Changing the education system...take 2

Bobbywobby

Wed, Jul 24 2019, 10:57 am

Sorry about my earlier post....I’m new to this venue and wasn’t aware about the rules about mentioning blogs. I still would like to start a conversation about what can be done about improving the quality of our children’s experience in school. Are there really schools out there that kids are happy to go to? I think I would pick myself up and move if I could find a school like that. In the meantime I want to hear from others about what they think would make their kids experience in school a happier one.

amother

Copper

Wed, Jul 24 2019, 12:01 pm

The issue is that the system works fofor most kids. so change is not likely to happen. Unfortunately my kids are not most.
They have a very hard time and would benefit from an individualized curriculum and Montessori style of learning. I think a really good place to start would be to have equal parts Hebrew and English throughout the day, shorter hrs, no school on Sunday, gym class every day with a focus on team sports, art, music, computers, field trips, outdoor play everyday, nutritious meals, individualized curriculum that differentiates for each childs strengths and weaknesses. Hands on/multisensory learning, group/partner learning. Being able to move around between activities.
SMALL CLASSES!

amother

Seafoam

Wed, Jul 24 2019, 12:13 pm

I dont believe anything will change UNLESS YOU HAVE A LOT OF MONEY. I dont like how bullying is not addressed especially if you are the son/dd of man who gives a lot of money to school. Yes, a school needs money. But, saying your school cares about kids when you only want to accept the smartest kids and turn a deaf ear when a son/dd of a boardmber/or rich person is bullying another kid....it means you dont really care about everyone....just rich kids ...

teachkids

Wed, Jul 24 2019, 12:25 pm

amother [ Copper ] wrote:

This sounds amazing, but just a dream. The amount of money needed for a program like this is astronomical. I also question is a shorter day only 4.5 days a week plus the extras would leave enough time to cover what has to be covered (both by state rules and so the kids are on grade level when they get to high school)

amother

Copper

Wed, Jul 24 2019, 12:38 pm

I agree it would take more money. But not all those ideas cost and also, I would like the schools to be transparent about where the money actually goes so we would know if they are budgeting properly.
As far as the long hrs. As it stands kids leave early in the morning and come home after dark for most of the school year and have very little free time to relax, recharge, think, and develop themselves as individuals. They are literally institutionalized. I know some parents out there are ok with it that because they work long hrs or their kids are noisy, wild, bored otherwise but I dont think thats a good enough reason for the excessively long school day.
Again, it bothers me more than other people becasue my kids dont fit the mold. Otherwise I wouldn't really give it any thought.

amother

Saddlebrown

Wed, Jul 24 2019, 12:51 pm

teachkids wrote:

My child attended a Montessori yeshiva very much like the one described here. The kids are *at least* at grade level, some well above, and AFAIK do well in high school.

amother

Burgundy

Wed, Jul 24 2019, 12:59 pm

teachkids wrote:

That's pretty much the MO model.

teachkids

Wed, Jul 24 2019, 1:20 pm

amother [ Burgundy ] wrote:

That's pretty much the MO model.

I've worked in MO schools. The days still longer than public school. There's by no means daily gym or quite that many specials.
When we're talking smaller classes what do we mean? I read it as smaller than my 20-25 kids. They could have meant that 20 is smaller.

And yes the better MO schools cost way more

teachkids

Wed, Jul 24 2019, 1:22 pm

amother [ Saddlebrown ] wrote:

My child attended a Montessori yeshiva very much like the one described here. The kids are *at least* at grade level, some well above, and AFAIK do well in high school.

Montessoris are amazing for certain types of kids. Some kids thrive, others can't manage it.
In my ideal school every grade would have a Montessori track and a typical track. Everyone starts in Montessori for preschool and adjusts as necessary.

amother

Crimson

Wed, Jul 24 2019, 2:07 pm

even in preschool montessouri isn't for everyone. There is a montessouri school in my neighborhood and preschoolers have switched out of it.

I'm also not sure how "montessouri" a frum school can be. The "montessouri" school has recently said they aren't really "montessouri" because of the limudei kodesh curriculum and the fact that they need to teach a dual curriculum...

I think that both of the schools in my neighborhood have their "pluses" and you have people happy and not happy with both...

small I believe means under 20 kids.

behappy2

Wed, Jul 24 2019, 2:12 pm

I really think we don't give enough credit to how hard it is to run a school. The day we are all ready to pay 1200 dollars tuition for the school year we can maybe start talking. Whoever wants can homeschool and hire private tutors. I used to have these conversations when I was a teen. Then I became a teacher and saw how really hard it was and the mesiras nefesh of the staff....I started singing a different tune.

amother

Cyan

Wed, Jul 24 2019, 2:28 pm

Move oot. The class was are definitely smaller. My kids love school and are in a warm frum environment. That's my priority. Gym once a week. 'Art' every other week library every other week computers twice a week. About 20 kids to a class. No it's not perfect but from what I hear from my secular friends definitely better than the public school system. Bh I havnt encountered real bullying in a frum school neither as a student, parent or teacher. If you're talking about regular girl squabbles and politics sorry that's part of life and growing up.

amother

Salmon

Wed, Jul 24 2019, 3:25 pm

Not sure I ever shared my dream school here. But here it is:

The school is grouped loosely by age range (3-8, 9-14). There are four large rooms available all day, with one or two staff members to supervise: An arts & crafts room, a gym, a library, and a playroom with toys. The staff may periodically arrange structured activity, but it is primarily free time.

In the morning there is group davening (beginner, intermediate, and advanced) and an assembly which discusses either upcoming Yomim Tovim, midos, or foundational beliefs in Yiddishkeit.

Lunch is together as as a school as well, and kids hear stories.

Children sign up for any combination of different courses, with a signed agreement with their parents. Courses vary in length but are all goal-based, and many have prerequisites. For example, you can sign up for a 4-week course in Parshas Chayei Sarah - but you first have to have taken "Intro to Chumash" and the previous parshios. Other courses might include "toys and games on Shabbos in halacha," "100 shoroshim," "the Navi Yehoshua," "how to tie Tzitzis," "basic Hebrew," "the history of Jews in England," "what Shacharis is all about," "what's Lashon Hara," etc. Core courses will be divided by complexity/difficulty - beginner and advanced, not by age.

Class times are about a half hour long, and after class you have assignments to work on in the library (with a chavrusa or on your own) or at home.

To receive a grade-level certificate, you need to have a minimum amount of credits, and certain core courses at any level.

amother

Cerulean

Wed, Jul 24 2019, 3:25 pm

amother [ White ] wrote:

I live oot. My kids go to regular yeshivish schools and by’s. They all love their schools. Not sure what the problem is

Same. I mean, they grumble about the usual stuff like tests and homework but overall they're really happy. So am I, BH.

amother

Saddlebrown

Wed, Jul 24 2019, 3:45 pm

behappy2 wrote:

I assume this is a typo. $1200+ per month is more like it.