Homeschooling is a good choice among other good choices. It certainly makes rapid single subject acceleration easy when a child is dual enrolled. Our experience with our local school district has been very positive! I'd encourage all parents who might have the option to consider that being in public school part-time might be just the best choice.

One bonus that I don't see often in the literature - sensitive homeschooled kids have a comfortable place to recharge before returning to the more energetic, boisterous or rushed public school.

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Homeschooling has been a wonderful choice for us. I think Kearney's article is right on so many points -- waiting too long to make a traditional school setting work can cause long-term problems that you will spend months or years sorting out later, and yes, if you purchase traditional curriculum materials you will blow through them at an alarming rate. We will likely do at least 3 years of math this year.
We love that homeschooling our 7yo allows us to bypass traditional reading and spelling instruction entirely (she last tested at the 9th month of 12th grade in those areas) and have more time for music, learning foreign languages (a special interest of hers), and just playing and drawing and being a kid.
While it was a significant lifestyle change -- and not cheap! -- the elimination of stress from negotiating with school and dealing with a miserable child has made our lives much happier.

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I am the parent of a scientific child prodigy. He is only seven years old and has just finished primary one at school. His first year of school was one of great contrasts. At school they are "teaching" him to count and group numbers. At home he is studying chemistry at an adult level, reading widely on the internet and delving into obscure areas of science. The mismatch could not have been more significant.

Given the disparity between what school tries to teach a child of his age, and his actual abilities we are led to consider homeschooling. Sometimes, I think given the nature of traditional schooling, homeschooling can be the ONLY sensible option for a gifted child - if the child's gifts are too many years in advance of their age.

We are therefore making preparations for homeschooling our son in the near future.

It is, I feel, better to try to meet your gifted child's level than to allow them to grow bored in a school system that doesn't even try.

Best wishes all.

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