Schooling a precocious child: finding a setting adapted to his needs

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Which school for a precocious child? This is a question that many parents face when confronted with the particularities of their child with high intellectual potential (HPI). Contrary to popular belief, precociousness is not always synonymous with academic success. While some children flourish without difficulty, others encounter major obstacles: boredom in class, hypersensitivity, performance anxiety, difficulties integrating or even dropping out of school.

Faced with these challenges, traditional schools may not be suitable for all precocious children. A standardized learning pace, a noisy environment and an often rigid pedagogy can be sources of discomfort and limit their development.

So what solutions are there? Should you opt for a traditional school with special facilities? An alternative or specialized school? What criteria should be taken into account to ensure a stimulating and caring environment?
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How do you recognize a precocious child?

An official test to determine a child's high intellectual potential

Identifying a child with high intellectual potential (HPI) relies on a specific assessment carried out by a qualified professional, usually a clinical psychologist. The reference tool for this assessment is the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC). This test, designed for children aged 6 to 16 years and 11 months, assesses various cognitive skills through verbal and non-verbal exercises. The current version in force is the WISC-V, published in 2014, which succeeded the WISC-IV. 

It is essential that the test is administered by a psychologist trained in this tool, to guarantee reliable results. The scores obtained make it possible to situate the child in relation to his or her age group, and to identify cognitive strengths and weaknesses. An intelligence quotient (IQ) score above 130 is generally considered indicative of high intellectual potential. 

The profiles of HPI children can be homogeneous or heterogeneous. A homogeneous profile indicates that the child shows balanced performance in the different components of the test. On the other hand, a heterogeneous profile reveals significant discrepancies between the different abilities assessed, which may require special attention to understand the child's specific needs.
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Different profiles of precocious children

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It's important to emphasize that not all HPI children fit the stereotypical image of the "little genius" or very good student. Their diversity manifests itself through different profiles, explained by Alexandra Reynaud on her blog, The tribulations of a little zebra and detailed by Belgian psychologist Tessa Kieboom in her book Accompagner l'enfant surdoué:
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• The high-achieving academic child: this is the student who succeeds. He's studious, organized, loves to learn and does brilliantly at school. The risk? Performance anxiety, as he may fear failure and have difficulty handling pressure.
  
  
• Independent children: autonomous, they like to learn in their own way. However, they can be perceived as atypical by teachers, because they question instructions and need flexibility.
  
  
• The discreet, introverted child: understands everything, but says nothing. They have trouble fitting in, doubt themselves and can be "transparent" or self-effacing students. This profile is particularly at risk of dropping out silently, as they often go unnoticed.
  
  
• The provocative or oppositional child: challenges authority, can't stand boredom and refuses the traditional school setting. Perceived as rebellious or insolent, they sometimes simply need a more flexible, stimulating environment to blossom.
  
  
• The doubly exceptional child or twice (HPI with associated disorders): dyslexia, dyspraxia, ADHD... Some precocious children also have learning disorders, which can mask their high potential and make their schooling difficult. Or, conversely, their high potential masks the disorder they are compensating for.
  
  
• Children who drop out of school: boredom, incomprehension, rejection of the school system... Some precocious children drop out completely. They may be in great psychological distress, and require special support.

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Other typologies can be found, but they are generally quite similar. The aim is not to put a label on the child, certainly not, but rather to understand that there is not just one type of precocious child, but a diversity of profiles. Some succeed brilliantly at school, while others are bored, encounter difficulties or even fail.

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The particularities of precocious children and their educational needs

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A different way of thinking

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In Comprendre les difficultés d'apprentissage de l'enfant surdoué : un fonctionnement intellectuel singulier? psychologist Jeanne Siaud-Facchin explains that:
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"Because of their different ways of thinking, gifted children do not share the same implicit values. Their way of thinking, their understanding of the world and their analysis of the environment differ from that of the classic student".

Gifted children are not more intelligent than others. They have a specific intellectual functioning that makes their way of thinking atypical, qualitatively (not quantitatively) different.

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These children are generally found to have :

• A need for meaning and depth: they want to understand why things are the way they are, not just learn by rote. They're very analytical. The 5 great Montessori stories should be a real source of wonder for them.
  
  
• Their thinking is often tree-like: they explore several avenues in parallel, sometimes to the detriment of the organization and presentation expected in class. One word, one idea, leads to another.
  
  
• Very rapid reasoning can cause them to lose patience when the school pace seems too slow: they may also find it difficult to share the stages of their reasoning, for example to explain a result in mathematics.
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A thirst for learning... but a risk of boredom

Some precocious children develop an insatiable curiosity from an early age. Fascinated by a specific field, they can spend hours delving into a subject that interests them. However, the traditional education system imposes a relatively rigid framework and a uniform program, identical for all, which can lead to:
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• boredom and disengagement in class if concepts are repetitive or too simple;
  
  
• rejection at school if they don't feel intellectually stimulated;
  
  
• frustration with repetitive exercises, which seem pointless once the concept is understood.
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An emotional and social gap

Precocious children may also experience a mismatch with their peers.
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• Sometimes, intellectual and emotional high potentials are combined. Even if Nicolas Gauvrit explains in the Psy comic strip Dans la tête des HPI that there are no more hypersensitive precocious children than neurotypical children with high emotional potential, it is common to think that HPI children are more sensitive and receptive to the emotions of others.
  
  
• Precocious children can feel different, misunderstood and even excluded if they can't find peers with whom to share their interests.
  
  
• Some develop performance anxiety. They fear disappointing adults or failing to live up to expectations. They can then develop a paralyzing perfectionism: they want to get everything right the first time, and dread failure.
  
  
• We also find that they have a strong need for justice and fairness: they can't stand even the slightest injustice. This provokes very strong emotions in them.
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These elements play an essential role in their relationship with school, and explain why some of them may be suffering in a traditional setting.

These socio-emotional discrepancies, crystallizing anxieties, boredom and loss of meaning are all factors that can lead, for example, to school phobia. To avoid these difficulties, it's important to provide a caring school environment that's adapted to their pace and way of thinking.
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Why is conventional schooling not always suitable for precocious children?

Although many high-potential children manage to adapt to traditional schooling, many find themselves out of step with their peers and the pace of learning imposed. There are a number of reasons why the traditional school system is ill-suited to precocious children.
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A program that's too linear and rigid

One of the biggest challenges for a precocious child in a conventional classroom is having to follow an imposed learning pace.
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• He understands concepts much more quickly and gets bored waiting for his classmates.
  
  
• He may be tempted to do other things in class (daydreaming, chatting, reading under the table...).
  
  
• A teacher untrained in precociousness risks mistaking this for a lack of interest or attention.

It should also be remembered that children go through sensitive periods in their development. If we follow children's natural learning patterns, we can see that some will spend several consecutive weeks on mathematical notions, before focusing on learning to read, and then returning to other notions. It's by following the child's interests within a relatively flexible framework that we enable them to learn effectively.
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A noisy, stimulating environment

Many precocious children suffer fromhyperesthesia, particularlyhyperacusis (hypersensitivity to noise).

• A class of 30 students can be a real cacophony for them.
  
  
• Their concentration is put to the test, which can lead to great mental fatigue.
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Unsuitable social and educational pressure

As we've already mentioned, some precocious children develop performance anxiety. They feel obliged to excel, and experience every mistake as a personal failure. Graded assessments become a source of great anxiety, to the point of making themselves ill or completely stuck in front of their copy.

Others, on the contrary, lacking intellectual stimulation, can become totally disengaged and lose their motivation.
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Schooling options for precocious children

The traditional school with facilities

In some cases, a mainstream school may be suitable if adaptations are put in place to meet the specific needs of the precocious child. These accommodations include:
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• Moving up a grade: this allows students to adjust their learning level to their actual skills, but must be accompanied to avoid an emotional or social mismatch.
  
  
• Bi-level classes: these encourage more flexible teaching and allow children to be nurtured without being isolated from their peers.
  
  
• A personalized project: some schools offer special teaching arrangements, such as more in-depth exercises or an enriched curriculum. Other possibilities already on offer include part-time schooling in kindergarten or lycée, with certain subjects worked on remotely with the CNED, for example.

Advantages: the child is kept within a normal framework; he or she has access to a recognized classical curriculum.

Disadvantages: the numbers are often too high for individualized follow-up; the system remains very rigid.
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Special schools for precocious children

Some private schools have developed specific pedagogies for high-potential children. They offer :

• smaller classes, for more personalized attention;
  
  
• an accelerated pace of learning, to avoid boredom and encourage exploration of knowledge;
  
  
• emotional support, to help children better manage their hypersensitivity and need for meaning.
  
  
• innovative teaching methods that encourage reflection, creativity and independent work.

Advantages: the environment is stimulating; the specificities of precocious children are recognized.

Disadvantages: there are few such schools in France, and they are often expensive.

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For this type of school, it's important to check all the criteria. Not all schools pay particular attention to children's well-being. Some maintain a very academic framework. They just speed up the program. They maintain graded assessments and a certain academic pressure. So they won't necessarily suit all HPI children.

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Alternative schools: Montessori, Freinet, democratic schools...

Alternative pedagogy schools can be particularly well suited to certain profiles of precocious children, as they are based on fundamental principles that correspond to them:

• Autonomy and self-paced learning: each child progresses according to his or her abilities and interests.
  
  
• No competition: evaluation is based on personal development, not comparative grades.
  
  
• A caring, less noisy environment: ideal for hypersensitive children.

Advantages: the child's rhythm is respected; learning is concrete and motivating.

Disadvantages: these schools are private, not under contract, and the cost of schooling is sometimes high; adaptation is sometimes necessary if the child re-enters a conventional curriculum later.
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Home schooling and distance learning
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Family instruction can be a relevant solution if school represents too great a source of stress or boredom. It allows:
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• fully adapt content to the child's needs and interests;
  
  
• avoid social pressure, if this is an obstacle to well-being;
  
  
• integrate more flexible and interactive learning methods.

Advantages: we offer children tailor-made learning, with no pace constraints.

Disadvantages: authorizations to practice IEF are increasingly difficult to obtain. IEF requires solid family organization and a high level of availability on the part of parents. Note that there are organizations that support parents and provide course materials for their children.
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Which school for a precocious child? 5 criteria to observe

Here are the main criteria to consider when looking for a school for a precocious child.

1 - A flexible learning pace

The aim is to :

• enable children toprogress more quickly in certain subjects;
  
  
• do not force them to repeat exercises they have already understood;
  
  
• integrate project teaching to stimulate their curiosity and give meaning to fundamental learning.
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2 - A caring, non-competitive environment

A pedagogical team that practicescaring education will come : 

• reward success without creating constant pressure ;
  
  
• encourage emotional expression and work on stress management.
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3 - Smaller staff for better follow-up and a calmer environment

Enabling children to progress at their own pace means being able to offer personalized follow-up. This is made possible not only by the use of appropriate tools, but also by a reduced number of students per teacher.

• This more individualized approach enables us to meet the specific needs of each student.
  
  
• The calmer environment offered by a small group of students is ideal for hypersensitive children.
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4 - Teaching that nurtures their curiosity

Precocious children have a strong appetite for learning, provided we don't turn it off. It's important to nurture this intellectual curiosity. 

They generally need to spend less time on fundamental learning. This frees up time for
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• enjoy a wide range of cultural and sporting activities;
  
  
• integrate time for reflection(philosophy workshops, debates, research projects, etc.) and provide answers to existential questions, questions linked to the development of ecological awareness and the eco-anxiety that can result, etc.
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By proposing to carry out projects, be they cultural, civic, ecology-related or other, we offer children the chance to give meaning to this fundamental learning.
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5 - A pedagogy that encourages autonomy

Generally speaking, precocious children appreciate active pedagogies, those that invite them to engage in activities, to explore on their own, to take the initiative. 

Sure, they need a framework, but one that's there to guide them in their learning, not to constrain them.
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Why are Esclaibes schools a good option for precocious children?

In the Esclaibes International Schools network, whether kindergarten, elementary or even middle school, we are committed to meeting all these criteria. Each of our bilingual international schools offers a stimulating and caring environment, where precocious children can fully flourish.
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• At our schools in Paris, Clichy and Marseille, the learning program is individualized, adapted to the pace of each pupil. Let's not forget that the aim is for every child to acquire the knowledge and skills set out in the Common Base of Knowledge, Skills and Culture by the end of compulsory education, i.e. by the age of 16. Nothing dictates the path and pace to be taken to achieve this, other than common sense and observation of children's development.
  
  
• Our teaching teams apply an active pedagogy that encourages learning through experimentation. In kindergarten (and even in nursery school), they rely in particular on the Montessori pedagogy, whosescientific approach reflects the latest findings of neuroscience research. Each school is equipped with the appropriate Montessori materials. In elementary and junior high schools work plans enable students to work independently during dedicated periods.
  
  
• Our nursery schools are organized into multi-age classes. The same applies to elementary schools, as soon as the number of pupils allows, as the benefits of this mix of ages are so important for the development of children's psychosocial skills and the stimulation of their natural curiosity.
  
  
• At Esclaibes International Schools, the well-being of our children is our top priority. That's why we've opted for small class sizes, spaces designed to promote calm, caring teams to soothe, and schools with a playground, even in the heart of Paris. What's more, as we explain in our Frequently Asked Questions section, there are no graded exams or tests. The teacher is aware of each child's progress, thanks to continuous, grade-free assessment, observable through work plans and personalized follow-up.
  
  
• We give weekly space to reflection and expression, notably through philosophy and debates adapted to the questioning of precocious children.
  
  
• In each school, we offer a wide range of collective projects involving nature, culture and the arts, which lead us to organize enriching school outings.
  
  

There is no single ideal school for all precocious children. However, a school that offers an active pedagogy, a caring environment and a flexible pace will enable these children to develop to their full potential.

Esclaibes International Schools, with their individualized and stimulating approach, offer a particularly suitable environment to support HPI children in their academic and personal journey.
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If you're looking for a school in which your precocious child can thrive, consider these criteria and don't hesitate to visit different schools before making your choice. Contact us to find out more about our schools.

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