compared to his home school there is a lot more day-to-day work in class. they really do juggle a lot in class.

Glad to read this. My son is also at Pine Crest but never tells me anything so I wasn't aware of the book club. I'll have to prod him about it tonight.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it's worth it for the peer group alone and for being able to get through the material more quickly.

totally agree.

+1

I think because there are so many smart kids with different strengths that you have to rise to the challenge each day. My DC loves the fact that there are no students who do not do their homework, or disrupt the class. These were issues that used to happen a lot in the home school.

There are both, in my kid's HGC classes.

^^but, in fairness, only a few.

[Anonymous]

Was warned by several folks of a disruptive kid coming into DC's 4th grade class. DC says there are no disruptive kids in class. Sometimes, the right level of challenge and expectations fixes disruptive behavior. Bored kids will act OU, after all.