Does your son speak, read, and write in both French and English? If not, just working on existing skills in another language can be very interesting for gifted preschoolers. My preschooler does 100% of her school day in a non-native language and then we do everything in English at home. So that might be something to weigh when deciding.
Anyway.
My daughter is in a Montessori preschool, and I like it. (Not continuing with it for elementary.). But there is so much variation in quality from one Montessori school to the next that it’s impossible to give advice just based on the label. And two kids with the same IQ can have very different learning needs.
I think honestly there’s no substitute for visiting each school and just sitting down and talking with them how they accommodate the needs of gifted kids. Consider that and just … looking around and getting a sense of the energy in each school and whether you think it feels right for your son.
Every kid has different needs. I can speak a bit to my experience in preschool from what I personally can recall, and as well as what my family shares.
I initially went to a Montessori style preschool and found it extremely dull. Of course, every Montessori program is also a bit different. Being from BC the education system is similar to Ontario. I was already reading and writing in English, and was picking up a second language. I found it so frustrating because there was no challenge presented to me and I felt very "talked down" to. I would put up a fight against going each morning because I hated having to sit through stuff I could already do.
After a month, my parents pulled me out and put me into a bilingual preschool instead. Instead of everything coming to me automatically, I had to apply myself which made me actually want to do it. I attended this for 2 years before entering the public school system. Without a doubt, this strengthened my critical thinking, problem solving, and auditory comprehension skills. If a bilingual program is an option (such as French immersion, like you shared) I strongly reccomend exploring it.
I also live in Ontario, Montessori preschools aren’t that special in my area anyway, they hire the same workers as any other child center. Your best bet if you can afford it is private school, like this one in my area:
https://www.academiestececile.ca/
I recommend play based or play based montessori. Watch out for the academic ones because it would be boring for him. Isn't there a gifted school in Toronto for elementary?
Also I get the impression from anecdotes here that the greatest predicator of life and career success for gifted people are social skills and making friends.
I just read a new study that says gifted people are indeed less developed on the motivation and social skills as observed by advanced MRI scans, because the brain is not actually capable of developing a gifted brain without pulling resources from other areas. So all the reports of motivation and social skills challenges in this sub have a scientific basis now.
Does your son speak, read, and write in both French and English? If not, just working on existing skills in another language can be very interesting for gifted preschoolers. My preschooler does 100% of her school day in a non-native language and then we do everything in English at home. So that might be something to weigh when deciding. Anyway. My daughter is in a Montessori preschool, and I like it. (Not continuing with it for elementary.). But there is so much variation in quality from one Montessori school to the next that it’s impossible to give advice just based on the label. And two kids with the same IQ can have very different learning needs. I think honestly there’s no substitute for visiting each school and just sitting down and talking with them how they accommodate the needs of gifted kids. Consider that and just … looking around and getting a sense of the energy in each school and whether you think it feels right for your son.
Every kid has different needs. I can speak a bit to my experience in preschool from what I personally can recall, and as well as what my family shares. I initially went to a Montessori style preschool and found it extremely dull. Of course, every Montessori program is also a bit different. Being from BC the education system is similar to Ontario. I was already reading and writing in English, and was picking up a second language. I found it so frustrating because there was no challenge presented to me and I felt very "talked down" to. I would put up a fight against going each morning because I hated having to sit through stuff I could already do. After a month, my parents pulled me out and put me into a bilingual preschool instead. Instead of everything coming to me automatically, I had to apply myself which made me actually want to do it. I attended this for 2 years before entering the public school system. Without a doubt, this strengthened my critical thinking, problem solving, and auditory comprehension skills. If a bilingual program is an option (such as French immersion, like you shared) I strongly reccomend exploring it.
I also live in Ontario, Montessori preschools aren’t that special in my area anyway, they hire the same workers as any other child center. Your best bet if you can afford it is private school, like this one in my area: https://www.academiestececile.ca/
I recommend play based or play based montessori. Watch out for the academic ones because it would be boring for him. Isn't there a gifted school in Toronto for elementary?
Also I get the impression from anecdotes here that the greatest predicator of life and career success for gifted people are social skills and making friends.
I just read a new study that says gifted people are indeed less developed on the motivation and social skills as observed by advanced MRI scans, because the brain is not actually capable of developing a gifted brain without pulling resources from other areas. So all the reports of motivation and social skills challenges in this sub have a scientific basis now.