Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Learning Environments Private School-Is It Worth It for a Gifted Child?

There's a lot to be said for ten acres.

I grew up in a rural area. Our school grounds were big enough to accommodate a 7 km cross-country ski course loop. We had two large playgrounds, fields, hiking trails, ski hills, more fields, etc. All the schools in that part of the country were like that, outside of capital cities.

Plus, the local "park" in town was on a similar scale, except that it had a pond in addition hiking trails, and the parking lot got turned into an ice rink in the winter. I spent my youth climbing trees, swimming in the local rivers or lakes, and building snow forts. Later, I was on 3 school athletic teams per year. All of these experiences helped me become a responsible, healthy adult.

I sometimes think that we get too focused on academics on this forum. I got just as much out the non-academic aspects of my youth as I did from math or reading acceleration. I wouldn't trade the time I spent outside or goofing around inventing number systems for more schoolwork --- and while I realize that my experience wouldn't be for everyone, I'd say that if your son is happy where he is, that's huge.

Kids have to find out who they are and who they want to be on their own, and they need space for that. We can (and should) guide them, but ultimately, drive has to be internal and they have to create it themselves. I fear that modern society is putting way too much emphasis a narrow set of skills over the things that help create that drive.

YMMV.