Frequently Asked Questions
What if I have a child at the lower end of the recommended age level and the curriculum looks too easy?
We highly recommend that families with a child who is 5 try at least one concept from the 5-7 level before deciding to move "up" a level. The same would apply to a child who is 6 trying one of the 6-8 concepts before moving to the 7-9 level. We often offer different levels of activities and provide ideas for how to add more challenge.
It is important to remember that there is more to teaching a gifted child than acceleration or continuing to move into higher levels. Gifted kids should be challenged to think conceptually, apply knowledge, and see how ideas and subjects are interconnected. Enriching curriculum is paramount to a good program for gifted children. Advancing through grade levels is not always better.
You also want to be sure that your child does not have any "gaps" in what she should learn at each level. Sometimes these gaps will not show up until later in a child's education.
You also want to encourage your child to become an independent learner. If you have to help her work through every detail of every assignment, it may be a sign that the curriculum is too challenging or that she may need to gain confidence working independently. Ideally, a majority of the activities should be done by your child independently.
Another option for children who are at the lower end of the recommended age but still need something more advanced is to "compact" the curriculum. This means to work through the curriculum at a faster pace. You may go through two lessons during the day and even skip activities that you know your child has already mastered. We do not recommend moving so quickly that your child misses out on engaging discussions with you or interesting activities and projects, though. Some activities may not be "hard" for your child but may be creative and enjoyable. When a curriculum is compacted, you may finish it in less time and then move up to the next level faster.