חנוך לנער על פי דרכו

Educate each child according to his/her way. We learn this from the Rabbis of old and modern psychology. It's is even discussed at the seder on Pesach (the 4 sons). So why do we educate them out of their natural creativity in school? Why haven't we found a way to teach children properly? I'm not saying it's an easy thing to do. I haven't figured it out yet for my group of 3. The thought of teaching 35 young individuals in one classroom gives me the heebie bu jeebies.

As an example of what I am referring please Ayelet's post here: http://milkandhoneymomma.blogspot.com/2010/04/channeling-harry-chapin.html. Netanel is very funny and creative (see here for another, and very funny example: http://milkandhoneymomma.blogspot.com/2010/04/how-to-bite-noses-without-getting-snot.html) and very very smart. We have known this for a while, but it was confirmed by the psychiatrist in the U.S. that diagnosed him as ADHD at the age of 4. She didn't actually say it was a sickness or anything. It's really only a disorder in that it hinders one's ability to join in polite society, mostly sitting in a classroom and drawing red flowers and green leaves.

Friends of ours are part of a group starting a new school in the Golan Heights. It is not Montessori, but it's similar. They want kids to learn what they need to know now, not necessarily preparing in 1st grade for the standardized test they'll take in high school. And they will teach lessons differently for the children that learn from sitting and listening, and from building, and from drawing.

It seems like the perfect thing for Netanel, almost light God sent this new program just for him. The tricky part is that it is totally private and therefore expensive. With God's help we will continue to do whatever is best for our children. Hopefully this new school will be part of it.