Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums General Discussion "Social necessities" beneficial or detrimental?

Like everything, your results may vary, but ODS had (PG by test results), for the most part, an excellent Montessori experience. He started going to an accredited center at age 18 months (half days to start, 3/4 days at age 4). It provided him with a nurturing, independence-supporting environment where there was nearly unlimited variety in the materials (wooden toys through mathematical learning tools) available to him. Given how quickly he runs through interests (master world maps, check, let's go on to something new), that was wonderful. :-)

There was a lot of focus on gentle support, being kind and respecting others. He learned a great deal, not just academically, which likely would have happened and was happening at home, but about friendship. The mixed age groups worked quite well for him (he is rather asynchronous, meaning at that time he needed silly friends as well as advanced ones). There was a bit of an unusual situation in his primary years, with four other boys who are almost certainly from moderately to perhaps highly gifted. They were supported in advanced through materials/content as quickly as they could.

I doubt that a more traditional preschool would have worked at all for him. That's likely what led us to Montessori, as the other schools just didn't seem likely to fit him.