Parents who become involved with the school can help administrators and teachers be responsive to the needs of these children. Open, flexible environments provide students with opportunities for choices, and enhance indepen- dence and creativity. Early entrance or other forms of acceleration may be considered when the school gifted program is not sufficiently challenging or when there is no opportunity for gifted children to be grouped with age peers who are intellectually advanced. Early entrance is the easiest form of acceleration, academically and socially. It may be best to accelerate girls before third grade or after ninth grade, when they are less bonded to their peer group.
Boys are usually more willing to skip grades at any point in their school program.
When a child expresses a willingness to be accelerated, the chances are good that an excellent social adjustment will be made. In the preschool and primary years, mixed-aged groupings are beneficial, as long as the gifted child is not the oldest in the group. The best solution is to find him true peersQboys his own age who are intellectually advanced. Retention is not recom- mended. Parent Advocacy Gifted children need strong, responsible advocates, and parent groups can make a difference.