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Best school for highly gifted and talented, "quirky" kid?
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Anonymous
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What would you say is the best school for a "quirky" ie, doesn't follow the party line, imaginative, exceptionally bright child who wants to do his own thing? We're talking top of the line test scores, but difficulty with great teacher recs and possibly not a candidate for a great school visit due to an introverted nature?
We've been told a "traditional" school might not work well-how about progressive, etc? |
Anonymous
| Look at Green Acres, that school should keep his interests. |
Anonymous
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Agree with Green Acres. Your child sounds very much like the child of my cousin, and he is doing well at GA.
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Anonymous
| OP, look at progressives. |
Anonymous
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My son is as OP describes. He is at a moderately progressive private.
Where does OP live? A poor teacher rec and a poor playdate could be problematic for the admission packet though. However, "introverted" is not synonymous with "poor" on a playdate. In our own experience, willful stubbornness and ignoring teacher requests IS a poor playdate. |
Anonymous
| Without doubt, Saint Anselm's Abbey school. WITHOUT A DOUBT. |
Anonymous
Why? |
Anonymous
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How old is the child? What geographic area?
Agree with 20:24 about progressives and school visits. |
Anonymous
| Why do folks always suggest progressive school when kids are "quirky"? Progressive is not a synonym for permissive. |
Anonymous
| Location is NOVA-someone mentioned Georgetown Day School. They said good for boys, good for high test scores, etc. |
Anonymous
ITA, it kind of drives me nuts, because I know the people proposing this on DCUM do not have their own kids in a progressive school, whereas I do. I would agree that a progressive school could be a great fit for a kid who does best with experiential learning and is very self-directed. That describes my eldest, and many of his classmates, who come across as short, "quirky" scientists. But progressives are not a repository for kids with big behavior challenges, learning disabilities, ADHD and so forth, contrary to what a number of DCUMers think. The admissions staff will tell you that outright. Sometimes on here, moms use the words "quirky" and "active" as euphemisms for undiagnosed sensory issues, LDs, mild psychiatric conditions, etc. Have you noticed? This particular OP did not, she used concrete examples. (not that OPs child has the diagnoses listed above!! Who knows. I just need to post every time several DCUM reflexively suggest "progressive" when they hear "child doesn't listen to his teachers at all compared to his peers.") |
Anonymous
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Thanks for the info-not sure about DC yet-possibly some attentional and executive functioning issues, but hey, what child is perfect?
We just don't understand what these schools are looking for-and what they can possibly glean from a 1 or 1 and 1/2 hr school visit. Test scores are no issue-99%ile. Obviously, there is potential. For parents at progressives, do you find them to be too unstructured, esp in lower school? DC needs some structure for sure. Signed, A VERY confused parent |
Anonymous
| Progressives are not for children who are unable to make decisions, follow direction, or move in a fast-paced learning environment. I agree that no DC is perfect, but you are doing your DC a disservice if he may benefit from Lab School, public IEPs, etc, but not pursuing that option because "no child is perfect." |
Anonymous
| I think it might be worth a consult with an education consultant - I've heard Suzie Blattner (sp?) at ITS is good for both publics and privates. |
Anonymous
| Progressives are not for children who are unable to make decisions, follow direction, or move in a fast-paced learning environment. I agree that no DC is perfect, but you are doing your DC a disservice if he may benefit from Lab School, public IEPs, etc, but not pursuing that option because "no child is perfect." |