Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Learning Environments Need input on schooling decision

So, I have been thinking a lot lately about DD4's schooling situation and have kind of made up my mind about the next steps. However, before I finalize them, I would like to get input from the experts here. I value your opinion and it has helped me tremendously in the past. This forum is like a friends group to me that I can just talk to and get advice. So here is what I have in mind.
DD4 is currently in a mixed age (3-6yo) classroom. School focuses on alternative education so a lot of outdoor play and discovery, hands on activities, yoga, drama, arts, morning walks, reading with the older kids (elementary schoolers), etc. DD LOVES it. She is not academically challenged at all but neither of us mind at this point. She gets to do academic stuff at home on the 2 days she is homeschooled.Actually, even at homeschool, we spend about 1 hour a week on academics and the rest on free play. So overall, she is thriving.
For next year, I need to return to full time work. So she will be going to same school all 5 days for kindergarten. Since it does not take much time for DD to advance through academic stuff, I think we would still make good progress with limited weekend only homeschooling (1 or 2 hours per week).
If she makes even slow progress, I am estimating she will be well into 3rd grade math and reading fluently by the time she is 6 yo and ready for 1st grade. At this point (so 1.5 years from now), I can explore other options including acceleration in a public/private school, mixed age montessori, etc.
Does this sound like a good plan? Specifically, she won't really be disadvantaged by continuing in a non-academic setting for one more year, will she? Is 5 full days at school plus 2 hours of weekend homeschooling sound like too much? Should I look into continuing part-time at work for one more year (difficult due to workload but I can ask-no harm there)? Any other advice/points I am missing to take into consideration? Thanks for listening as I work this out in my head.

I also suspect she'll be just fine with the 5 days per week in the school she is already happy at. Just me, but I wouldn't over-think or worry about giving her extra academics at home either - unless she's asking for it and it's fun for both of you. Highly gifted children are going to move forward quickly with their academics in elementary school so even if you put her into 1st grade already working on 3rd grade math or whatever - chances are she's going to get there on her own quickly anyway. We've always just let our kids lead us in terms of outside-of-school enrichment, did what they asked for, rather than focusing on specific academics to get them ahead - and yet they still advanced ahead, because that getting ahead and staying ahead of grade level is really more about ability than how much prep was done at home.

polarbear

Thank you, thank you portia and polarbear for your wonderful advice. DD is currently at least 2-3 grade years ahead and all because of her own interest with very little direction or coaching from us. She does not really focus/spend too much time on academic stuff and still learns/knows a lot. She is also very much into extracurricular -tennis, swimming, music, etc. At some point, I may need to get her to put more efforts into academics than she currently does but there is plenty of time (4 years?) before that becomes important. As you mention, she may crave for more academic enrichment as she gets older and there is less free play in the classroom. Portia, good point about starting the research on gifted options in the area. I have been doing some work but a lot remains to be done.

That sounds like a perfect solution. We are in the same boat and I would love to do that with my dd4 next year, but I can't find a play centered/ discovery oriented school for 5-6 year olds... they all seem to end at 4 near us. To me - play lots plus some individualized at home instruction on the side equals perfect.

Mom123, we are lucky to have found this school. When I was expiring options last year, the folks on this board helped me tremendously with prioritizing what we want from a primary education. At this age, I want my kid to have fun and think of learning as fun. Dd's school definitely accomplishes that.

I love the Freudian typo.

Aquinas, just saw your note. ROFL!

If she's happy and it's a good environment, I wouldn't worry about it. Have you asked her how she feels about it? Do you know the exact structure of her day? Maybe talk it through with her and see how she feels about each part of it. Is there going to be anything different next year that could be dull for her?