Archive for June, 2010

“We just couldn’t let her stay in school, they were basically holding her back,” Emma’s parents told me, and I knew exactly what they meant. Gifted children are a wonderful gift – but they also create a challenge for parents and for educators, a challenge that most traditional schools are unable to meet.

While some schools supply gifted children with special programs, mostly in the form of after-school activities, many parents of gifted kids feel that for their child, sitting there for six hours each day learning in a pace that is excruciatingly slow for her just won’t cut it. For the gifted child too, having to sit in a traditional classroom is often torture. They often become so bored, that they begin to act out, which causes them to be labeled as “difficult children.”

One option is to see if there are any special schools for gifted children in your area. Another option is to homeschool your gifted child. Homeschooling is wonderful for gifted children because it allows them to work at their own pace – usually much faster than average kids – and to focus on the areas that are of the most interest to them.

For example, if your child is gifted in math, homeschooling will enable him to spend more time on math and to advance as fast as he is willing and able to advance. He will never be held back becuase other children have yet to grasp a concept that he has understood ages ago.

A 3D online homeschooling program with a strong technology focus is especially exciting for most gifted students, since many of them are very interested in technology.

When I talk to parents about online homeschooling, one of the most common questions they ask me is, “but what about social interaction?”

It’s true – kids need social interaction, and in fact they benefit from interacting not just with classmates but also with teachers. While homeschooled kids typically enjoy being independent, especially in middle school and high school, they still crave interaction.

Which brings me to one of the best things about 3D online homeschooling. Unlike traditional online homeschooling, which does pose serious challenges in terms of interaction, the beauty of a 3D online homeschool is that the students do get to interact. They actually go to school every day – yes, it’s a virtual school, but if you ask any of our students they will tell you that it feels very real to them.

Students get up in the morning and go to school, roaming the virtual corridors using their avatar and their own 3D objects including books and school supplies. They participate in virtual classes led by certified teachers and in regular conferences. Students also collaborate with other students to create different projects. These students are not lonely or isolated. On the contrary: they get plenty of daily interaction and socialization.

We do encourage our homeschooling families to make sure that their child has plenty of real-life opportunities to socialize in addition to the interaction our school provides. But it’s important to realize that kids who go to a 3D online homeschool are in no way isolated. They get plenty of daily interaction, with teachers and with peers.