I've had a win-loss-win experience with DD10. She attended a Waldorf preschool and kindergarten which worked really well for her. Despite the "wait until you're 7 to read" attitude, the teachers let my DD read as much as she liked. She loved the stories, woodwork, cooking, outside play and all the arts: knitting, sewing, etc. Unfortunately 1st-3rd was a disaster, also at the Waldorf charter school, because there was so little learning and her teacher (same for all 3 years) WOULD NOT offer any differentiation. DD began pulling into herself and saying she didn't want to be smart, so I found a great private gifted school and moved her during 3rd grade. She has been very happy and reinvigorated the past year. With hindsight I would have pulled her out of the Waldorf charter school in 1st grade.
