Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums General Discussion Any advice?? Enrolling in school tomorrow

I'm signing up DD3 for preschool tomorrow and I wanted to bring up some of her atypical behavior to make sure they're willing to accommodate her. I've toured the school before and when I very briefly mentioned that DD knew some of the things they teach in preschool like numbers, colors, etc they said they would accelerate her with more of a kindergarten curriculum. I did not really go into DD's abilities since it was just an open-house kind of visit to the school. This is a private school that offers preschool, uses mixed-age classrooms, individualizes education plans for each student and promotes acceleration at the student's rate -- sounds like a dream come true.

How do I tactfully have a conversation about my concerns with DD? Basically I just want them to reiterate that they will teach to DD's abilities, not to her age. I know this is just preschool, but she has so much ability to learn that I don't want to waste it (and I want her to have fun).

I just want them to understand that DD is a little different in some ways, like the fact she's been reading easy-readers, 1-to-1 counts past 20, does simple addition and subtraction, etc. What's the best way to say this without sounding like one of those crazy parents who think their child is just the SMARTEST little girl ever (and then you glance at her child expecting her to be solving quadratic equations only to see the little girl eating the paper off the crayons with a blank stare on her face). I don't want to be that mother!

Might as well get used to it, we're all "That Mother". You just need to be honest. Tell them she can read, do simple math etc. Ask them to use the first couple of weeks to kind of get a feel for her. Once they do you can ask them where they're headed, ideas etc to make her pre-k experience great.

In many cases with littles, it's better to let them(the school) discover for themselves where she's at academically. If they are in fact willing to let her work to her own level they will take the time to find out what that level is.

Take a deep breath and jump in!

I think that if you start with the structure, milestones and curriculum approach that will give you a feel right away. Then that becomes a fact that you can compare against and forms the basis for your arguments to advance.

When we looked at day cares only one said they would advance Mr W once he had hit all the milestones for that "age group." They brought it up once they saw what he was doing with the toys and stuff in the room. The fact that they noticed him was a big plus as well.

Most places we looked at did not have milestones and just did age grouping.

When I went to this school's open house, I was very impressed by their approach to education and their willingness to let children advance at their own pace. Then I think maybe it's just too good to be true and it won't be that easy once she's in there.

Maybe I can bring up what she's currently doing and ask as an example what their next step would be with her particular curriculum (they adjust a curriculum on a student-by-student basis individually).

This is my first experience with a school, and even though it's just preschool, I'm a little nervous! Before I had children, I never envisioned this scenario with my child and yet, here I am.