Lack of life enrichment activities

amother

Yesterday at 4:37 pm

I hired someone to teach my child an instrument and they aren't Jewish. They asked my daughter what sort of instruments they teach in school and all we could respond is recorder for 5th grade.

Then I brought another child for a PT consultation and they asked how active my child was and they responded they have gym 1x a week.
Granted I know we have a dual curriculum but does anyone else feel like our schools are sorely missing life enrichment programming?

amother

Rose

Yesterday at 4:46 pm

I personally am not talented so extra cutriculars are another way for me to feel inferior. But to your larger point: I joke (but it’s not a joke) that our religious lifestyle IS an extracurricular activity (given how much we spend and how time consuming it is)

amother

Cinnamon

Yesterday at 5:10 pm

I think so-but those is why. I have 2 kids that are very creative. But I don't have money to pay for Sunday activities. One of the is an average child so she doesn't shine in anything. The other is a weak student. Whenever theire is projects my kids are known for their creativity but as they get to the older grades and high school it changes. There are kids with not such nice voices that took voice lessons and drama and gymnastic. I know that if I had put those skills into these kids they would have shined as well

amother

Latte

Yesterday at 5:52 pm

I went to public school. The only instrument we earned was recorder. Gym was a joke. We learned a second language, but nothing like what out kids are learning. And I went to school that were considered top in the county.

amother

Gardenia

Yesterday at 5:54 pm

amother Cinnamon wrote:

Yes
Schools usually provide classes, but Jewish schools provide Jewish subjects instead, so it’s hard to also provide art or music classes or more sports. There is just not enough hours in the day besides that would hike up tuition too.
Another issue is some of these are dead end.
Sports have competitions os Saturday or other halachic issues. The same with many concerts (shat, omer etc). Once you het serious in something, there are just too many obstacles

zaq

Yesterday at 7:34 pm

There are only so many hours in the day, and kids, just like adults, also need time to rest and unwind. Given the vast quantity of limudei kodesh that there is to learn, where do you suggest the schools cut back? Should they extend the school day another two hours so your kids can learn music, dance and art? The kids are overscheduled as it is. You want "enrichment," you can provide it yourself.

Yes, I did envy my public-school grad coworkers who had the benefit of classes in shop, musical instruments, gym that was really gym, advanced sciences, multiple foreign languages and so on, but they didn't get any limudei kodesh. (Most of them, not being Jewish, didn't need it.)

I do think the schools should devote some time to phys ed, though. I would enthusiastically trade an hour of gemara a day in favor of a genuine gym class. This isn't enrichment, this is health. Venishmartem and all that.