Choosing a School

The Gifted Student

Oxford Languages defines gifted as "having exceptional talent or natural ability." You've been aware for a long time that your child is gifted. She reads several grade levels above her grade and is passionate about robotics. She socializes well, and is liked by her teachers and classmates. The problem is that your local public school doesn't have the resources to stretch her and allow her to achieve her full potential. So, you are looking at boarding schools as an option for expanding her intellectual horizons.

Signs of Giftedness in Children Include:

• an extreme need for constant mental stimulation
• an ability to learn and process complex information rapidly
• a need to explore subjects in surprising depth
• an insatiable curiosity, as demonstrated by endless questions and inquiries
• ability to comprehend material several grade levels above their age peers
• surprising emotional depth and sensitivity at a young age
• enthusiastic about unique interests and topics
• quirky or mature sense of humor
• creative problem solving and imaginative expression
• absorbs information quickly with few repetitions needed
• self-aware, socially aware, and aware of global issues

Source: Davidson Institute

So, I can tell you as a parent of two gifted daughters, boarding school is an excellent option. We lived in rural Litchfield County, Connecticut. The local regional school system was very good but had limited resources. There was no internet in those days. So, we encouraged reading lots of books and added enrichment activities. But, again, we soon exhausted those scarce resources. Boarding school ended up being

What is Progressive Education?

Picture your ideal classroom. What do you see? A line of desks, concentrated students diligently solving math problems? Or do you envision something different?

• Perhaps you picture a classroom electric with energy.
• Small groups of students stand on whiteboards around the classroom, debating, arguing, and trying to figure out the best approach to a difficult math problem.
• A teacher circulates, asking questions and making observations.
• And suddenly, there was a flash of celebration as the students arrived at the solution.
• They’re active; they’re engaged; they’re motivated. And they’re learning.

This is the promise of progressive education.

What is Progressive Education?

Arising from the ideas of John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, the progressive educational movement focuses on the process of learning over the rote memorization of facts.

• Beginning in the 19th century, progressive educators such as John Dewey, Rudolf Steiner, and Maria Montessori began to develop a philosophy of education that became progressive education as we know it today.
• A true definition of progressive education is admittedly difficult to pin down – the field is broad and contains many schools of thought. However, several values are shared by the progressive education community.

This video offers an overview of Ecole d’Humaité in Switzerland.

Attending to the Whole Child

Progressive educators are concerned with the holistic development of the child.

The JROTC, or Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps, is an integral part of military high schools in the United States. While my daughters attended non-military boarding schools, my eldest daughter was enrolled in the ROTC program at MIT while she was at Harvard. I was very impressed at how the blend of military training and first-rate academics played out then and in her later life. Consequently, as I scanned the seventeen military schools' websites we have on Boarding School Review, I couldn't help but notice how seamlessly these schools weave the JROTC program into their school life. JROTC is not an add-on or an extracurricular activity. When you blend and integrate the JROTC program's proven training and goals with a military school's rigorous college-preparatory academic curriculum, you aim to produce graduates who understand service to their country, know how to lead and are confident in their personal path forward.

Here is a look at JROTC and what it entails.

What is JROTC?

Congress established the Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (JROTC) in 1916. Each branch of the services has its own distinctive JROTC program. However, they all have the altruistic-sounding mission "To Motivate Young People to be Better Citizens."

The U.S. Army Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) is one of the world's largest character development and citizenship programs for youth. Source: JROTC

Some people think that JROTC is a recruiting program for the military. But it is

Are You Looking At The Wrong Schools?

You've started the process of choosing a boarding school for your child.

• You've done a bit of reading about the reasons for sending your child to a private school.
• You've listened to the suggestions and recommendations of family and friends.
• You've explored dozens of school websites.
• None of this is challenging to do.
• Chances are that you will find the right school for your needs and requirements.

Hopefully, you will. However, despite your reasonable efforts, here are five reasons you might be looking at the wrong schools.

1. They don't offer the kind of curriculum you require.

Think carefully about what the schools teach and how they teach it.

• Think about this well before creating the shortlist of schools you want to visit.
• The school's curriculum, how it's taught, and the quality of its faculty should be at the top of your checklist. That's how important an issue this is as you choose the right school for your child.

This part of the process is daunting because boarding schools are unique.

They won't all offer the same courses, and they will certainly not approach teaching them the same way. By now, you have a pretty good idea of your educational goals.

• Are you looking for schools that offer a solid college preparation using the College Board's Advanced Placement courses or

The answer to that question is a firm recommendation: consider all that a military school offers your young person. Yes, these days military schools educate young women and young men. New Mexico Military Institute describes its mission: “To educate, train, and prepare young men and women to be leaders capable of critical thinking and sound analysis, leaders who possess uncompromising character, and leaders able to meet challenging physical demands.”

Discipline

Just about anything in life worth doing well requires lots of discipline. Discipline takes hard work, persistence, stamina, and time. In an era when instant gratification seems endemic, good old-fashioned discipline lays a solid foundation for success in adult life. Group discipline quickly grows into a pattern of self-discipline. After several years of training, your child will know what she must do to accomplish her objectives. Military schools serve up discipline as regularly as they serve breakfast.

Missouri Military Academy sums it up very well:

“Whether learning in the classroom, completing community service, performing on the athletic field, or interacting socially, we always expected our cadets to do the right thing–acting with respect, responsibility, honor, and generosity. A Missouri Military Academy diploma means a student has gone beyond the mastery of the subjects necessary to succeed in college and possesses the self-discipline and values that will help him succeed in all aspects of life.”

This video offers an overview of the Culver Academies.