How to Find a School for a Gifted Child

A gifted child deserves to be nurtured. It can be tough to find a school that understands the needs of these kids. Many may not have a program for gifted children, but communicating your concerns to the principle and keeping in touch with your child's teacher can help provide a effective environment for your child to learn.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Gauge the school's attitude towards parental involvement. Ask if they have regular meetings with parents of gifted children and their recommendations for nurturing your child's learning at home.
2. Check if the school has special classes just for gifted children. A mixed-age environment in elementary school can be beneficial for your child.
3. Inquire how the school allows gifted children to progress at their own rate. This is crucial in fulfilling your child's potential.
4. Make sure the school encourages your child to choose some learning materials independently. After assessing she knows the basic curriculum, the teacher should have a system in place that allows her to build on that learning in independent study.
5. Ask how the school fosters creativity. Along with independence, this will keep your child from getting bored in class, which can lead to behavioral problems.
6. Check into the school's acceleration policy. This is a debated issue with gifted children but can work under certain conditions, like with an IQ of 130 or higher.
7. Consider supplementing your gifted child's regular classroom learning with distance courses, particularly if you've got a high school student. Hoagies' Gifted Education Page has articles and links that can help you.

Tips & Warnings

• Start a group with other parents of gifted children. Band together to change school policies you think hinder your child's education.
• Avoid mixed-age gifted classes where your son is the oldest to ensure he matures appropriately.
• Don't assume your gifted child can't have a learning disability.