Homeschooling the Gifted or 2e Child

Many gifted and 2e children do very well in schools throughout the U.S. There are all kinds of programs designed to meet the special needs of the fortunate children who have access to them. When there’s a good fit for the unique educational needs of one’s child, there’s no need to look for further options. However, these programs are not available to all of the families who need them, due to location, district funding, or limited personal resources. So what are parents to do when a good fit is not available? Since an increase in developmental asynchronies correlates with an increase in IQ scores, finding a comfortable place for a gifted or 2e child to grow and thrive educationally and socially gets commensurately more difficult.

Enter homeschooling as an option.
What is Homeschooling?
Homeschooling is a multi-dimensional continuum that can take many forms. Variables include:

The extent of structure or planning
Who does the teaching (if any)
The degree of independence from educational institutions
Whether or not to grade
Whether learning is child- or parent-led
Whether or not to pursue a theme or follow a specific curriculum.

Some parents who are brand new to homeschooling may choose to take advantage of support and services offered by a school district or charter program. One benefit of such a program is the familiarity of the educational paradigm — that is, school still looks like school, after a fashion. This arrangement can allow homeschoolers to take advantage of resources, such as a science lab or orchestra, that they might not otherwise have access to. Parents can benefit by working with trained teachers who will assist with curriculum and other content issues. The disadvantage of this s...