1. Describe the situation in which your child learns best.

Kfir is a curious, enthusiastic learner. He collaborates with others while working together on a task, learning from his peers in areas where they are more knowledgeable than him or sharing his knowledge with them. On the other hand, Kfir is able to challenge himself and learn new subjects on his own, either using a designated course or by investigating and learning in self-pace.

His experience at Helios in 7th and 8th Grade (current), has changed the way he is learning. Kfir thrives when being challenged to investigate a phenomena he experimented with, in his science class, deepening his knowledge in literature and poetry by his humanities teacher’s recommendations, or solve a problem in his geometry class using the AoPS methods for learning.

Kfir adapts to new learning styles very easily. During 7th grade, his Algebra 1 class was virtual the whole year. After a couple of months teaching in the traditional way, where the teacher instructs the topic in class, and the students solve problems at home, his teacher started recording himself and the students were requested to watch the videos, try solving the problem, and the lesson time was dedicated to solving the problems in various ways.

 Kfir was so eager to learn Geometry in 8th grade, that he decided to cover the Algebra 2 material on his own during the summer. He watched the videos his teacher recorded for the Algebra 2 course, and succeeded in solving most of the questions and problems in his study book. Kfir enjoyed this method of learning, as it allowed him to learn at his own pace and be challenged. When he did not understand a specific concept, he was able to search online for further explanations.

Kfir enjoyed investigating the same topic from different views. Experimentation, investigating, searching for information, collaborating and debating are all methods he likes to use when learning.

2. Tell us about your child's goals, special strengths, interests, talents or personal areas of creativity, including any honors, awards, or special recognition.

Kfir loves learning, and he especially loves math. He has been participating in “Thinking Challenges” after school program for 7 years, in which the teacher challenges the students to investigate mathematical concepts and scientific phenomena. He participated in the Math Olympiad for 2 years and won first place in his elementary school. This year he will participate in Math Olympiad, AMC 8, Math Kangaroo and other mathematical contests.

Kfir enjoyes engineering challenges, either in his science class or at home. He implements his structured way of thinking in other areas of his life, for example, he spent some time investigating how to earn game money in Minecraft, designed a farm which was the most efficient in producing items, then sold them to earn the most desired items in the game. He usually thinks about the project, thoroughly plans it and then executes it the best way he can. Planning ahead and thinking thoughtfully about the projects allows him to quickly adapt if the situation changes or his plan does not work.

3. How do you think your child will handle a rigorous academic program?

Kfir loves learning, and the challenge of having a rigorous academic program excites him. He loves learning new things, exploring new subjects and enjoys seeing the connections between and across different subjects he learns.

Kfir is not concerned about working too hard to complete his assignments, however, if a topic ignites his enthusiasm, he might spend time exploring and investigating deeper and wider than needed to accomplish the task he is assigned, and therefore, he might end up having to much information and not enough time to process it before his submission time. Therefore, one of the challenges he is facing is time management, which he started practicing at Helios, but also during the process of searching for highschool (when he had additional work on top of his regular school work).

 If the academic program is rigorous, yet being conducted in an encouraging, stimulating environment – Kfir will thrive. Giving him opportunities to explore different horizons, through hands-on experiences, exposing him to new knowledge, information, learning methods and pushing him to explore would fit his personality and encourage him to continue learning.

4. What has been your child's biggest social or extracurricular challenge so far?

Kfir’s biggest social challenge was the change in his active social life during the pandemic. Moving on to a virtual environment in his 6th grade was not a good experience for Kfir or his friends in different aspects, but mostly from the social aspect. As he used to be engaged in many in-person encounters and activities with his friends, not being able to spend time with them was hard for him.

Kfir was highly involved in many social interactions throughout his elementary school years. Whether it was forming lifelong friendships with kindergarten classmates, to bonding with players from his baseball league, to having close relationships with his friends from the Israeli community – Kfir’s social life was constantly diversified and full.

The pandemic quarantine has reduced Kfir’s social life to a minimum. During the quarantine most of Kfir’s friends’ interactions were through online games and as he was not engaged in those specific games, he had very little social interactions. In addition, some of his closest friends moved to schools which maintained a rigorous virtual program, while others moved out of the area. All of these combined had left Kfir almost lonely.

When he moved to Helios school, in 7th grade, it was hard for him to create meaningful relationships with his peers while the learning environment was virtual. As soon as school started in-person, around February 2021, things improved a lot and it had a huge impact on his spirit. This year, with school being full time in person, Kfir is thriving. He has found a new group of friends, which have a lot in common with him. They can start a conversation on any topic and continue talking for hours. They are being respectful and encouraging each other and enjoy each other’s company. Kfir feels very comfortable in this environment, and he is inclined to let his own personality be expressed with no boundaries. If in the past he would be reluctant to initiate any large group gathering, this year he has suggested and organized some class-wide activities, which were accepted by many of his classmates.

Kfir’s need for friendships and his acknowledgement of the effects of the pandemic on his loneliness have pushed him to go beyond his natural shyness and allow himself to open for new opportunities and new experiences. According to his teachers and classmates, he is now a driving force in grouping the class, directing them towards mutual relationships and working together.