Education Options for Gifted Preschoolers

A few days ago, I brought my daughter to her first day of public preschool. I looked over the curriculum and felt queasy. By the end of the year, it said, my daughter would know the names of shapes and colors. She would know how to count to ten. She would be able to sing her ABCs and recognize a few letters. She would be able to identify her name on sight and may begin writing it herself.

While I recognized that this was a completely ordinary curriculum for many four-year-olds, my daughter has been doing all of these things since she was two years old-- and she's currently reading on a first-grade level. I'm not under an illusion that my child is "too good" or "too smart" for ordinary preschool, but I did want to know what education options were available for my gifted preschooler. Here are some of the options I found out, after talking to moms and educators in my area.

Private School

Many private preschool programs, especially those with Montessori or Paediea philosophies, are designed to accommodate the needs of gifted children and to support the learning abilities of every student in the classroom. Although I would love for my daughter to attend a good private preschool, it isn't an option on our current budget. However, some parents of gifted preschoolers may look into it as one option.

Homeschooling

My daughter received an excellent pre-preschool education at home, and I'd originally intended to continue homeschooling her so I could meet her needs as a gifted student. However, my daughter-- despite being ahead in her language skills and reading-- has always lagged a bit in her social development, and I wasn't confident that I could continue giving her an adequate education as a homeschooling parent. For other gifted preschoolers, though, homeschooling can be an ideal education option for gifted preschoolers.

Early Kindergarten

Depending on your school district's policies, it might be possible to enroll your child in kindergarten early. This is easiest if you are going through a private school system, or if your child is already enrolled in pre-kindergarten and her teachers suggest "bumping" her up a grade. In many cases, though, this isn't a viable option due to school age restrictions.

Gifted and Accelerated Programs

Good schools tend to offer accelerated programs and gifted programs for students who excel in one specific area (or in learning in general). For example, a preschooler who is a very talented reader may spend part of the day in a kindergarten class or special program for early readers, while children with high IQs may be included in a "gifted" program for exceptional students.

Supplemental Schooling

Another educational option for gifted children is a supplemental program. Extra homework-- which is more fun than it sounds, for some students-- can give your kid the extra boost he needs to thrive. He might also attend an after-school program, such as an extracurricular art class or book club, that makes the most of his unique talents. This can ensure that your child is adequately challenged and learns to the best of his ability.

One of the most important factors to remember when dealing with a gifted preschooler is that even the most exceptional children are still children-- and still deserve a fun, imaginative childhood unencumbered by the restrictions of conventional schooling. So, while we parents might do our best to ensure a good education for our gifted preschoolers, we also need to give them time to simply be kids-- to run, finger-paint, make mud-pies, and play on the slide. An exceptional childhood should still be a happy childhood.