Reply to s/o - DC privates are not filled with gifted kids

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]New poster.  I am fascinated by this thread ....  We're looking at privates for a number of reasons and I don't want to be the parent (see the pet peeve thread) who asks all the wrong questions about what are you going to do for MY kid (special snowflake that he is), but that's what I want to know.

Any suggestion?  Please please pretty please?  Thanks.  [/quote]

It sounds to me like you have a smart kid and are doing the right thing by looking for an environment that will involve/engage him next year in PK, and also for several years to come.  I agree you want to find a program where the teachers will have the time/inclination to engage your child.  From my investigation, you're correct that private schools are better designed to provide that individual engagement at this age.  I'm sure there are some public school teachers who do the same thing, but it seems harder to find them and requires a fair amount of luck to get assigned to their classrooms.

As for seeking this info without being perceived as that special-snowflake parent, I think the best thing you can do is listen closely, research each school carefully to see what sort of activities it offers, and try to get an understanding of what your child's classroom will be doing each day.  With that info, you can try to figure out whether your child will be interested.  Don't be afraid to ask questions about what happens in the classroom, but be aware that if there is an undercurrent of suggestion that you're asking because you want to make sure your special snowflake will be receiving all the advanced treatment he deserves, then you will be perceived as annoying.  That's not fair or right, but it's also not going to change, so you need to deal with it.

Recognize that while your own child's characteristics (very high test scores, self-reliance, adept at puzzles, early reading of easy chapter books, etc) are very positive and impressive, there certainly are many other children in the applicant pool (and probably on even in your small tour group!) who exhibit all the same criteria.  I can think of at least half a dozen children that went through PK with my DC who exhibited all the same characteristics, and I'm sure there were others who also have the same abilities, but I just don't know them well enough to know about it.  There are several very competitive PK programs in the area, and I'd assume that they all have similar numbers of smart kids in their classrooms.

Also, you should recognize that many (most?) schools view PK and K as a time when children should be focused on learning how to be productive members of a school community (standing in line, sharing toys, waiting your turn, managing impulses, listening and following directions, figuring out how to navigate an unfamiliar environment, balancing independence with responsibility, etc).  While these PK and K classrooms will have some academic lessons, their primary goal is often not to force-feed academics.  If your child is sitting in the corner reading 3rd grade books (or even learning to read 6th grade books) rather than playing duck-duck-goose with the rest of the class, then he's not participating positively and is not really learning to function.

Those are my views at least.  Take them or leave them as you see fit.[/quote]

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