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curriculum; need help asap
Topic Started: May 26 2008, 03:09 PM (980 Views)
ICan
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how old is Zu and what expectations do they have of him?
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ebpeuka
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Here, the 3 year old class learns no alef-bais at all (but education here is very relaxed anyhow, and first grade is for 7 year olds.)

The 3.5-4 year old class in cheder (which is a three-year preschool program) learns alef-bais, plus all tenuos and up to two letter "words" (ba-u, ma-mi).

The 4.5-5 year olds finish learning to read, get their siddur and do chumash prep and the 5.5-6 year olds start learning Chumash.

Pinny's in the 3 year old Ganon class here and learned Parsha and Yomim Tovim, also how to draw, color, paste, etc. They also had animal units, numbers, shapes, etc.
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rikal
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Chabad gan Cheder, and this is standard in all Israeli Chabad and most other Charedi (except Tanya):

Age 3
Melamed:
Alef Beis - Learn to recognize and name all letters of the Alef Bais and read with nekudos by kometz alef o, those who are proficient in this go on to reading 2 letter syllables. Each child is taken to the melamed individually.
Birchot HaShachar, Hareini mekabel, Krias Shma 1st paragraph, Ach tzaddikim learned gradually by mid year.
Chumash - Stories from Sefer Bereishis
Brachot nehenin and 1st paragraph bentching
Jewish year - stories and observance
Halacha - Netilat yadayim

Shinun tanya perek alef

Gannenet:
Simple concepts, dgits 1-5, simple shapes
Crafts
Nature


Age 4
Melamed:
Reading
Chumash - Stories from Sefer Shemos
Gradually adding davening
Jewish year - stories and observance
Simple halachot - kippa, tzitzit, milkic and fleishic
Continue shinun

Gannet:
More concepts, dgits 5-9, more shapes
Crafts
Nature


Age 5
Melamed:
Reading - Continue practice by end of the year beginning to read Bereishit and davening from a siddur
Continue adding davening
Stories or idea from parsha
Jewish year - stories and observance
Simple halachot - checking tzitzit, haskamat haboker
Jewish year - stories and observance
Continue shinun
Math readiness and preparation for 1st grade, nature

Gannenet:
Crafts

Some ganim have gan (3), mechina (4) and 5 is first grade and Parshat Breishit is learned in earnest with the children reading. This is the method in many chassidishe and Yerushalmi chedorim.

If you want something printed to show them, my former supervisor and former supervisor of all Chabad gannim in Israel, Rachel Zamir, wrote a book with a detailed program and underlying reasoning. It is excellent. "Tochnit Chinuch l'Gil HaRach". It is in Hebrew but surely you and they can make out the charts. It is also highly praised by the education ministry.
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zuncompany
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Rikal- how do they accomplish this and what if a child is seriously not mature enough to be in cheder at 3? Do they hold them back or get them caught up?
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U Tarzan Me Jane
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that sounds very rigorous for a 3 year old. And when they get to 5-6 they seem to be in the same place as everyone else, not really ahead of other kids their age, and it takes 3 years to get them there.
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rikal
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And the school day ends at 1:20, there is no afternoon option in gan.

Quote:
 
Rikal- how do they accomplish this and what if a child is seriously not mature enough to be in cheder at 3? Do they hold them back or get them caught up?


This almost never happens unless the child is on the borderline (Tevet BD). In that case he just is held back a year. Approximately 1/3 of Israeli children follow this program. Of course there is also quiet play and yard time if the weather is nice, which is almost all year.

Right staff and right daily schedule.
A good cheder cannot exist without a melamed, it is an impossibility. Ganim run by shluchim with 10 kids have a full time melamed, gannenet and ozeret. Gannenot also are not trained in the Jewish way of teaching reading. Remember that this is a structured program spread over 3 years to avoid pressure and each thing builds on the previous.

Reading is taught one on one according to the child's ability. At 3 the child sits with the melamed for around 10 minutes. In addition they go over the letters in the melamed's rikuz, when he sits all of the kids together.

Cheder is less tactile, there is an opinion that preschoolers can't listen, that they always have to be touching and doing things. In addition to the cooling off chair for kids worked up we also had the concentration game where kids who needed it were helped to have a more normal attention span for their age. Challah, hamentatashen and sufganiot need to be made only once a year, not every week.
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rikal
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Quote:
 
that sounds very rigorous for a 3 year old. And when they get to 5-6 they seem to be in the same place as everyone else, not really ahead of other kids their age, and it takes 3 years to get them there.


This was the major comment of the parents in the yishuv, used to public religious ganim until they saw it in action. Not only did 150 parents here see how good it is but our cheder has kids from 5 other yishuvim some riding with school age older brothers on the bus when they have ganim in their own yishuv.

It says in sefarim that teaching reading using kometz alef a is a segula for yirat shamayim. Spreading it out over 3 years eliminates pressure.

In addition there is no time for reading nonsense stories that aren't even Jewish to kids.

As to being in the same place that is not really true. The reading skills are very firmly grounded. Problems are detected early because the early reading is not of meaningful words, there can be no guessing. the halacha says that if there is a question about the kashrut of a letter in a Sefer Torah because it may not be readable then we show it to a 3 year old. The reason being that he can't guess by context. A melamed of 25 years who teaches 1st grade says he can tell which melamed taught the boys. Those who had x have their reading very well in hand and the other melamed less so.

There are studies showing that people who read right to left have less problems with dislexia. Some of those studies suggest that the learning method which is 100% phonic prevents symptoms suggesting dislexia where it is not. My youngest was in a class where he was the only child from Yitzhar. He was the teachers assistant helping kids to learn how to read until Chanuka. He said to me that they have a girl's gan for everybody.

Cheder is fun and not pressured. The melamed chases them around the yard and plays catch or ball with them. The gannenet is not a Mommy figure, they only need one Mommy. (Though I was that for 2 kids who lived only with Tatte).

One of the major advantages to cheder is what they are NOT learning. They are getting plenty of stimulation but nothing not al taharat hakodesh. The stories, games, crafts, etc has nothing at all which is not 100% appropriate for a frum child. Everything is consistent and reinforces the home.

There are however certain things that will make it harder for a kid. If he was at home he has to get used to a structured day and if he was in maon he has to get used to a little more age appropriate freedom. neither is a big deal.

A Mommy hanging out or taking a kid who cries only lengthens the adjustment period.

There are 2 most harmful things and I experienced it in the gan, heard from other teachers and hanhalot and this may be a major problem in the States that make it very difficult for children so small. One is coming to gan without breakfast or with a sugar loaded snack or cereal for breakfast. The second (out comes the proverbial helmut) is early exposure to tv or videos, even glatt kosher ones. They encourage passivity and severely affect a child's attention span. The national PTA of Australia (secular, non Jewish) has called this the most dangerous addiction.

When the parents of Yityzhar learned what was known all along in Jewish chinuch, that a teacher does not have to be an entertainer and even small children, especially small children, enjoy learning if the atmosphere is pleasant they were convinced. Now they are missionaries for the cheder.
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rikal
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Decided to post general daily schedule. 3's alittle more loose and 5's a little more solid.

7:20 Door opens to receive kids and at least one staff members are there to greet the kids. Activities and didactic games are on the tables and kids can go to the table of choice. gannenet circulates and talks to the kids, helps when necessary.

8:00 All staff present, melamed takes boys for davening and first rikuz, usually talking a chag or telling the story from Chumash. Gannenet or ozeret set up for crafts. (Gannenets coffee)

8:30 Crafts this takes time. Putting on apron if necessary, explanation and helping kids who need it. Getting their name on their work and getting to their drawer or the drying racks. Those who finish early will be called by the melamed to alef beis.

Before 10 melamed runs them around the big room or such while gannenet and ozeret clean the tables after craft. Group of "turanim" help to set tables for eating.

10:00 Food, melamed sings or tells story while eating and bentches with them. After putting back their lunch bags everybody to the yard. "Turanim bring plates and cups to the sink. Gannenet may take one group each day to do a workbook page or such.

11:00 Wash hands and drink. Rikuz or activity with the gannenet while melamed continues calling children to alef beis. Weekly subject concept or chag. Sometimes experiencial - baking, nature walk or singing. Usually weekly subject or calendar/season related. (Melamed's coffee)

12:00 Back outside or inside games but structured. Puzzles, playdo or memory cards or organized sport with the melamed.

12:45 2nd rikuz with melamed going over what was talked about in the morning. This is the time we used for BD forbrengen.

Around 1 or so coats if necessary and out in the yard to wait for the ride. At 1:20 kids from the yishuv are let out to go home. Most walk by themselves in small yishuvim.
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rikal
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Sorry so long winded but curriculum is a lot of what I do today.

In teaching reading make sure that who ever doing it is not using pages like A for Apple, but first teaches the name and shape of the letter then its sound. Pages like this actually slow down reading. In fact reading is pattern recognition and interpretation. For a child who is not learning impaired these things add extra demands on the cognitive process.
Do not let them even think about ABC until Hebrew reading is firmly established. Despite the fact that there are large number of children who speak 2 languages people still doubt, but then have no problem teaching them to read 2 languages when young. It is harder.

Letters are to taught in order, nekudos have an order as well, Not by stroke or type of sound. Sefer Mesoret teaches them in proper order including shva na and shva nach.

If they use photographing words, sight memorizing, picture aids leave or fight. These not only don't help but weill cause problems later on down the road. Ditto flash cards.

What are they asking that is so ? And didn't Zu miss a year?
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zuncompany
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they are skipping around, no order at all. One letter one day, another the next. Flashcards are about all thats being used. He went in knowing most as I used lamdeni with him (did not get through the whole aleph beis but what he did he knew!). Now he refuses to even ID the ones he knew than! They claimed yesterday everyone else was fully reading. I called other parentsand than had to call them out last night on the lie. 1 kid is reading and he is a grade ahead (mixed class). Than they claim all can ID and know the sounds of every letter. I know this is not true either. He has gone backwards. As well he used to come home able to answer every parsha question. Now its getting less and less. Friday he told me he hates parsha. GREAT! They claim its my fault for not telling them how to teach my son... um, I gave them idea after idea but honestly, I only know what works at home in a one on one setting with me. I have never seen him in the classroom with him not knowing I am there so how can I give them ideas? And honestly- isn't that their job??? At the beginning of the year we were told the goals- working heavily on midos as this class was a wild one and very hard. All the kids were pretty chutzpadik going in. They said if at the end they could ID the aleph beis that would be icing on the cake. Now I am being told he is holding the class back and is falling further behind because he isn't reading! HUH?? His teacher I could see it in her eyes was SO confused when I was told this in front of her. She has been calling me at least weekly with progress reports and except for a small flare up last week she said he is exceeding her goals for the year. That he has made the most movement and growth.

I have been told when they do one on one aleph beis he tells her no thanks, I want to play and she lets him just go.

I am fighting here to give them a Lub. education but they are making it VERY hard to do this right now. Other parents are jumping ship and moving their kids to the day school. One of these kids I hate to admit but moving him out of the class with greatly help the dynamic (Zu is actually terrified of him and comes home saying things that I have had to call about many times as we do not allow such things and words!). No, moving is NOT an option. Between the housing market and dh's job security right now- we can not do it. Putting him down is not an option. First Tev will be in that class, second of all Tev is the oldest boy in his class as is. Zu would be min. 16 months older than the whole class.

I am at the point of hiring a single looking for a more relaxed shluchus year.

btw- I know I have made plenty of my own mistakes with him but I do what works. Yes, he knows ACs but he did it on his own. He can write and sound out simple words- he taught himself. He is a smart kid.
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U Tarzan Me Jane
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It sounds like the school is working very hard to get him out. I have a hard time believing that a class of almost 5 year olds are reading, based on the above description.

I have never heard of Alef bet being taught out of order, it sounds like it would be very difficult to learn like that.

My son started Pre1a this year, He was still 4, (turned 5 two weeks into school). What we worked on over last summer was Alef bet and sounds---NOTHING else.

The year is almost over, and he is reading fluently from siddur chumash and tehillim. My kids school has a pretty hard dual curriculum at this age, but I think at 5, 95% of the boys are keeping up and doing well.

I think if the hanhala is telling you one thing and the teacher another, Then they must have ulterior motives for it, especially if the teacher seems happy with him.

I would get really worried if one of my kids said he hated parsha and alef bet at this age, This is the time where they are usually very enthusiastic about school and homework is a privilege, not a chore. While I totally get wanting to get a Lub. education, I have serious doubts that the school is coming close to that goal.

THE FACT THAT HE IS ABSORBING TONS OF STUFF THAT HE DOES NOT ASSOCIATE WITH SCHOOL, LIKE ENGLISH READING SKILLS, PROVES HE IS VERY SMART AND VERY MOTIVATED. (sorry about that). It sounds to me that he is rejecting the hebrew simply because of the source.

Good luck, and I think its great that you are fighting so hard for him to get the best possible education! also bighug the whole situation sounds super tough.
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rikal
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If they want to be a Lubavitch school they have to deal with the Rebbe. The set Ohr HaTefilla deals with the entire siddur, there are 5 volumes so far. In the first volume they cover the alef bais. There are letters and sichos there printed word for word on how to teach alef beis. The main problem has been the introduction of secular teachers' training as whay works is not fashionable today. Most of what I said about teaching reading comes straight from the Rebbe. There are so many good books, all in Hebrew.

I personally would move before switching to the other school. Having kids who went to a school non consistent with the home is worse than a kid that reads later, trust me. One of the reasons a melamed is so important is that all of their training comes from yeshiva, apprenticeships and experience. Also the melamed is more fun and a role model. They are not going to grow up to be frum ladies and a Mommy they already have. Is there another real cheder in Philly or just a day school. If it is chasidishe I would consider that first.

You really need to investigate why he does not want to sit with the morah as kids usually love attention. Either she is asking something he doesn't feel he can handle or they don't get along. I would also let a kid go once or twice but not on a regular basis.

You also have to ask yourself seriously if you prepared him for life away from Mommy. Did he have occasional babysitters, regular play dates? How do you react if a child the same age and size is (normally) domineering in the playground. Do you allow him to settle his own minor spats with kids his own age or do you referee? Whenever he begins cheder does he understand that this is what you are going to do or does he know that if he is not happy Mommy will scoop him up and take him home?
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rikal
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I have never heard of Alef bet being taught out of order, it sounds like it would be very difficult to learn like that.
Both Barkai and secular avante gard teach by type of sound or stroke, not in order. Both have been dismal failures.
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zuncompany
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I would bring in a person before I would send to the day school. I taught there and its not going in a direction thats okay with me.

You also have to ask yourself seriously if you prepared him for life away from Mommy.
he is the first one to be like good-bye, don't need ya. Very independent kid from day one. He is still learning social interaction but his morah told me he is exceeding her goals for him.

Did he have occasional babysitters, regular play dates?
As much as we could we did but he has no problem being away from me and loves it.

How do you react if a child the same age and size is (normally) domineering in the playground.
I first let him handle it. I am not the mom who runs in at the first sound of trouble.

Do you allow him to settle his own minor spats with kids his own age or do you referee?
I let him!

Whenever he begins cheder does he understand that this is what you are going to do or does he know that if he is not happy Mommy will scoop him up and take him home?
I don't come and scoop him up. The only time I took him out was when flat out the class was in total chaos when I picked him up several days in a row as his poor teacher had to go on 8 weeks leave because she broke her ribs and than they reseperated her first week back. As I picked him up I watched him being humiliated in front of the class over and over and my phone ringing off the hook from parents calling me to tell me their kids were telling them Zu was going to get kicked out of school because he is a bad kid. He does not trust the people in charge though he trusts his morah and does like her a lot. Things have not been the same since this happened and I was not the only one VERY uncomfortable with the situation. Other kids have had it much worse and have had some real issues because of the situation during that time cause their parents left them in it. Zu thinks he had a "vacation" because Morah got very sick and couldn't come to school. He talked to her throughout the time.

As well rikal when they come to the yard if I am out I leave. If I am picking him up and something is going on, I let them handle it and wait outside. When I went to do his birthday he tried to get out of something and I reminded him Morah was in charge at cheder.
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npl
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Sara, this sounds so tough! It must be very frustrating to feel like the school with the correct hashkafa cannot teach your child (or doesn't want to, or is sending mixed messages). I've had some experience here, and unfortunately my experience is that if the administration isn't prepared to fix a problem, there isn't much hope. But, then again, putting your kids in a school that is significantly different in hashkafa or level of observance can also be tricky. I think that if a school is frum, then differences in practice (sephardi in an ashkenazi school, chassidish in a litvish school, etc) may be managable. I definitely went to school with kids from different sectors, but the school was orthodox, and those kids who were, eg sephardi, learned at home that their minhag was different. This also worked when I taught at an elementary school - there was a mix of lubavitch, chassidish, sephardi, etc. The school was run by the Bostoner Rebbe, but along yeshivish lines, with the teacher being quite clear that minhagim vary. The emes of Torah, however, was the same for everyone, as was the chumash learning, the dikduk. And the teacher was very knowledgable and taught the girls to respect the different groups within the class.
If you suspect there is a wider problem in the class or the school, please don't see this as an attack on your parenting. If you aren't seeing at home the behaviour they describe at school, then it is the school environment, not you.
I wish I had some real advice for you, or something I was sure would help. It's a horrid situation to be in!
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