It can be both rewarding and challenging to parent a gifted child. If you have a gifted child, then you are well aware of the unique challenges that can arise. Your child learns quickly and can grasp challenging concepts more easily than some of his or her peers. In traditional classrooms, the students who learn quickly are often faced with boredom as they wait for everyone else to catch up. These students are also at risk of losing interest in learning when they are forced to go over concepts they have already mastered. Private education can provide your gifted child with the freedom to move through concepts at an accelerated pace and the advantages that come with having an individualized learning plan.
The freedom to move at an accelerated pace
In a private education setting, your gifted child will have the freedom to move through concepts at an accelerated pace. Many public schools struggle to provide gifted students with the appropriate level of advanced curriculum. The public school curriculum is designed to meet the needs of the largest group of children – those who fall within the average. Public school teachers are tasked with meeting a long list of standards set forth by the state. These standards are designed to meet the educational needs of the average child in any particular grade. There are programs for gifted children in the public school system, but most gifted children need more opportunities than these programs provide. Public school teachers with large classrooms do not have the time to provide the most gifted children with the access they need to more difficult content. The smaller class size and individualized design of the private school classroom can provide your gifted child with ample opportunities to move through concepts at a pace that meets his or her educational needs.
The advantage of an individualized learning plan
In private education, your gifted child will benefit from having an individualized learning plan. The classroom size in private schools is intentionally left small to provide as much individualization as possible. As mentioned above, this will allow your child to move through concepts more quickly. An individualized learning plan will also help keep your gifted child interested in learning. One of the biggest challenges that parents of gifted children face is helping their students deal with boredom in the classroom. An individualized learning plan will allow your student to be challenged and learn about topics that interest him or her. Boredom will not be an issue when your gifted child is presented with concepts and topics that are both challenging and interesting. An individualized learning plan is the best way to meet the unique learning needs of a gifted child.
Private education can benefit gifted children by meeting their unique needs inside the classroom. This same design is what makes private education a great option for every type of student. You can learn more about what sets private education apart from public education through the resources in the Fountainhead Montessori parent library.