[JenB]

My mom had that happen to her, she got shunted into a gifted-and-talented program in a DC suburb forty years ago, from kindergarten, and learned nothing but liberal thinking-experiments and social garbage. She says she learned more homeschooling us.

Truly gifted children benefit from a flexible plan where they can work at their own pace, tailored to use their strengths and help their weaknesses. The best sitation for them is a dedicated parent, homeschooling them and customizing their curriculum. A challenging private school is second, and I suppose a reformed gifted-and-talented government school program might be a distant third.

Actually, locking them up in a library all day is the third best option, they might learn something.

[wastedyears]

They won’t learn as much if there aren’t people to interact with in said library, to talk about what they’re reading. Some people might comprehend something a little slower than others.

[bubbacluck]

I remember the liberal thinking-experiments and social garbage. My parents thought it would ruin me and it almost did. I was lost but then I was found and now am conservative to boot. My wife, who is the teacher in our family, and I would agree with all of your points. Well stated.

[gardengirl]

Actually, locking them up in a library all day is the third best option, they might learn something.

Been there, done that! I won’t say I was gifted—but holding the smartest back to the level of the slowest is a sure guarantee for disaster—for the smartest.

I got in so much trouble for having a book in every class(besides what I was supposed to be reading!) it wasn’t funny. After awhile, my teachers finally figured out that yes, I was paying attention—I could answer any question they asked and as a rule I made very high grades on tests.

Some—read most—teachers can’t stand the fact that students can not pay complete attention to them and still know more about the subject than the teacher.

I learned to keep my head down and my mouth shut early on. LOL

[sidetracked]

You said “Truly gifted children benefit from a flexible plan where they can work at their own pace, tailored to use their strengths and help their weaknesses.”

That is EXACTLY what my two children are doing right now in a very small, very inexpensive private Christian School in Ohio. They utilize the “PACE” program, and everyone, K-12, goes at their own pace, asking for help when they need it.

My 16yo went from skipping every day and getting F’s in everything in public school, to doing math that is so advanced I can’t help her with it. In ONE year.

Amazing what self-pacing helps kids accomplish...

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

My mom had that happen to her, she got shunted into a gifted-and-talented program in a DC suburb forty years ago, from kindergarten, and learned nothing but liberal thinking-experiments and social garbage. She says she learned more homeschooling us.

When I interested myself in the topic of homeschooling, I considered the possibility that some parents might attempt homeschooling who were getting in over their heads. And I decided not only that

• homeschooling should be compared not with what school claims to do but with real, existing government schools. And that means that some level of failure has to be acceptable, because it's certain that we already areaccepting quite a bit of failure,

but that

• an "unqualified" parent undertaking to homeschool inevitably will learn a lot. And who is to say that people's education is significant only while they are still children?

[Canticle_of_Deborah]

Truly gifted children benefit from a flexible plan where they can work at their own pace, tailored to use their strengths and help their weaknesses. The best sitation for them is a dedicated parent, homeschooling them and customizing their curriculum. A challenging private school is second, and I suppose a reformed gifted-and-talented government school program might be a distant third.

I totally agree. I remember in third grade I finished my phonics assignment lickety split. Then I was bored. I informed Sister C of that fact.

Never tell a nun you are bored.