By a mother
For the past four years my children have gone to the Chidon.
This year one of my children decided he didn’t want to go. My husband and I offered encouragement and incentives but my son wasn’t motivated this year and we told him that was okay.
Tuesday evening before the Chidon my son told me that he is going to be the only student in school because everyone else who is going to the Chidon won’t be coming to school. I spoke to the Hanhala who said that in the past the kids who didn’t go to the Chidon simply wouldn’t come to school so there was no need to have programming, including morning minyan.
It is obviously very difficult to teach a class with one or two kids. After my insistence, the Hanhala decided that all the boys will be in a group, and be taught by rotating teachers throughout the day, while the other teachers will attend professional development sessions.
I would like to suggest, to all schools, that during the Chidon, a weekend that celebrates Kol HaTorah Kulah, the children who don’t go to should attend classes that would inspire them to want to come to school.
Perhaps together with parents, the kids could be motivated to come to school. Perhaps bochurim from the nearby Zal can be encouraged to join the elementary minyan and add some Chayus and inspiration.
Perhaps the boys can go to the Zal, learn morning Chassidus, and join the Yeshiva’s Shacharis. Perhaps the children can have more individualized attention from their teachers and learn something different and exciting that makes them feel like they are worthy. Perhaps the children can learn Yahadus from the next year’s Chidon book so they will be inspired to participate in the next Chidon.
I guess this proves again that parents will always find something to complain about…..even when it comes to celebrating the beauty of the Chidon.
Such a very very sad commentary….
Take the same time it took to write this article and spend some “quality” down time with your child!
It works wonders for the child (and, maybe even for the parent)
Thank you for the article and this important conversation. I’d like to share that my son’s Rebbi took him and the remaining boys (who didn’t make the chidon this year) on a trip. They used the opportunity to bond in a healthy and positive atmosphere. Kudos to my son’s Rebbi for being dedicated and thinking out of the box.
it wont hurt anybody for a child to get 2 and a half days of school off?!! some kids the chidon is too hard for them so they cant go for it.it would make them feel terrible if they also have to go to school!
I can’t believe that people think this “vacation” is a good thing…and especially suggest that a mother take off from her regular work day. Because kids don’t go on Chidon, learning should stop? It’s ridiculous. Make a school wide learning program for this kids who stay behind. Most teachers are around anyways.
And for those of us who have limited personal days we already have enough PD days, and yomim tovim that we take off.
Parents have all kinds of obligations and routines, I understand that school needs to be off sometimes, but it should be done only when really necessary- kids belong in school learning! Parents and teachers are partners in chinuch, and it is to the kids’ benefit to be in school when possible. This shows everyone involved that learning is really valued, and prevents the difficulties that happen when kids don’t have their routine, and just plain prevents the kids from wasting time that they should be using for learning. Also, no it is not hard to teach one or two students,… Read more »
sometimes.
Speak to just one teacher or principal usually they can offer an alternative with a bochur they can vouch for
What is “difficult” about teaching a class with only 1 or 2 students!!? A good, caring teacher would make a special one on one learning day with his 2 students! Many many ideas could be made into reality – easily!
If you truly value Torah learning, your son should be in the Chidon and learn that Torah is something to be toiled in, and even if he doesn’t win, for Hashem all those who try to learn are winners…
From a mother of 5 kids who got a medal every year b”H!!
Chidon needs to be completely optional. Otherwise it will be just another thing that you get over with for school and there won’t be any heart in it. What’s your kuch? Some in chidon, others in gemara, chumash, etc
Absolutely agree! Children belong in school and should not learn that opting out of a program means being cut off from the daily structure.
My son got together with a friend for a day of learning and play indoors and outdoors… these boys need a break too…
Stop kvetching!
Or perhaps they can stay home and not feel like not only are they missing out on the chidon, they ALSO have to go to school.
I’m sure you mean well, but none of the things you describe are exciting for kids. It will only cause resentment.
Perhaps the children will have two days off from the school year.
It is typical for a school to have PD days for their teachers. Great idea on the school’s part to have it on a day when many of the students are not present anyway. These PD days contribute greatly to the children’s education and are very important.
Perhaps YOU can take a day off from your regular workday and do all the stuff that you recommend others to do!
perhaps his father can take him to the early minian and mikvha
perhaps you can learn with him too or take him to Ohel
perhaps it is ok for all Rabbis to be on the development program and not individual program on that day when 99% of the students are not in the school, so next week all including your son will benefit from this
perhaps stop kvetching ! and be happy for all other boys that went for long weekend after tremendous hard work during the whole year.
But this requires actually calling people and making it happen. No one here is being negligent, only adapting to reality. Would probably be more effective than suggesting it on COLlive!
I would think your kid lucky to get a mini vacation from school What’s wrong with that for 2 days?