Name: Winker
Huntington, CT
Number of kids: 2
Ages of kids: 2, and 6 mos.
Problem: My 2 year old son is very smart. He just turned 2 late November and he's saying the alphabet, counting to 20, singing songs, knows the Presidents on coins, knows his shapes (not just square and circle) I'm talking trapezoids. He has a vocabulary of a 4 year old at least. I'm not saying he's a genius, but he is very very smart. So back to my problem. I have concerns about putting him in an average preschool, in fear that his talents will be held back.
If anyone has any recommendations on alternative schooling or ways of going about finding one. Please let me know. Or let me know if this level of intelligence is normal for a 2 year old. The kids my son is with do not seem to be as up to speed.
Solution submitted by Delila of Mass.: I strongly suggest you look into Montessori preschools in your area. They are great for ALL kids, but especially gifted kids. My oldest daughter was very much the same as your son. Yes, she knew trapezoids too! Many kids will pick up those kinds of things if exposed to them. Much of the theory behind the Montessori Method is to expose kids to all sorts of things. Many people think young children are too young to learn things like Trapezoids, Planets, Continents, Countries, etc. NOT TRUE!!! Small children's minds are like sponges. If they are exposed to different concepts they will pick them up. In learning these things early (only what they are interested in...and most definitely with NO pressure) they will build a great foundation of knowledge for future learning.
The fact that your son already knows so much, I imagine that you are already exposing him to lots of great things. The Montessori Method is probably very similar to what you already do. For more information on the Montessori school that my kids go to, and how my kids did there, please check out my homepage, specifically my oldest daughter's biography.
Another solution submitted by Claudia from Atlanta, GA: My children have been in a Montessori School for over 4.5 years. My oldest one is in the Elementary Program and we are delighted. However, since I do not know how familiar you are with the Montessori method, let me give you some general warnings. Be aware that Montessori is not a trademark. It is only an educational program. Not all Montessori Schools are equal, and many pre-schools and/or daycares use the montessori name. The training of so-called Montessori teachers ranges from a 9 week training session to up to two years in school with one year in the classroom under the supervision of an experienced teacher. Montessori Schools in that sense are similar to regular schools. Some are wonderful and some just stink. If interested, look for a school with a strong track record, an EXCLUSIVE affiliation with one of the big montessori societies (AMI OR AMS), and all teachers having been trained through an AMI or AMS training center. I hope this is helpful.
Another solution submitted by Supermom of MI:I have a nephew that is 2 and he can also do the things your son is doing! Preschool may help your son out socially, but it may not benefit him academically. I would enroll him in preschool, and I'm sure if the preschool thought he was too smart for that program they would find the right schooling for him. Also, you might want to think about home schooling him. It sounds like your doing a super job already! With home schooling you can teach more because of the one on one with him. Maybe another solution would be to send him to a private school. Most private schools will address the needs of the children. Another idea would to be to contact a local school and ask them if they have special people for testing children and placing them. Good luck, and do let us know what you decide and how it works out!
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