Julian Kreusser age 5 has his own public access cooking show. The culinary prodigy was featured in the December 19th issue of The Oregonian.
Since then, many have given their opinions of him and homeschooling in general.
My take?
1. He's exceptional for a five year old. He hasn't developed the dexterity and language skills yet of an adult, but he is more advanced than many kids his age.
2. If you don't think a child of that age should be allowed near a hot stove, then you need to think about how you've refused your own children learning experiences. Rather than shooing them from the kitchen, try teaching them to behave safely. Everything a person does can be dangerous, from taking a bath to sky diving.
3. I support homeschooling and "unschooling" in particular. I also support the Montessori method of teaching. These methods use children's natural curiosity to allow them to learn, often at an accelerated rate. Children are naturally curious, and their interests can change. That's why the methods work. They study what they are interested in this week. If they want to learn about bugs, then they might go and catch bugs, take the bugs inside and look them up in a field guide. That interest could be used to teach the difference between insects and arachnids, or butterflies and moths(classifications of animals/taxonomy), as an introduction to habitats (ecology), to spin off an art lesson like "draw a bug", to write about what they've learned or a story about a bug(english), to discuss exoskeletons (biology), or to talk about flight(physics). Most fields of study are interconnected.
Personally, my mother and grandmother cooked and baked with me before I began attending school and I already knew how to measure, add, and subtract before kindergarten. They also read to me, and I could read in pre-school. By 5th grade I had also learned quite a bit of science from my father(an engineer), and was well ahead of other students. I had some trouble with math, and my father would sit down with me and teach me another way of working the problems. Because of that I never fell behind. He could have just said it wasn't his responsibility, or that he was too busy, or that she's supposed to learn the way the textbook teaches.
4. He isn't a Chef. A chef is a title that is earned, much like "President" or "General." It can only be earned in one way. A Chef is the head of a professional kitchen. You can earn a degree in culinary arts and never be a chef, but you can start as a dishwasher in a kitchen as soon as you are old enough to work and become a chef before you're 26.
5. So many say that they wouldn't watch the show because its "boring." I think I detect a hint of jealousy. Is it because Julian can do something useful, but their children are too busy playing video games; or because he can invent recipes, but their personal culinary skills are limited to memorizing delivery numbers? Either way the show is great for several reasons.
a. It is an excellent way to learn to teach other children to cook. Watch closely for the adaptive devices used like chairs for reaching the stove or choppers to keep fingers that are still developing dexterity away from knives.
b. It is a reminder that children can do a lot more when we take the time to teach them.
c. The recipes are clear and work. That's potentially the most important component of ANY cooking program.
d. For those with an interest, it's an excellent opportunity to observe child development.
If it bores you, then don't watch it, but don't show your ignorance by making comments about Julian, his parents, or homeschooling until you have researched the topics. They've spent time and money on their child to show him that his dreams can be achieved. What are you teaching your children to accomplish?
Dan's Artisanal Bread Recipe
2 years ago
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