Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Learning Environments How can I know that which school is the best fit?

Hi All,

I still don know my DS3 is gifted or not (as his reasoning skill is not that "gifted") but his Math skill/understanding is very advanced in his age. (Psychologist and his teachers said his math is in 2nd or 3rd grade levels).

As he will enter K in 2016 Fall, I am now start thinking what is the best fit education option for him, a public sch? A private sch? Sch for the gifted? and what should I do to help him not get bored in his maths class.

My son is a introvert and very shy and he doesn't start speaking in English yet. So skipping grade or early entry is not a good choice for him. I believe, even he got bored, he will not "misbehave", most likely he will only "day-dream" in class. So most likely his teacher will not find the problem. But as a mom, what i really don want is the school make him doesn't enjoy learning. He really loves math so much and he keep on asking me to teach him this and that. I don want him to lost his passion in the subject he likes so much.

Would you mind sharing your opinion, like what can I do for his education? We are living in a very good school district, so we still prefer him to go to public school, however, a smaller size class may be better for him as he is so shy. I am thinking to write a letter to ask the principle of the public sch about what we can do for him, (but actually don know what should ask, as I am not familiar with the education in US and not familiar with gifted education as well:<) and also not confident is it a good idea to ask for and telling the school that he is so talent in maths, or may be turns out he is not gifted :P)

Thanks in advance.

You may wish to learn to advocate for appropriate level and pacing. Parents can learn effective ways to advocate. Have you seen the Guidebook on the Davidson Database?

More advocacy tips:
- In this recent thread, several posts discuss reasons to not use the word "bored" when advocating.
- While in general there is good and bad in everything, a focus on negativity and disappointment may be seen as smacking the oobleck with a spoon and creating an unyielding solid... it works against advocacy.
- Focus on the positive, on the ideas set forth in the law and in school policies, and how the school can implement these to help meet your child's needs for intellectual peers and an appropriate level of academic challenge and pacing.
- Tips on preparing for a meeting.

You may wish to read all you can about underachievement... as this is what may occur when children are bored/disengaged and lose their love of learning.

Have you considered homeschooling? Do the laws allow homeschooling in your State?

Continue to let him set the pace and find resources to satisfy his curiosity.

Some have said that it is growing increasingly difficult to access higher level curriculum during the school day in schools which have adopted common core, which tends to focus on all students meeting standards, and does not necessarily facilitate or encourage continued progress for students who've met standards.

Until he is tested and identified as "gifted", you may wish to continue speaking in terms of "talented" and also "advanced" and/or "high achieving".

You may also wish to read about topics which may help prepare you for the possibility of being marginalized by the school or other parents as pushy parents engaged in tiger parenting, hot-housing, vanity parenting, and creating trophy kids.

In addition to many helpful threads on the forums, the Davidson Database contains many articles by experts.

You write that he hasn't started speaking English yet.
Unless he will be in a school that is familiar with kids speaking English as a second language, I'd make sure he has good language skills on entry so he can *show* how bright he is, rather that the teachers having to take your word for it until he is fluent. If he enters kindergarten without good English skills, they may give him even lower level work which may bore and frustrate him even more than the regular curriculum.
To that end, I'd look at preschools in your area. For a good fit, I'd look for play based or Montessori schools (NOT academically focused schools, which would only bore and frustrate him too, just earlier than elementary school would) with a nurturing environment and small, preferably mixed age classes. (I'd also look for a strong outdoor component to the program, but that's me).
Trying to teach him English at home it's not the same thing - it's best for his bilingual development if he speaks your native language with you at home and learns English from native English speakers in a distinct environment such as preschool. Learning English is also going to keep his wheels churning, a good thing for any gifted kid.

Indigo, thanks you so much for all the info!!!
I live in California, homeschool is allow, I actually did think about it but I am worry that it will limited his English learning and social time. (Not many ppl homesch in my city). I am now also looking into private school option too, but it is so expensive :<

Tigerle, thanks for your advice, my son is in play-base preschool, so he is doing fine in sch and enjoy the sch days. He did read/decode some english words/sentences(e.g. It is a cat), but still not yet speak in sentences. For the public school in my area, most kids are asian, so I believe they are familiar with kids speaks ESL.
You are right, I also worry that the school will give him lower level work bc of his english.