Making decisions about the “best” academic placement for a gifted or 2e child is not easy. There’s no one model that works better than any other for these students, as they all present with extremely unique profiles of strengths and challenges. For some, academic acceleration is paramount. For others, the social aspects are more important and their intellectual curiosities can be satisfied outside of school. Still others may need a program with the opportunity to explore the arts or dive deeply into technology or lab science.
Sadly, there is no “unicorn:” no one perfect school for these unique learners. However, fear not! Those who have come before have written down their advice and experiences, and figuring out a “good enough” fit can be the answer.
As I explore this topic for my own child, I’d like to share links that I find to be useful. So here goes…
How Can I Choose a School for my Gifted Child? on Hoagie’s Gifted
Choose a School for your Gifted Child Quick Kit from Picky Parent Guide – this has awesome tools for making comparisons and figuring out what to look for in a school
The Least-Worst Educational Option on Hoagie’s Gifted
Discussion Chart for Comparing School Options from the Davidson Institute
How to Choose a School from TiLT Parenting (requires entering email address)
Finding the Appropriate Educational Environment for Gifted and Twice-Exceptional Children by Mike Postma, who offers an excellent list of questions to ask potential school options
Searching for Gifted Utopia from the Davidson Institute – more links in this one!
Choosing the Right School for your Gifted Child from the Davidson Institute – good list of “look-fors”
