progressive schools in DC-for very very bright kid?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hello all:
I know some will take this the wrong way but I see this as being what the forum is actually for, being able to ask a question in private that you would feel uncomfortable doing in person.

So here it goes...
My child is very bright, as in tests in the "profoundly gifted" range and the tester actually told me afterward that she had never had a child complete a particular section prior to testing my child. My child is however not the most confident in social situations unless they know the others well. For this reason we opted for a progressive, nurturing education model. We have been at said school for a few years. However I am noticing more and more as the kids age that most in his class aren't very bright. I have had opportunities to help throughout the years in the classrooms. There are some others, of course, at the school that seem intelligent however I am sort of disturbed sometimes by the number that seem really slow or out of it in class. (Not just one person per class) My child likes school for the most part, but has begun staying that the teacher repeats themselves and covers the same material for a really long time. DC plays with older kids at recess because they tend to connect more with their sense of humor I think.
I would like to hear for parents of exceptionally bright children. Please don't put me down for this post. I am trying to figure out what to do with this child. My other children will probably be fine at this school, however I am not sure if another private would be better for the child I have been speaking about. Are there any mainstream privates that cater or can modify work for a profoundly gifted child? Should I just keep them their and wait to change when they are older for high school? We have already been at a couple schools due to family moves so I don't want to jerk this kid from school to school, but we want to be doing what is best for DC.
Any positive, helpful thoughts?

http://www.ozy.com/rising-stars/this-millennial-might-be-the-new-einstein/65094?utm_source=NH&utm_medium=pp&utm_campaign=pp

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Try Sheridan if you are seeking a progressive education. My son attends and there is a balance in the class and my son is challenged. His IQ is 150 fwiw.

Don't know if the pp is still around, but I'd be curious to hear more about this. Had heard Sheridan sometimes has challenges with differentiation. How does the school keep your child engaged? Did you start at kindergarten? Are you thinking of GDS afterwards?

[Anonymous]

Sheridan is a lovely school. Your child will be challenged and their track record for outplacement is excellent. But your child also will develop a strong character, have the ability to problem solve, self advocate and show compassion. These skills are harder to teach, and I think their approach is what makes Sheridan special.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sheridan is a lovely school. Your child will be challenged and their track record for outplacement is excellent. But your child also will develop a strong character, have the ability to problem solve, self advocate and show compassion. These skills are harder to teach, and I think their approach is what makes Sheridan special.

And how do Sheridan kids perform at these schools? How are college placements?

[Anonymous]

Look, our DS has an IQ of 154, was labeled "PG" during his WPSI (he is 5yo), began playing (and winning chess) at 4yo...yada yada...and I still find your post pretentious. You can ask about how to support your kid and enrich them without trying to offer proof that other kids are idiots are compared to DC.

Our little genius is amazing at math, but is terrible at arts and crafts, sports and anything musical (seriously comically bad). If we were focused only on the fact that he can read, play a mean game of chess, and perform long division I would be tempted to elevate him above his peers. But you know what? When his PreK class is dancing, or doing art, or anything that requires cooperative play I see that he is totally "normal" stumbling to figure his way, engaging awkwardly but appropriately, and learning from his peers who can teach him a thing or two about MANY MANY things.

OP, worry all you want about enrichment (think about Feynman for school) but stop elevating your kid above others in your mind (and his). It wont be helpful for either of you. He has some gifts and he has some deficits. All kids do.

[Anonymous]

It kind of depends if you want your child to excel further in what DC seems to be already good at. Fwiw, our child tested at 8 grade level reading and is 2 grades ahead in math, currently a third grader. Teachers tell me DC is smart . We receive differentiation in math and DC has been pulled out for language studies as well. However, these are more thinking groups. They are not working on 6th grade math concepts and are not reading 8th grade literature.
We are really not interested in entering college at 14 but if that it your goal and you think that would be the way to your child's happiness than you should proceed differently. I heard great things about the Stanford online high school for gifted kids. Additionally, in first and second grade some of my child's friends turned out to be SN. It didn't slow down my child's learning but I have to say the teachers have been on top of it. Not sure if we will feel the same for middle school years. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sheridan is a lovely school. Your child will be challenged and their track record for outplacement is excellent. But your child also will develop a strong character, have the ability to problem solve, self advocate and show compassion. These skills are harder to teach, and I think their approach is what makes Sheridan special.

And how do Sheridan kids perform at these schools? How are college placements?

Usually Sheridan kids go to high school before college, but I'm sure there have been exceptions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hello all:
I know some will take this the wrong way but I see this as being what the forum is actually for, being able to ask a question in private that you would feel uncomfortable doing in person.

So here it goes...
My child is very bright, as in tests in the "profoundly gifted" range and the tester actually told me afterward that she had never had a child complete a particular section prior to testing my child. My child is however not the most confident in social situations unless they know the others well. For this reason we opted for a progressive, nurturing education model. We have been at said school for a few years. However I am noticing more and more as the kids age that most in his class aren't very bright. I have had opportunities to help throughout the years in the classrooms. There are some others, of course, at the school that seem intelligent however I am sort of disturbed sometimes by the number that seem really slow or out of it in class. (Not just one person per class) My child likes school for the most part, but has begun staying that the teacher repeats themselves and covers the same material for a really long time. DC plays with older kids at recess because they tend to connect more with their sense of humor I think.
I would like to hear for parents of exceptionally bright children. Please don't put me down for this post. I am trying to figure out what to do with this child. My other children will probably be fine at this school, however I am not sure if another private would be better for the child I have been speaking about. Are there any mainstream privates that cater or can modify work for a profoundly gifted child? Should I just keep them their and wait to change when they are older for high school? We have already been at a couple schools due to family moves so I don't want to jerk this kid from school to school, but we want to be doing what is best for DC.
Any positive, helpful thoughts?

Having taken the progressive school route, we had a similar experience. and our child got especially bored in 4th grade (makes me wonder if we were at the same school). though we don't have a child as bright as yours, we found the fit much better when we changed to a school with more rigor and challenge. we found our progressive school really lacking in its ability and desire to differentiate and to challenge kids on the high end of the spectrum of abilities. Also we found in looking around that many schools-even ones considered very traditional- are employing progressive teaching styles.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes. I have a client with an I.Q. of 187. There is no limitation at the top. It's a bell curve.

No you don't. Or at least, you couldn't possibly know that. Anyone who actually has an IQ above 180, if forced to refer to his or her IQ, would say that they have "an IQ above 180," because anyone with an IQ that high is capable of understanding that there's no statistically valid measure of IQ above 180.

(Separately, there's the problem of the fact that folks on the thread appear to personally know three different people with IQs above 180. Statistically, there should be about 17 people total in the U.S. with an IQ that high, so the odds that 18% of those people have a friend who chose to weigh in on this particular thread on this particular message board seems astonishingly small).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sheridan is a lovely school. Your child will be challenged and their track record for outplacement is excellent. But your child also will develop a strong character, have the ability to problem solve, self advocate and show compassion. These skills are harder to teach, and I think their approach is what makes Sheridan special.

And how do Sheridan kids perform at these schools? How are college placements?

Usually Sheridan kids go to high school before college, but I'm sure there have been exceptions.

Right... How do they perform in the competitive high schools, especially given that they don't tend to take a lot of timed tests? Are they in the middle of the pack at these schools, or can they perform well enough to get into a competitive school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Having taken the progressive school route, we had a similar experience. and our child got especially bored in 4th grade (makes me wonder if we were at the same school). though we don't have a child as bright as yours, we found the fit much better when we changed to a school with more rigor and challenge. we found our progressive school really lacking in its ability and desire to differentiate and to challenge kids on the high end of the spectrum of abilities. Also we found in looking around that many schools-even ones considered very traditional- are employing progressive teaching styles.

+1. Same story here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Slight detour comment - boredom can be a really good thing. It is amazing what it will compel children to explore and find interests on their own. A great impetus towards being an independent learner.

But not if boredom happens everyday in class. The kids will act

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Look, our DS has an IQ of 154, was labeled "PG" during his WPSI (he is 5yo), began playing (and winning chess) at 4yo...yada yada...and I still find your post pretentious. You can ask about how to support your kid and enrich them without trying to offer proof that other kids are idiots are compared to DC.

Our little genius is amazing at math, but is terrible at arts and crafts, sports and anything musical (seriously comically bad). If we were focused only on the fact that he can read, play a mean game of chess, and perform long division I would be tempted to elevate him above his peers. But you know what? When his PreK class is dancing, or doing art, or anything that requires cooperative play I see that he is totally "normal" stumbling to figure his way, engaging awkwardly but appropriately, and learning from his peers who can teach him a thing or two about MANY MANY things.

OP, worry all you want about enrichment (think about Feynman for school) but stop elevating your kid above others in your mind (and his). It wont be helpful for either of you. He has some gifts and he has some deficits. All kids do.

+1000

[Anonymous]

My grand daughter taught herself to read
On a computer at age 3. She has autism. We love her so
Much because she is unique. As is every child. Boredom is never a problem. Her amazing mind keeps her fully entertained. School
Is her time to
Learn how to socialize so her
Public school
Is s great fit. Please consider your whole child not just intellectual
Abilities. I have never met s very bright
Person who
Is bored
They can
Always entertain themselves by using their own
Brain.

[Anonymous]

"I have never met s very bright Person who
Is bored They can Always entertain themselves by using their own
Brain."

This statement completely false. Highly intelligent kids have varied personalities, just like everyone else. Some are better at entertaining themselves, some like to socialize and some are even lazy. This is such an old wives tale that seems to continually be perpetuated.