Bright ds age 5, should I teach him ahead of his class?

Mommyg8

Sun, Oct 14 2018, 11:26 am

I really think it depends on the child. One of my kids had an enriched preschool experience and picked up reading before he started school just by learning the alef bais and alphabet. Bh there was no problem, but he's a dreamy, quiet kid. He probably spent the time drawing.

I don't know if I would deliberately teach a bright child to read ahead of the class as there is no way of knowing how it will turn out.

amother

Peach

Sun, Oct 14 2018, 12:19 pm

I caught onto reading from watching an older sibling who was learning to read. I loved reading from that moment on. When my class started to learn to read, my mother coordinated with my teacher that I would be allowed to go to the back of the classroom and read my own book to myself while the rest of my peers learned. I felt special, and having my own reading period with such positive associations made me love reading even more.

Don't hold your child back. Work with his skills.

gumby

Sun, Oct 14 2018, 1:47 pm

Learning to read at age five is not unusual . It’s the typical age where smart children learn to read . Def encourage him. If he was reading at age three then it would be exceptional ; age five is in the normal range. Your school should work with him not you should dummy down your kid. Good luck and nachas.

Chayalle

Sun, Oct 14 2018, 2:20 pm

SuperWify wrote:

I would never stop or discourage a child from learning!
Does your child’s school have an enrichment program for bright kids? If it is a possibility you can send him to program during the subjects he already knows. If not I as the teacher would give him books to read during that time.

This.

I learned how to read at a younger age, by watching over my older brother's shoulder as my mother did h.w. with him. I did fine in school, even though I came in knowing how to read. One of my DD's also came into school knowing how to read, and it was fine. There's so much to learn in school, and a good teacher will keep your child stimulated anyway.

My parenting mentor, Mrs. Leah Trenk of Lakewood, is a big believe in giving kids an edge by teaching them at home. There's enough to process in school anyway, it's fine to have it easier with a few subjects. You wish classrooms had enough attention to spread to kids anyway.

mha3484

Sun, Oct 14 2018, 2:25 pm

My son is a few years older and he reads voraciously but I find I’m his free time he needs and wants to be a kid. He swims, goes to martial arts draws makes legos. It’s good to encourage your kids interests but they are still kids and need to have fun too. Today he has a choice of swimming with pirchei or a science program. He chose swimming.

amother

Black

Sun, Oct 14 2018, 2:50 pm

Maya wrote:

Something like this is a good idea. Teaching him material that the class will be taught during the school year raises the likelihood of discipline problems.

It's the opposite. It is rarely that the advanced kids who know the material are the discipline problems. They will sit quietly and read or peer tutor. They aren't looking for trouble.

It is the ones who have discipline issues who the teachers will say that he is bored because he is so bright. You always want to give a parent a compliment.

amother

Cerulean

Sun, Oct 14 2018, 5:13 pm

In all other subjects I wouldn’t suggest teaching a child ahead of his class- besides for reading. my son taught himself completely to read at age 4/5 there was nothing I did to encourage it and it was the biggest lifesaver for me. Once they can read the whole world opens up to you! He inhales books and knowledge and keeps himself busy for hours reading parsha books, maps, geography books etc

Maya

Sun, Oct 14 2018, 5:51 pm

amother wrote:

I was the kid who was always smarter and more intelligent than my teachers, and not only in the lower grades. I had an extremely difficult time sitting in class and was bored out of my mind. And I often become a discipline problem. My school had no peer tutoring, and I wasn’t allowed to read during class.

If a mother has a choice between teaching a child the material that will be taught in the classroom later on in the year, or keeping him busy with something else, I can’t understand why she would choose the former.

Zehava

Sun, Oct 14 2018, 6:17 pm

amother wrote:

Just this week there was a feature in the Binah about gifted children. I wish I can send copies to all of my teachers and principals. It was so validating.
No gifted children will not sit quietly or peer tutor. Would you sit quietly in a first grade classroom all day every day?

amother

Black

Sun, Oct 14 2018, 7:08 pm

Maya wrote:

What is the difference between smarter and more intelligent? Since you are both as compared to all your teachers, that's an easy question.

You say nothing of you being taught the curriculum in advance. Did your mother teach it to you? The same traits that make you argue with your peers on this site were probably evidenced in the classroom. You are not a docile obedient woman. You like to challenge. And you believe your way is the correct way.

I can well imagine you frustrating your teachers with your willfulness. I think you also didn't have teachers with higher education in Satmar. Please correct me if you didn't go to Satmar or your teachers were certified.

It is personality rather than advanced knowledge that makes the discipline problems.

amother

Khaki

Sun, Oct 14 2018, 7:16 pm

Zehava wrote:

Is there any way to post it here?

Mommyg8

Sun, Oct 14 2018, 7:26 pm

Maya wrote:

I think it depends on the school. I often read ahead or even read other books during class. I remember being punished for this only once.

In high school, my friend wrote poetry and passed it to me, I spent my time knitting Smile

. In my school, teachers didn't seem to care if you did your own thing as long as you didn't disrupt the class.

Just wanted to add that I have some brilliant nieces and nephews, some knew how to read before they started school and were not discipline problems at all.