Low Tuition at Remedial Program

By COLlive staff

After a successful first year, Cheder Darchai Limud in Crown Heights is holding an open house this Sunday, June 3, from 1:30 to 3:30 at 580 Crown Street in the Crown Condos Shul.

Darchai Limud, a remedial afternoon school from 1-4 pm for elementary boys pre 1A and up who have with reading or social challenges, has filled a badly needed void.

The system can work for many, but it is impossible to work for everyone,” says the director, Rabbi Yehuda Adelist, licensed in Special Education with a strong Torah background. He is joined by several other trained and licensed staff.

“Some children are not on the reading level to keep up with the textual learning that mainstream yeshivas demand. Other children have a social delay and are not developing socially. They can be very bright but their behavior prevents them from succeeding,” he says.

Students enrolled in the program are picked up with a chaperon onto a bus at 1pm and remain until the end of the school day as they receive a full remediation program in many areas at once, such as Kriah, Chumash/Mishnayos/Gemara, social skills, and English.

The learning is skill based (focus on independent learning rather than covering ground) and hands on. Children also benefit from social skills instruction with organized sports and team building projects; something unique and a real learning experience.

Adelist says that while there are options for children that need help, a half day school where children get the help they need yet do not leave the mainstream fold has both advantages of getting the help needed, but avoiding the stigma and retaining their friends.

“When the child is ready to be fully mainstreamed, he has never left his class,” he points out. “Respected members of our community and askanim who battled with learning disabilities in their youth were consulted and advocated very strongly to get the help without leaving the system.”

Tutoring can be sufficient for those who can learn all the classwork with a tutor. For those that still can’t keep up with a tutor, tutoring is insufficient. The competitive factor combined with a specialized curriculum at its own pace is irreplacable for these students.

“I have witnessed students who were wthdrawn and unresponsive to private help walk through the doors and come out being able to read a perek of Chumash at a time. In the eyes of their teachers, this is nothing short of a miracle!”, says Rabbi Adelist.

Tuition has been kept low and affordable similar to the cost of a private tutor.

Improvements for next year, include older ages (all elementary ages) and a special challenge track for the under-challenged. Parents and children are welcome this Sunday at the location of Cheder Darchai Limud, 580 Crown St The Crown Condos Shul to come visit and learn more.

For more info, call 347-743-6132 or [email protected]