If you could teach your son anything (academic)

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Forum -> Chinuch, Education & Schooling

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amother

OP ↓

Thu, Sep 19 2024, 10:10 am

What would you choose?

My son is 5 and intellectually advanced. He needs intellectual stimulation in order to stay out of trouble with his teacher and other kids, but he is not getting much of that in school. He reads English fluently while his class is learning ABC. BH in kriah he is only slightly ahead.

I want to teach him something at home. Please provide recommendations!

I am looking for something structured, preferably Jewish, we can do for a few months at a time. Maybe a resource for learning conversational Hebrew (or will that cause him to be bored when he starts chumash?) Maybe reading the little midrash says for navi or parsha? Is that age appropriate? He has actually pulled out a shulchan aruch and asked me to translate hilchus shabbos, so he is definitely interested in something like this. I just can't decide on topic.

On the other hand, maybe it would be better to challenge him in an area he is not good at, like art. We can work on flexibility and creativity, which are both weaknesses, while at the same time engaging his mind. The problem is I doubt there are many structured resources that are appropriate for this age and (non) skill level.

What would you do? Anyone have any experience to share? Any ideas?

amother

Darkblue

Thu, Sep 19 2024, 10:14 am

It's not kodesh related, but can you do science projects with him and you can see which types he likes and explore them further (research/ more advanced projects)? I would foster the love of learning

mha3484 ↓

Thu, Sep 19 2024, 10:16 am

I went through this with my oldest. I really just let him lead. Anything he was interested in, we read books about, watched videos, some places we saw in person. Some interests were really wacky like the changing of the guard in London. He loved learning how things were made, we did some science experiments. Hes almost 14 so I cant remember everything we did but if he was interested we explored it.

amother

Violet

Thu, Sep 19 2024, 10:17 am

Learn an instrument, wood working, science… kodesh id only do something he’s not going to learn in school because you don’t want him even further ahead of the class

giftedmom ↓

Thu, Sep 19 2024, 10:17 am

Yeah I let him take the lead as well. Get him encyclopedias on any topic he seems interested in and go from there.
Additionally I support him in other interests including music and baking. It really helps to keep him focused and out of trouble.
Oh and he loves brain teasers! The more challenging the better. Hidden pictures are a favorite.

Last edited by giftedmom on Thu, Sep 19 2024, 10:20 am; edited 2 times in total

mushkamothers

Thu, Sep 19 2024, 10:18 am

Sign up for things like: circle magazine, Kiwi Co crates (stem projects)

Little midrash says is appropriate, let things fly over his head, who cares

Goldengoose

Thu, Sep 19 2024, 10:18 am

science, history, biology, advanced math.
what is your strong subject that would be easy and fun for you to teach?

BusyBoys

Thu, Sep 19 2024, 10:19 am

I can tell you what we do for my 7 yr old-

Husband started learning navi with him- something they don’t learn in yeshiva so no concern that he’ll be bored.( for this reason we don’t do any math at the moment)

Like someone mentioned- my son loves loves science experiments- I buy kits and we do a few experiments a week

Art- calligraphy

This is more expensive but fantastic too- monthly subscription to kiwico.com. You pick a category and get a box delivered each month.

amother

DarkViolet

Thu, Sep 19 2024, 10:19 am

If he's interested in hilchos shabbos, why not get him the books on the melachos or muktzah?

↑ mha3484

Thu, Sep 19 2024, 10:20 am

Warning on little medrash says, I found my son one day around age 6 reading it to himself and we had some interesting questions about arba misos beis din. Its really a book meant for a wide variety of ages and not everything is appropriate for a 5 year old. So you may want to read it outloud selectively vs letting him read it to himself.

cookier

Thu, Sep 19 2024, 11:03 am

I’d highly, highly, highly recommend doing critical thinking/logic work with him. It’s not something he’s going to learn in school that will put him ahead of his class, but it is the skill that underpins math, writing, reading comprehension, and gemara down the road. Critical thinking press makes logic and puzzle books from a secular perspective (often these are targeted towards the xtian homeschool community so secular publishers are rare), that are good for young kids.

If he’s a very strong reader (like grade 2-3), the Word Roots books by the same publisher are also super valuable. Learning etymology is a fantastic way to improve vocabulary and reading comprehension. It’s the English equivalent of Hebrew shorashim..

amother

Peru

Thu, Sep 19 2024, 12:36 pm

I would teach him to play an instrument or a new language. These are both intellectually stimulating and will be useful skills in the future.

bestme

Thu, Sep 19 2024, 12:39 pm

Learn to speak Spanish. It's a useful language and nor taught in school

tigerwife

Thu, Sep 19 2024, 12:55 pm

He can listen to Rabbi Juravel while he colors or plays with a building toy. My kids have picked up so much from his recordings. They knew more parsha than me at that age.

amother

↑ OP

Thu, Sep 19 2024, 6:00 pm

Thanks for all the replies. I find it interesting that nobody thinks that art is a good idea, yet people have suggested music and instruments. He has no skill or interest in either (and genetically no likelihood to develop those either). But at this age he would enjoy art anyway and it would help him be more balanced and less obsessed. Does it make sense to try to do art now even though he likes academics better? He is only 5, and there are such benefits at this age. I just feel like it would be better if I can push off his obsession with academics.

I know I kinda changed my question here... I was thinking aloud as I was typing this up...

teachkids

Thu, Sep 19 2024, 6:09 pm

The rabbi Baruch Chait lamed tes melachos should keep him busy and learning

↑ giftedmom

Thu, Sep 19 2024, 6:14 pm

amother OP wrote:

I personally follow my kids lead but you should go with your intuition

jewishmommy1

Thu, Sep 19 2024, 9:55 pm

Can he write yet? You can do a safrus book with him- they make a few kits that teach you how to draw strokes and then letters. If his fine motor/writing skills are not strong enough yet, he could try when he's a little older.

At this time of year, could he create a sukkah decoration based on a kodesh theme? Like different types of kosher sukkahs, something about the avos/ushpizin where you also teach him why he's creating a choshen/tehillim/harp/tent, something depicting the sholosh regalim, or a craft that imagines aliya l'regel... This is art and if you put thought into it, you can teach concepts behind it. It's also very satisfying because it has a deadline (not too open ended) and a built-in incentive, which is hanging it up in the sukkah.

You can also do big puzzles with Jewish themes. Alex Levin has some beautiful paintings that have been turned into puzzles and there are a few other companies (JEP). If he likes them, he's learning pattern recognition, patience, and perseverance, and there's different levels (300 pieces, 500, 1000). You can get a puzzle saver that rolls it up when he's not working on it.

amother

Rainbow

Thu, Sep 19 2024, 10:27 pm

You could take a look at outschool.com

But I agree - try art. I think at 5 most boys and girls like art.
There are so many options and projects and crafts you can do with him.

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