Pardes Educator Alumni Newsletter-August, 2008 Menachem Av, 5768
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Dear Hevre,
We hope this third issue of the newsletter finds you rested
and refreshed after your summer vacation and ready to begin a new year. We were
delighted to have welcomed so many of our recent graduates to the summer curriculum
workshop. All tolled, there were 30 participants, half of whom were PEP alumni.
In addition, Tamar
Rabinowitz (cohort 1) and Amanda Pogany (cohort 2)
served as staff members, mentoring participants and presenting workshops. Evan Wolkenstein (cohort
1) gave a highly acclaimed workshop on multiple levels for reading text (which
we will feature in next month's newsletter). For those hoping to attend next
year's summer curriculum workshop (or who know other novice teachers who would
be interested), the dates have tentatively been set for July 14-28th. Tisha B'av study at Pardes was in memory of PEP students
Marla Bennett (cohort 2), Ben Blutstein (cohort 3), and former Pardes students
Sarah Duker and Matt Eisenfeld.Michael Simon spoke beautifully about Marla, connecting her death and
its aftermath, to Tisha B'av.To receive a copy of Michael's remarks contact Debra.
B'hatzlaha raba to those who will shortly begin a new
year of teaching, or other new jobs. We hope all of you will keep us informed
of both personal and professional changes.
Kol tuv,
Pardes Educators Alumni Support Project staff (Abby, Debra
and Susan) The Pardes Educators Alumni Support Project is funded by a generous grant from the
Jim Joseph Foundation.
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Dvar Torah by Rabbi Danny Landes
One Good Turn Deserves. . .
Teshuvah is a core principle of both Jewish theology and of
Jewish life. Theologically, it affirms
the primacy of man's actions, and that while he can and most probably will sin,
there is nonetheless a process of rectification. A forgiving God demands that we pick
ourselves up, dust ourselves off and save ourselves through the Teshuvah
process. In our life as lived, this
means that we must be both humble enough to know that we have failed and gutsy
enough to realize that positive change is possible and is dependent upon
ourselves. As educators, we need to help
facilitate this process within our students, within our schools and within
ourselves.
Teshuvah is best translated as the Turn. In the verb form, it can refer to two types
of turning. The first is to "turn away from."
Thus (Melachim Bet 17:13), Shuvu Mai'Darkhaichem HaRa'im
- "Turn away from your evil paths"; and (Yeshayahu 26:3): VaYaShuvu
Ish MaiDarkho HaRa'ah - "And a man shall turn away from his evil
path."
The second Turning is the turning towards. Thus, (Devarim
4:30): VaShavta ad HaShem - "and you shall turn unto the Lord,"
as well as (Hoshea 14:2): Shuvah Yisrael ad HaShem - "Return, O Israel, to HaShem:
and (Malachi 3:7): Shuvu Aili - "turn to me."
The two turnings are complementary. The first, turning away, is the movement to
separate from wrongful and hurtful behaviors.
Formally, it contains the actions of Charatah, regretting one's
actions and Azivat HaChait - leaving the sin behind. Essentially, it allows for the sin and
wrongful behaviors to be put in the past.
And to stay there.
The second Turning, the turning towards, is the turning
towards God and to meaning. It is future
directed. It emphasizes how the life can
be changed. It presents a vision of what
can be. Formally, it is referred to as Kabbalah
al HaAtid - accepting for oneself a [brighter] future.
What comes first? The
turning away from, or the turning to?
(Certainly one must always first rectify any harm that one has done to
another person. But our discussion here
is talking about the inward process which may not really involve someone else,
or must still be done even after one has cleaned up their moral mess.) Logically, one would think that turning away
should proceed turning towards. And that
is great, if so it works out, but that is not always the path for
everyone. Indeed, the Talmud tells us
that if a man tells a woman that they are married (if she agrees!) on the
condition that he is a Tzadik Gamur - completely righteous - they are
indeed married even if he has been a Rasha Gamur - completely evil. For
as the Or Zarua points out: "as soon as
he thought of teshuvah - Hirher BeTeshuvah - he is a Tzadik Gamur. But how can that be - how can he be
completely righteous if he hasn't turned away from that which he must?
The answer, I believe, is that turning away is about the
past, and turning towards is about the future. The turning to just via a
momentary yet serious desire to Teshuvah is enough to recreate the individual Maikahn
LiHaba, from now on to the future as a real tzadik. Thus certainly, a chatan (and a kallah) can
claim a new start. But the sin and behaviors of the past still remain. In technical terms, HaAvon Lo Mitkaper
- the sin has not been atoned for.
Some students cannot move forward if they start by dwelling
on the past. They know that how they
have acted is wrong, but thinking only of it will actually only get them
stuck. They need a vision for the future
- how and what they can be. And we need
to respect that desire as a real form of Teshuvah. The trick is to allow that vision and our
follow through to strengthen them so that they eventually can confront their
past, and see what went wrong and take ownership of it so that they can overcome
it. Still other students will need to
start with the past but I urge that a new, positive vision soon follow; after
deleting the negative, you can accentuate the positive. And perhaps most will veer between the two.
And what is true of a student is certainly true of a school
environment. Gripe sessions and even
thoughtful self-analysis need to lead soon or even sometimes be preceded by a
new turning to, in order to break institutional, emotional and behavioral logjams. Turning away and turning to - in the end -
work together to create a real Teshuvah - a Re-turn to what we all can be. And the best place to start - is with
ourselves.
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November Retreat Update
We are very excited as we anticipate the retreat reunion for all PEP graduates of cohorts 1-7. The fully subsidized retreat (including transportation) will be at the Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center, in Falls Village, CT, November 20-23, 2008.
The retreat center is a beautiful and rustic resort located in the southern Berkshires. The program is being designed to meet the needs of our newest graduates as well as our veteran teachers and administrators. There
will be sessions of interest to elementary, middle and high school
teachers, and to those who are working in other areas of Jewish
education.
We are delighted that Dr. Lisa Lahey of the Harvard
University School of Graduate Education has agreed to give a plenary
session on Friday morning. In addition we hope to enlist
the experience of our own graduates as well as to draw on some outside
experts to enrich the program. Several Pardes staff
members, including David Bernstein, Zvi Hirschfield, Susan Wall and
Judy Markose will be visiting from Israel to participate in the retreat. In
addition, we hope to welcome representatives of the AVI CHAI
Foundation, and the Jim Joseph Foundation, and perhaps others who have
supported the Educators Program. There will be ample
opportunity to learn from the experts, to share challenges and
successes in the classroom, and to connect with friends during informal
gatherings. We will share a "Pardes" shabbat with our usual Torah lishma, Oneg Shabbat, and choice of various prayer options.
Several
of you have already offered to help with the planning. We plan to take
you up on your offers in the coming weeks! Expect to soon receive more
information about the retreat program, as well as directions for travel
arrangements. You will also receive letters for your school heads so
that the time spent at the retreat can be considered professional
development days. We look forward to seeing you in November. |
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Education Corner:
Creating Classroom Communities
Thanks to Amanda Pogany (cohort 2), at The Solomon Schechter School of Manhattan (8th
grade teacher, middle school Student Life Coordinator, and mentor) for
the following suggestions. The basic principles apply to all grades
and are a welcome reminder of what we should be thinking about as we
begin a new year.
1. Involve students in the conversation. Whether you are setting guidelines for student behaviors or setting classroom expectations, include the students in the process. Students will feel more invested if they have input.
2. Be positive.
Help students phrase their comments and guidelines in the positive.
Think about the environment you want to create in your classroom. What
behaviors need to happen in your classroom for students to feel safe,
included, and comfortable? Rather than "No talking while others are
talking" try "Be respectful of other people's ideas" or "Listen to one
another."
3. When things go wrong, focus on relationship. When students do not follow guidelines help them see how their behavior is impacting the community. Rather than immediate punishment or consequences, help them think through how they could have handled the situation differently.
4. Responsibility for Student Behavior. Make sure your guidelines and expectations are age appropriate, realistic, and practical. Set policies that support student growth and leave room for mistakes. For
example, sixth graders (changing classrooms for the first time) may
have a hard time getting to class on time with all of their appropriate
materials. Think of ways to support them in this process rather than penalize them if they fail. |
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Teacher Certification Through the National Board of License
In order to professionalize the field of Jewish education, and provide
recognition to qualified educators, The National Board of License (NBL) for
Teachers and Principals in Jewish Schools in North America
establishes standards and criteria for the certification of professional
educators. Licensure is
not required for teaching Judaic Studies in a Jewish day school. However, many
schools in North America and Israel
recognize, seek and prefer licensed teachers.
In some schools licensed teachers qualify for higher salary scales. Additional benefits include the ability to network locally and nationally with licensed educators, as
well as other "perks" offered in individual communities.
Eligibility
for licensure is based on the candidate's academic background, Hebrew
proficiency, life experience, and experience in the classroom. Graduates that have earned the MA in Jewish Education granted from Hebrew College
are automatically eligible for the highest level of licensure. Most PEP
alumni that have been granted an MA from Hebrew University
are eligible for the same, but must submit all transcripts before individual
determination can be made.
Application for a teacher's license can be obtained through
the NBL. In many cities, it can be
obtained locally through the local bureau or central agency of Jewish
education. Specialized licenses for
teachers of Talmud are awarded only through the NBL. Applications are to be submitted by October
1, for consideration this year. Contact
the NBL, www.nationalboardoflicense.org
or Abby abby@pardesusa.org for more
information.
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Focus on Jessica Lissy Trey (Cohort 4)
I recently completed my 4th year as the middle school Judaic Studies teacher at the
Hannah Senesh Community Day School in Brooklyn. Our school moved into
a new building this year. For the first time, our students have their
own gym, art room, and outdoor playground - not to mention space to eat
lunch and to perform school plays. For teachers, it was very exciting
to go from sharing 3 or 4 computers to having computers in our rooms
and in the library. Next year I will be the Judaic Studies Coordinator
for the school, and will continue to teach 8th grade Chumash and
Talmud. As the Judaic Studies Coordinator, I will be helping our staff
with two major new initiatives. The first is curriculum mapping. The
entire school will be using a web-based computer program to map our
curriculum this year. This will enable us to see what we're actually
teaching, as opposed to what we say we are teaching, and will help us
to spot gaps, repetitions, ways to build students' skills across grades
and to reflect on what we teach, when and why. We are also
participating in a program through JTS and Avi Chai to develop a
Standards and Benchmarks approach to our Chumash curriculum. I
attended a seminar in early July at JTS where I worked with my Tanach
Education Consultant, Cindy Reich, and was trained in the program's
approach to developing curriculum. I am excited about sharing what I
learned with our teachers. I know it will transform our school and
bring student learning to a higher level.
In addition, as Judaic
Studies Coordinator I am also responsible for mentoring teachers and
for the tefila, Israel, chagim, etc. aspects of school. I also am
excited about family education, Shabbatonim for the kids, and perhaps
adding some continuing education for our graduates who do not go on to
Jewish high schools. But I don't think I'll be getting to all of that
this year!
Personally, I got married in October and my husband
Jeff and I moved to Brooklyn in May. We love our new apartment and are
excited about being near friends and our minyan, Alt Shul. Best of
all, I can even walk to work!
P.S.
from Susan: Jessica came to PEP from a career writing for "Blue's
Clues" children's television series. She has expertise integrating
bibliodrama with teaching traditional texts. She has also chaperoned
her 8th grade Israel class trip. Jessica is happy to help you in
either regard. Feel free to contact jessica.
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PEP now has Lookstein Center Membership!
Membership
in the Lookstein Center will make you eligible for many professional
development and networking benefits that will help you achieve your
professional mission as Jewish educators. Some of the benefits include:
*Access to Jewish Educational Leadership(online journal)
*Free participation in Lookstein.org e-communities.
*Reductions on popular online purchases.
And much more.
In order to learn more about this and to receive the username and password please be in touch with Debra .
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Educational Links: Posters
During
the summer curriculum workshop, a number of participants asked about
finding posters for the classroom. Here are some links:
http://www.zerach.com
http://www.tjssc.com/pc-1235-23-gimatria-capsulated-poster.aspx
Books of theTanach, weekly torah portions and other posters are available from DorLDor: 1-888-HEBREW2
http://www.dorldor.com
www.sukkah.com (not only sukkah posters - also related to history, Bible, Israel)
www.israelbookshop.com (Hebrew, holidays, Israel, maps, etc. - go to educational materials and then posters. See also maps.)
There
are many other sites - you can google "posters, Jewish holidays" etc.
Many of these need careful screening so as to order appropriate
materials, but there are definitely some worthwhile possibilities. (For
ex. www.art.cafepress.com) Please send us other sources for posters you may have.
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More Online Resources
* Rabbi Jeffrey Saks of Atid recently
interviewed Rabbi Elyakim Krumbein of Yeshivat Har Etzion about his new
book, Musar for Moderns. Among the topics discussed was the challenge
of promoting religious-spiritual growth in schools. The podcast is
available free-click here.
*Jonathan
Mishkin (Summer Program faculty member and husband of tour guide and
educator, Shulie Mishkin) has recently publish a book entitled Think this Way, a source book for informal Jewish Education. The book contains dozens of
activities for making the Jewish classroom come
alive.
*Jeff
Spitzer, Chair of the Department of Rabbinics and Talmud at Gann
Academy has posted a Rabbinic Literature Genre Map online. To learn
more about what he has done click here.
*More
Pardes faculty members are now involved with the weekly online learning
podcast. We have more than 1000 downloads a week of these ever popular
podcasts. Check it out here!
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PEP Corner
Welcome
back to Cohort 8 and welcome to our newest students in Cohort 9. We are
now accepting applications for Cohort 10 (September '09). Please refer
interested, qualified friends and/or colleagues to Dr. Judy Markose.
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Alumni Updates
We welcome Cohort 7.
B'Hatzlacha as you begin teaching this year. (Check the geographic
listing that was recently sent out by Abby to see where your new
colleagues are teaching.)
*Condolences to Reuven Margrett (Cohort 6) on the loss of his father, Alan David z"l.
Mazel Tovs:
Reuven Margrett (Cohort 6) abd Siona on the birth of a son, Alon David.
Eric and Einav Grosser (Cohort 3) on the birth of a daughter, Marom Nafshi.
Moshe Fisch (Cohort 7) and Caitlin on the birth of a son, Binyamin.
Jamie Salter (Cohort 5) upon his engagement to Cindy Nathanson.
Rachel Levy (Cohort 7) on her recent marriage to Yaron Meiner.
Orah MacDermott (Cohort 3) upon her recent aliyah.
Professional Moves:
Yehoshua Ben Avraham (Cohort 6) has moved to Chicago and will be teaching at Chicagoland Jewish High School.
David Rothberg (Cohort 2) has moved to Boston and will be teaching at the Rashi School.
Eliana Seltzer has moved to Providence RI and will be teaching at the Jewish Community Day School of Rhode Island.
Eric and Einav Grosser (Cohort 3) have moved to Dallas. Einav will be teaching part time.
Mordechai Rakover (Cohort 3) has moved to Rhode Island where he has taken a position as Chaplain and Rabbi at Brown /RISD Hillel.
Eric Zaff (Cohort 1) has returned to Chicago where he will be completing his 4th year of Rabbinical studies.
Michal Cahlon (cohort 5,
2004-2006) was recently appointed department chair of Judaic Studies, grades
6-12, at the Hyman Brand Hebrew
Academy in Kansas. She will continue with her regular teaching.
We are sorry if we missed something. Please help us by sending in your news!
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