My middle school son was bored with school for years. We enrolled him in a private school since kindergarten. We would constantly ask his teachers to give him "advanced" work to keep him busy. At the end of the day, we realized he was capable of doing work 2-3 grade levels above where he is at now. What he really needed was a different approach to learning that engaged him on multiple levels and allowed his mind to stretch.
Last year, we switched him to a Classical Education private school in Central NJ (Trivium Academy of NJ). It has been a very good experience for him. The school offers Singapore Math, Mandarin and Latin. The teachers also understand how to work with gifted students.
The school has helped train my son's brain to absorb, process and analyze large amounts of data. Not only has his memorization skills increased, his reading comprehension and his analytical skills have improved dramatically. The reading and history assignments require students to think outside the box and tap into their creativity. For example, History came to life when the school held a Live Wax Museum where students portrayed notable individuals from the Renaissance period and each gave a speech about the invididual's life and key accomplishments(e.g. Michaelangelo).
He actually looks forward to school now because the Classical Education curriculum is not teaching for a test. It really helps students to build a solid foundation in multiple disciplines. The material is interesting and the children are drawn in.
My two cents is that Classical Education is a good alternative to what's being taught in the public and private schools in my area.
