What the Expert Says:
Children with IQ scores that vary considerably from other students can present challenges. Obviously, it’s wonderful to have a child with such a high I.Q. and I’m sure you want to ensure that he/she is not bored with the regular curriculum.
There are various ways in which the curriculum can be altered, but ideally, you want to find the best way possible to appeal to the exceptional needs and interests of your child.
Have you explored whether or not your school board offers a program catering to such students? Most school boards have programs in place for gifted and talented students. Within these programs, there are various concessions made to accommodate each student’s unique attributes.
Depending on the program, it may offer the opportunity for your child to explore his/her interests to a depth not permitted within the regular classroom. Preferably, your child should have some sort of individual program plan in place. The person who prepared said program will have taken many factors into consideration in order to develop a plan which can best address how best to alter the curriculum. This program can then be used by the parent or classroom teacher, whether in a regular or gifted classroom setting, because it tells them how best to alter the curriculum for your child.
If you’re homeschooling, I would explore all of the various resources out there. Speak to other education professionals, educational material professionals and parents who are homeschooling to find out which series are more challenging within the various subjects. Usually, on various websites marketing homeschooling education materials, you can have a sample of what the book is like. Knowing your child’s abilities and the direction in which you want to take them will help you determine which direction to take. If you’re unsure, I’d consider requesting professional help, whether it is from your homeschooling board or from experienced teachers/tutors. Obviously, no system is perfect, but it’s difficult to regain lost time and you don’t want to find that you’re always “experimenting” with what direction to take. Your child’s future is at stake and you absolutely want to make sure you have all of the best resources available.
You’re also going to need to take possible social issues into consideration. Not always, but sometimes gifted children have difficulty with social skills because their level of thinking or degree of maturity doesn’t correspond to that of their same aged peers. In this respect, a special program can often help nurture the “differences” rather than making a child feel like their differences make them an outcast.
It’s sometimes the case with gifted children that academics become the primary focus. Here is another area in which you must encourage balance. Gifted or not, they still want to play and explore like other children so try and have your child join the soccer team, a dance club, etc. Activity is still vital and having outside interests will create a greater sense of balance. It will give your child an additional outlet for his/her energies and it also helps restore the realization that everyone is good at something. Your child may excel academically, but face challenges out on the soccer field. Those challenges will help him/her realize that we’re all special in our own way and we need to appreciate the talents of others as much as we recognize our own.
I wish you all the best in finding the best place for your child. As I said before, having a gifted child is a blessing, but it does present some challenges. With the right approach and exploration of available programs, you’ll be able to find something that works best for you and your child.
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