Question About Gifted School

Hi J.,
My daughter's teachers and we also recognized that she was very advanced compared to her same-aged peers (4 yrs old) at her junior kindergarden here in the city (Chicago) last year. She was clearly at the "top of her class" and was also very bored (despite a very good preschool/JK). We had her tested and she fell in the 99th percentile overall relative to same-age chidren. Do some research on the web or at a book store. Your daughter likely displays many "signs of giftedness". Our daughter now attends kindergarden at the Avery Coonley School in Downer's Grove. It is a school for "motivated children of high intelligence" (a.k.a. a "gifted" school). My husband works in DG and they commute over an hour each way every day. We're moving out of state at the end of the school year so the commute is temporary. It is worth evey penny and every sacrifice. She LOVES school. There is a huge focus on literacy, assigned reading books almost every night), math homework once a week (addition and subtraction problems and multiplication/division concepts already), French, science, art, music, PE, tons of extracurricular/family/school community activities (she attended a Valentine Father Daughter dance tonight with her dad), and optional Daisy/Girl Scout meetings on site after school. I occasionally ask her if her new school is too easy, too hard or just right and she always responds "just right". She loves to do her homework without us even asking. The teachers are exceptional, the environment is cozy/homey, and the curriculum challenging. It is the best investment in her future we can make for our daughter. If we were staying here we would move to DG to keep her there. A few words of warning. Some other parents do not understand how such young kids can be "gifted" or why they need to be challenged more than other kids the same age. Some of them will not be shy about trying to make you feel like you're crazy for paying so much money for a private gifted school or for putting you child in a gifted program. Ignore them. Avery Coonley does offer need-based financial aid. I 100% recommend this school and am sad that my daughter has to leave it. We're looking into schools in our new city and Avery Coonley will be a very hard act to follow. Best wishes. You'll make the right decision for your daughter! Note: The school has a website, just google it. There is a summer camp there open to all kids. It's a great way for your child to get used to AC before the real school year starts. The camp is more focussed on summer fun for all kids and is not a good example of what the real academic year is like.
-M.

Hi J., in response to the comment about gifted schools being "socially hard"...I can only speak from my child's experience at Avery Coonley. These are normal, fun-loving, VERY social children. We've attended many social events and birthday parties with my daughter's classmates (boys and girls) and their parents. At the Father Daughter dance last night my husband said my daughter spent about 1/2 the night running around playning chase and basketball with her screaming giggling friends. These are definiately not just "nerdy" kids who play chess and have poor social skills. Quite the contrary, and I take offense to the stereotype that kids in gifted programs must have poor social skills. That's fairly close-minded in my opinion. My daughter is very socially active with many kids who attend "regular" public school. My view of Avery Coonley is that the academic standards are high and the kids there are capable of meeting them and thrive there. My concern at a "regular" school is that my daughter would absolutely be bored and lose interest. I am now a physician and remember being absoluetly bored out of my mind in my public elementary school. I just quit paying attention until my parents enrolled me in gifted enrichment programs. Just something to consider.

Both my girls were reading and doing math before kindergarten. We were told by many people we should put them in a gifted school, but I did not want that kind of presure at such a young age. We ended up putting them in a private Catholic school. I belive it was a great choice. They are both in highschool now and all Honors classes. Both of them are on the A honor roll. There's more to school then academics and people seem to forget this. we also made sure to continue challenging them at home through games, trips, etc.. If you send your child to a non-gifted school I am sure you will be surprised how many kids are reading when entering kindergarten. Also, one thing I will never forget when checking into schools. I called this one very well known gifted school and told them about my daughter. I told them I was not sure if she was gifted all not. They told me all children are gifted in one way or another. To me this meant we want your money. 17 years age it cost $10,000 a year. I would hate to know what it cost now.

Cheryl

I attended gifted programs as a child (gifted schools for pre-k and high school, and an honors program in a catholic school for 1st-8th). PLEASE do not listen if someone tells you that your child must be FREAKY to seek out such a program. It is misinformed, even if they have a master's in special ed. I felt the most socially out of place in the regular school! I was labeled a freak by the other kids, and you can't escape that even when you just want to be like everyone else. You should never be ostracized for wanting to learn! When I went to the gifted high school, it was like a new world was open to me. It is really hard to constantly be picked on for 8+ years; to go to a school where I was considered normal was the best gift my parents ever gave me. My parents said they knew I was different when I was very small. If you feel your daughter needs extra attention, please find it for her. You'll be amazed at how she blossoms, especially if she's spared the "attention" that the other kids will give her...

I would try a Montessori school. The kids learn at their own pace (a huge plus of Montessori)....

My kids actually attend Keystone Montessori School in River Forest, IL .... It's not far for you.. kids come from much farther to attend it, actually. I suggest checking them out and other Montessori schools.

sorry so short.. gotta get to the kids.

Hello,

I found myself in the same situation a few years ago. I have a 6year old daughter who at the age of 4 1/2 was reading at 3rd grade level and very very good at math as well, she is what I say an overachiever. I enrolled her in Kindergarten summer school to prepare her for school, all the teacher, family and friends told me I should check into gifted schools as well. I decided to keep her in regular school and see how it went. Let me tell you she loves school(I disliked school from KG myself and I think it was because I struggled). She is very confident because she knows things, the teachers are great and use her as a helper for other children and she loves it. I truly feel if I placed her in a gifted school right off the bat she may not be the way she is now. The teachers challenge her daily as do I at home, but in the future I might place her in a gifted program is she wishes.

HI there - I have a masters in special education and have worked on both ends of the spectrum. In my opinion, unless your child is freaky freaky - able to do algebra right now - then I would leave her where she is at. Technically you can not "diagnose" anyone as gifted or learning disabled until they are in 2nd grade. It is then that it becomes apparent of their true learning capability. Socially, gifted schools are hard. There is not a whole lot of "regular" socialization going on there. I am not so sure that being able to read at the 3rd grade level is gifted. Even being able to count, add, or subtract might not be considered gifted at this age. I would give her as much "regular" education with socialization as possible before making that switch. Good luck!

I realize this is an old post but here are my two cents!

THere are several schools... one in Desplaines Science and Arts Academy.

Also Quest in Palatine is one of the higher quality schools in the nation.

You might want to also look for programs through National Louis (World of Wisdom and WOnders) and also Northwestern. They have summer and weekend programs.

A good source of info are books by author Joan Smutney she is the one who stared the National Louis program. She is amazing and a nationally renowned author on the subject. I ended up keeping my son in public school but purchased her book about teaching gifted in the normal classroom for his teachers. Some teachers are receptive to the ideas and others blew it by. Keep pushing for her you will find people that tell you that "kids average out at age 8 - 10" etc.