Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment National Merit Scholarship and other programs

But it sounds like you're still thinking "biology, chemisty, physics," Wren, and my point is to suggest going beyond that narrow framework, while still attending to academic subjects.

That's what I mean about lateral thinking.

Instead of spending just a week on plate tectonics and a week on volcanoes or whatever, spend more time going in depth with sciences that get little attention like geology or astronomy--heck, discover some new asteroid or something!--or dig into soft sciences like psychology. Or what about something like archaeology that usually gets *no* attention in high school, but is a very interesting subject with lots of great resources available?

There's an awful lot of information in the world. It's hard for me to believe that you can run out by age 12, no matter how fast the kid can plow through it!

I do think there are kids who are driven to know that next level of something like math or science to the point that it makes sense to go to the college level to feed that drive. And if you have the ability to do that and the kid wants it, that sounds fine to me.

But I agree with Kriston that there are tons of things that are really cool that are never taught in typical K-12 or even most colleges. If you have a kid who is ahead in the typical academic subjects, then there is way more flexibility to explore those things. I know of a camp that teaches animal tracking and outdoor survival skills. I know of several tall ships programs that teach kids how to climb masts, rig sails, and generally become sailors. There are achaeology programs that let kids go on digs. In a couple years, we plan to send DS to Central America to stay with Spanish speaking friends where he will go to school and help with the family's small store. All of these programs allow kids to actually use some of their school knowledge, but put it in a context that makes it "real world" applicable and gets them connected with a broader range of other kids. For our family , it makes more sense to explore these things than to forge quickly ahead into college level material.

But I have a relative who graduated college at 18. He is brilliant, successful, and happy. For him, early college was clearly the right choice--he just had to know about physics and college was the best place for him to get the answers he craved. It all comes back to knowing your kids and knowing your options.

Wow! I love those ideas, acs! I'd love to get more info about those programs you mention! They are exactly the sorts of things I'd love to give to DS7 as options to delay early college for us. Would you PM me if you're not comfortable sharing the details publically? I'd be grateful.

DS7 is an outdoorsman and a natural tracker. His woodsman/hunter grandfather marveled at his ability to spot tracks that the "pro" didn't see. All those hours spent with "I Spy" books had some practical use, I guess. LOL! But DS7 be in heaven at the tracking/survival camp, I'm sure of it!

And just for the record, I don't oppose early college. I agree completely that it's the right choice for some kids. But I also got the impression that the OP felt like there was no other option but early college, though she wasn't 100% sold on it for a 12yo and perhaps hadn't considered other approaches to delay that inevitability a couple of years to make it more palatable. I know that the idea of my DS7 on campus full-time in 5 years makes me break out in hives, so I'm going to do everything in my power to not have to go there so soon, provided that "everything" still stimulates him intellectually.

Here are a couple that some of my friend's kids have done. I am sure they wouldn't mind the free advertsing!

http://www.wolfjourney.com/youthcamps/resindex.html

http://www.historicalseaport.org/web/education.html

Fantabulous! Thanks!

Corinna,

In the book Genius Denied (and several others, I just happen to have Genius Denied at my fingertips) they have a chapter entitled School Solutions: "I Do Not See Boredom Here", and a subheading called "Early College: I Didn't Miss a Thing". They mention a program for girls at Mary Baldwin College in Staunton, Virginia that looks interesting. (i.e. I would love to find something similar for boys!!)

They have an early college program for young girls (looks like age 12 or so) with the Program for the Exceptionally Gifted (PEG). PEG allows the girls to compact the four years of high school into a year or so, and then allows them to start taking college classes. The kids are given a lot of adult guidance and support and live in a dorm arrangement with other PEG kids. It says that the kids can still go to events and mixers with the high school students in the area as long as they return by curfew. Just something to keep in mind. They mention several other programs at universities, so it might be worth investigating.

I agree with the previous posts that there are tons of things that you can learn without packing the bags for college. Even in the hard sciences, you can explore fascinating topics like astrophysics and cosmology (no lab space required for big bang theories, string theories, or gravitational waves!), electronic circuit design, optics, nano-technology, quantum mechanics (wave/particle duality and Schroedinger's Cat), artificial intelligence, computer languages and programing, physical chemistry (electron shell theory), genetic mutations and DNA sequencing... just to name a few. A kid could go off on one of these tangents and be completely happy for months at a time. Even if your library doesn't have books on these topics, there are plenty of college kids willing to sell their books for next to nothing at the end of the semester when they are trying to move out. I would suggest looking on a bulletin board outside a large lecture hall, but today's kids are probably posting their used books electronically. Amazon has tons of these books too. I read a paperback book called In Search of Schroedinger's Cat when I was 18, and I could easily have read it at 14 or so. (all conceptual with no math, if I remember correctly) And most gifted kids love reading about these abstract concepts. They may sound intimidating, but if an average 18 or 19 year old can grasp them, then a gifted kid would have no trouble. Science is one of those topics that has endless avenues to explore and you can find the material presented on many different levels of understanding.

Sorry... I got a little carried away there. I do love science. But I'm sure there are equally entertaining options in other fields.

We may be in your shoes in a few years. We have an eight year old son now who will graduate-with no further grade skips- at 16. But he will probably run out of science classes long before then. Our current plan (HA! How many times will that change in the next 6-8 years!) is to let him start taking classes early at a local university while in high school... Just for fun if he wants... to explore different topics and help determine a major. Then he can transfer to a school of his choice later.

I want to come over and play at your house, ebeth. I'm a recovering English major and that all sounds fascinating!

I'd add genetics to the list. I attended a conference when I was in high school, and it almost made me switch majors. (Almost.)Fascinating developments happening every day there, and a science-loving kid could easily get lost in it.

Wow! I am loving this conversation. The reason we really think early college is because that is the "normal" progression when done with 12th grade. Also, like I mentioned before, DS is showing interest in taking some online courses (French!) that I feel would be good experience for him. And, yes, Biology has been interesting at home. So, in my search for opportunities as far as scholarships go, I came across the NMS and was put off by the "full time" requirement that they mentioned. We'll get it all figured out eventually. That's why the "plans" are flexible!

Corinna

acs,
Those programs look wonderful! Too far away for us though!

Corinna

ebeth - I'll come over and play as well! I'm sure one day we'll have a sterile hood in the basement for cell culture, a centrifuge, a -20C freezer for storing samples, etc. I should probably start finishing the basement to get ready!!!!