(Courtesy of JEP) On November 11, over 500 Judaic and general studies educators, from seven schools in the Manhattan, Queens and Long Island areas, gathered at the Hebrew Academy of Long Beach (HALB) for the annual Day of Learning. Spearheaded, managed and funded by The Jewish Education Project for many years, and in collaboration this year with the Jewish Education Innovation Challenge (JEIC), this historic event continues to provide schools with high-quality professional development opportunities that would otherwise be out of reach. This year’s Day of Learning, led by Gary Pretsfelder, senior manager for professional learning and growth in New York day schools at The Jewish Education Project, brought a fresh infusion of innovation to the program with its theme of meeting the needs of diverse learners in the classroom through student-centered, active strategies.
The full day program offered limudei kodesh and general studies teachers and administrators effective, practical strategies to counter the “one size fits all” model of teaching so that teachers can better support the wide range of students in their classrooms. The event featured a keynote address by Dr. Catlin Tucker, an expert in innovative classroom practices, who shared insights on how best to design strategies for engaging students with diverse learning styles and for shifting the classroom to more student-oriented, differentiated tasks. Following Dr. Tucker’s address, participants engaged in one of 30 specialized workshops, each tailored to specific grade-levels and subjects, in which they had the opportunity to experience Dr. Tucker’s approach in practice.
To support the ongoing implementation of these techniques, The Jewish Education Project also launched two cohorts of professionals who will continue their learning together in this area via Zoom over the coming months. The first group, designed for day school leaders, will be led by Dr. Tucker herself, and will guide principals and curriculum leaders in how to integrate this methodology into their schools. The second group, lead by Rabbi Shmuel Feld of the Jewish Education Innovation Challenge (JEIC) and Chani Richmond of Lomdei, will engage teachers of limudei kodesh on how to introduce these strategies in the their teaching of Chumash, Gemara, tefillah, etc.
The Day of Learning was a valuable opportunity for educators to network, learn and grow together. Participants left inspired and equipped with new tools to enhance student engagement in their schools, affirming the vital role The Jewish Education Project plays in supporting Jewish education across the region.
