Why Homeschool?

Homeschooling provides an educational environment tailored to meet the needs of the gifted child without the repetition of a modern, sequential curriculum; a focus on standards that do not support individual potential; or artificial social relations which are often poorly suited to gifted children.

Flexibility is an important benefit of homeschooling, allowing the gifted child to set the pace of learning and work from a wide variety of educational materials. The focus can be placed on individual strengths and interests while leaving room to work on any weaknesses. Homeschooled children also tend to have more time to pursue interests not covered in the classroom or to find experts willing to share their specialized knowledge.

Schedule flexibility offers further advantages. Homeschoolers can plan activities and schedule appointments for doctors or other specialists who may be unavailable during non-school hours. They often have greater access to like-minded children of other ages (intellectual peers rather than age peers) and to the many resources online, in the community and at the library. There is more freedom to travel for education and social interaction.

From a social-emotional standpoint, homeschooling parents can be more available to help their child navigate difficult situations as they occur. There is no need for a highly sensitive child to learn socialization by the “sink or swim” method on the playground.

Homeschooling gifted children reduces boredom issues, eliminates comparisons with other students and allows the children to find themselves, both academically and within their community. While there are certainly challenges with educating gifted children outside of the traditional school system, the flexibility of homeschooling allows each child’s unique needs to be met, resulting in longlasting social and emotional benefits.