Ratinale fr the Guiding Principles USCJ Guiding Principles fr Cngregatinal Learning These USCJ (The United Synaggue f Cnservative Judaism) Guiding Principles fr Cngregatinal Learning dcument has been develped t assist USCJ kehillt (sacred cmmunities) in planning r adapting an educatinal prgram. We hpe that these recmmendatins will prvide helpful strategies fr all educatinal prgrams, with a gal tward cultivating a culture f lifelng Jewish learning fr Cnservative cngregatinal families. Cnservative Judaism in the 21 st century is a vice fr dynamic, authentic and meaningful life based n a traditin f values, and we encurage ur schls t mdel this gal as they make curricular and prgrammatic decisins. Guiding Principles: The fllwing elements are recmmended in establishing learning prgrams with maximum impact: Educatinal leadership whse dynamic visin f learning is articulated and cmmunicated cnsistently. This leadership guides planning, hiring, resurce selectin, faculty prfessinal develpment, and schl peratins. A partnership that engages families within the arena f synaggue life. Family educatin can bth enrich Jewish family life and establish families as partners within the synaggue s educatin prgram. This requires wrking with families with reference t their unique cmpsitin and backgrund. Sensitive and well-structured family learning pprtunities encurage parents t serve as rle mdels and facilitatrs f Jewish learning fr their children. A culture that values the children, parents, faculty and kehilla leadership and supprts the gal f nurishing the Jewish sul and develping Jewish identity, maintaining a culture f inclusin fr all learning styles, persnal needs, and family structures. A rbust and inviting early childhd prgram, whether in a preschl setting r integrated within the culture f the kehilla. A cngregatinal schl that merges experiential learning (see Appendix A) with 21 st Century best practices t engage students and families alng a cntinuum f learning, preparing students fr Jewish life beynd high schl and int adulthd. A curriculum that integrates cntent t define Cnservative Jewish life in the mdern wrld -- a purpseful and fulfilling life experienced thrugh a Jewish lens. 1
A prgram that prvides fr vigrus and meaningful adlescent learning thrugh engaging, value-laden experiences with cnnectins t USY and the brader Jewish cmmunity. Members f the clergy are engaged in a meaningful relatinship as c-planners, rle mdels, and teachers. High pririty is assigned t nging prfessinal develpment fr faculty, with resurces t advance and enhance best practices fr bth educatinal leaders and faculty members. Healthy cmmunicatin is fstered between early childhd, elementary, middle and high schl prgrams t assure nging and sequenced learning prcesses as students mature int adulthd. Transitins thrugh develpmental cycles are intentinal and assure cntinuity. A bard r cmmittee dedicated t learning prvides versight and guidance t cngregatinal learning activities, including assistance with plicy-making, and directin t the synaggue's educatinal prgram. Recmmended areas f study Since USCJ kehilla learning varies greatly in structure and substance frm cngregatin t cngregatin, the areas f study described in the fllwing sectins are ffered fr cnsideratin in building curricula. While part-time educatin challenges us t prvide in-depth learning in each area f Judaic study, creating discrete units f study and varying thse tpical units thrughut the schl year bth enhance flexibility and maximize the pprtunity t augment cntent as well as depth f learning. Spiral Curriculum: The capacity fr understanding cntinues t develp as children grw frm early childhd t elementary schl, thrugh middle schl and int high schl. A spiral curriculum begins with the belief that any subject can be taught effectively in sme intellectually hnest frm t any child at any stage f develpment (Jerme Bruner, 1960) and can help t maximize retentin f learning. T create a spiral curriculum: Determine age-apprpriate cntent in each recmmended area f study, building knwledge and understanding thrugh each cntact pint alng the spiral (i.e. Bereisheet [Genesis] is taught in first, third, sixth, and ninth grades, building understanding as students cycle thrugh the grades, encuntering develpmentally apprpriate cntent, histrical backgrund and cmmentary accrding t their increasing maturity.) Cuple learning activities with teaching styles in each curricular area t be age-apprpriate and t engage students thrugh each cntact grade and age alng the spiral. 2
(See Appendix B fr additinal suggestins regarding an integrated curriculum.) Selectins are recmmended frm the fllwing areas f study: I. Between Peple -- A Life Guided by Jewish Values Ratinale: Judaism embdies mitzvt (sacred deeds/cmmandments) that infrm the way ur traditin instructs us t relate t thers. A life infrmed by Jewish ethical values includes: 1. Awareness that Jewish values are grunded in Gd s mitzvt, and sanctified by Gd s cvenantal relatinship with the Jewish peple. 2. Knwledge that ding what is right can be a surce f great satisfactin, takes thught and cmprehensin, and is grunded in Jewish traditin. Recmmended Cntent and Skill Develpment: 1. Knwledge f Jewish values that can serve as a fundatin fr students ethical decisins. These include: Tzedaka (Cntributing t make the wrld a mre just place) Kibbud Av v Eim (Hnring parents) Sh mirat HaLashn (Guarding speech) G milut Hesed (Acts f lvingkindness) Emet (Truth) Tikkun Olam (Mending the wrld) K lal Yisrael (Identificatin with Jews everywhere) Ahavat HaBriyt (A lving cncern fr thers) Bikur Hlim (Visiting the sick) Limud Trah (Jewish learning) B tzelem Elhim (All humans are created in the Divine image) 3 2. The study f selectins f Tanakh (Trah/Prphets/Writings) and rabbinic literature t further infrm the understanding f Jewish value cncepts. 3. Participatin in tikkun lam and g'milut hesed within the Jewish and secular cmmunities t demnstrate authentic examples f knwledge leading t actin. 4. Infrmatin abut the cncepts that Judaism shares with ther religins, as well as ways in which they differ. II. Between Jews and Gd Ratinale: Judaism requires mitzvt in relatinships between peple and Gd. When students acquire an awareness f mitzvt as Gd s cmmandments, it invites their spiritual cnnectin t Judaism. Recmmended Cntent and Skill Develpment: 1. Cultivatin f a develping persnal cnnectin with Gd. This can be achieved by integrating the values taught in the sectin Between Peple with the cncept f mitzvt, a thughtful and sulful apprach t prayer, and the teaching f authentic Jewish text.
2. The partnership between cngregatin and hme prvides maximum ptential fr students develping a relatinship with Gd. Knwledge f the histry and texts and practice f the mitzvt facilitates develping habits f Jewish bservance (i.e. Grwing Jewishly in the bservance f Shabbat includes lighting candles, making kiddush, and refraining frm prhibited wrk, as well as understanding the basis fr these traditins.) 3. Knwledge and experiences f specific mitzvt include: The histry, traditins and prayers f the Jewish hly days. Teaching the rhythm f Jewish time enhances student engagement in authentic learning pprtunities. The histry, traditins and prayers f Shabbat. The surces and rules f Kashrut. Jewish life cycle practices. Ensuring time in class t practice these traditins. Family educatin and prgrams that fster the practice f these traditins in the hme. 4. Ability t articulate the imprtance f mitzvt in Judaism. III. Study f Jewish Text Ratinale: The study f Jewish text prvides an authentic fundatin fr all ther areas f Jewish cnnectin and belief. Interactin with authentic Jewish text thrugh a mdern lens assists students in building their appreciatin f Jewish traditin. Recmmended Cntent and Skill Develpment: 4 1. A general awareness f what is included in Tanakh (The Hebrew Bible). 2. Majr events in the Biblical narrative frm Genesis thrugh Jshua. 3. Stries abut key prphets and the surces f imprtant phrases frm Nevi im (Prphetic writings). 4. Encunters with sectins frm Ketuvim (later writings) thrughut the curriculum, with an emphasis n the megillt (i.e. Jb, Sng f Sngs, Ruth, Lamentatins, and Ecclesiastes). 5. The ability t find meaning in Biblical selectins, familiar and new, and familiarity with cntemprary attempts t understand and make Trah meaningful thrugh cmmentary. 6. The ability t explain hw these central Biblical ideas are imprtant in Judaism: Brit (Cvenant) Tzedek (Justice) Am Kadsh (A Hly Natin) Sinai (Revelatin) 7. Trah and Trah cmmentary as expressins f the Jewish peple's yearning frm Biblical times t develp a relatinship with Gd. 8. The Biblical and rabbinic rigin fr the traditins f hly days and life cycle bservance. 9. Trah as a surce f meaning in students persnal lives.
10. An appreciatin f Tanakh as the central, sacred text f Judaism and its imprtance thrughut the wrld. IV. Knwledge f Hebrew (See Appendix C fr mre ideas and best practices in teaching Hebrew.) Ratinale: Hebrew is the histric language f the Jewish peple. The Trah, Tanakh, and rabbinic writings are written in Hebrew. In the lives f ur students, Hebrew is the language f prayer and the spken language f mdern Israel. Students wh gain facility in the decding f and in the language f Hebrew gain an appreciatin fr and a pride in Jewish legacy and traditin. Recmmended Cntent and Skill Develpment: 1. An awareness f Hebrew as the language f bth mdern Israel and the Jewish peple, past and present. 2. Students build Hebrew decding skills best when they begin with the interactive prcess f learning a simple Hebrew vcabulary reinfrced thrughut the schl. In the prcess f becming familiar with spken and written Hebrew, students will be intrduced in the early years (preschl furth grade) t: Hebrew wrds frm classrm, hme, and cmmunity, names f Jewish bjects, and meanings f simple Hebrew verbs Whle Hebrew wrd recgnitin Hebrew letter differentiatin Simple Hebrew cnversatins Hebrew sngs 3. Skill in decding Hebrew phrases and prayers with accuracy and fluency. 4. Knwledge f the basic vcabulary f the siddur and understanding the Hebrew f frequently used prayers. 5. An understanding that the Trah is written in Hebrew and that its meaning is best understd with the ability t recgnize wrds in Hebrew. V. Knwing prayer and praying Ratinale: The ability t enter a synaggue anywhere in the wrld and participate in Jewish prayer becmes a surce f pride fr students and recgnitin f their prgress in learning. Prayer cnnects the Jewish peple t Gd and t ne anther. Thrugh facility with prayer, the Jewish sul can emerge and develp. Recmmended Cntent and Skill Develpment: 5 1. Awareness that prayer is a prcess f bth lking within urselves and reaching ut t Gd. 2. Attainment f the knwledge and skills t participate in Shabbat, hliday, and weekday services, including the ability t navigate the siddur, and an awareness f the structure f the prayer service.
3. Capacity t interpret and persnally relate t prayer. 4. Awareness f why and hw the Cnservative Mvement has made changes in sme f ur liturgy. 5. Explratin f the rle f prayer in ur lives, prviding pprtunities fr: Participatin in minyan Synaggue attendance n Shabbat Daily recitatin f Shema Recitatin f HaMtzi and Birkat HaMazn at meals 6. Opprtunity fr students with sufficient experience and practice t attain the skill and cnfidence t lead Shabbat and weekday services. VI. Knwledge Abut and Cncern fr Israel and K lal Yisrael (The Jewish Peple) Ratinale: The Jewish peple (B nai Yisrael, the children f Israel) and Jewish cntinuity rely n explring the ever-unflding stry f the Jewish Peple, including supprt fr Israel in the 21 st Century. Recmmended Cntent and Skill Develpment: A. The Kingdm f Israel 1. Awareness that Jews have lived in and identified with the land f Israel fr fur thusand years. 2. A familiarity with the centrality f Israel as fund in the Tanakh and in tefillah. B. Medinat Yisrael (The State f Israel) 1. An awareness f the cmmitment and drama in establishing Medinat Yisrael, including: The persnalities and events that cntributed t the rise f Zinism. Histrical events leading t the establishment f Medinat Yisrael. The Shah (Hlcaust) and its histry and heres as ne fundatin fr the establishment f the State f Israel. 2. Cmprehensin f the imprtance f Medinat Yisrael, and ability t articulate reasns fr cncern and supprt. 3. Awareness and knwledge f sme f the mdern innvatins (i.e. in medicine, technlgy, cmputer science, clean energy, agriculture, etc.) that riginate in Israel. 4. Recgnitin that Israel is a demcracy with a multiparty plitical system. C. K lal Yisrael arund the Wrld 1. Identificatin with and cncern fr K'lal Yisrael. 2. Sense f a shared cmmn histry and spiritual legacy with ther cntemprary Jews. 6
3. Awareness and knwledge f Jewish persnalities thrugh the ages and their cntributin t the grwth and cntinuity f the Jewish peple. This includes histrical mments in Jewish cmmunities thrughut the wrld. 4. Kl Yisrael arevim zeh bazeh (Shevut 39a) "All Jews are respnsible fr each ther." Jews have a mandate t participate in acts f tzedakah, g milut hesed, and plitical actin cncerned with the physical and spiritual survival f ther Jews. 5. Respect fr ther Jews wh understand Judaism differently, and sme basic knwledge abut the differences between Cnservative Judaism and ther Jewish mvements. VII. Cnservative Judaism Ratinale: Students understanding f the tenets f Cnservative Judaism, as practiced in their wn cngregatins, is an imprtant step in building a psitive Cnservative Jewish identity. Recmmended Cntent and Skill Develpment: Cultivatin f a basic understanding f what it is t be a Cnservative Jew, includes: 1. Knwledge f the prcess by which the Cnservative Mvement interprets Jewish thinking, values, halakht (laws) and the Trah in the mdern wrld. 2. Ability t cite examples f specific changes the Cnservative Mvement has made in liturgy and practice, in additin t an understanding f the ratinale fr thse changes. 3. Recgnitin f the Masrti (Cnservative) Mvement in Israel and its relatinship t the Cnservative Mvement in America. 4. Ability t engage in thughtful cnversatin abut the Cnservative Mvement's thelgy as currently reflected in Emet v Emunah. Link t pdf f Emet v'emunah. Additinal classic surces n Cnservative Judaism: http://www.uscj.rg/jewishlivingandlearning/jewishobservance/theidealcnservative Jew.aspx Cnservative Judaism: Our Ancestrs t Our Descendants by Ellitt N Drff, 1996 available at Amazn.cm. Cnservative Judaism: The New Century by Neil Gillman, 1993, Behrman Huse Publishers Appendix A: Abut Experiential Jewish Educatin Experiential Jewish Educatin utilizes authentic and meaningful Jewish experiences t teach Jewish histry, traditin, culture and values. In Cnservative cngregatinal learning, prgrams that cmbine interactive methds f text study with experiences cnnecting students with each ther and with the cntent will enhance the emtinal cnnectin t the lessn. These experiences are meant t be as inspiratinal as they are educatinal. 7
Elements f the Learning Envirnment t Cnsider when Implementing the Tls f Experiential Jewish Educatin: 1. Cnsider the pprtunities and cnstraints f yur envirnment r learning space. Is it suited t engage students in achieving yur learning gals? What will a student ntice (i.e. see, hear, taste, and smell, including technlgy and ther resurces) that can aid yur bjective? (Fr example, if yu are in a classrm, cnsider arranging the chairs in a semi-circle instead f rws s learners see and better engage with each ther.) 2. Cnsider eliminating distractins that might interfere with yur educatinal gals (i.e. perhaps yur students shuld nt face the windw, unless yu feel that helps with the educatinal experience). Determine any adaptatins t this envirnment t better wrk tward thse gals. 3. Select active learning experiences that bth take advantage f this envirnment and meet yur educatinal gals. Active learning is a prcess whereby students engage in activities (i.e. reading, writing, discussin, r prblem slving) that prmte analysis, synthesis, and evaluatin f class cntent. Cnsider a game, partner discussin, r class debate 4. Match the teaching style t the chsen envirnment and interactive activity. D nt be afraid t mve yur learning t a different space if yu determine that it is nt well suited t yur educatinal gals! Adapted frm: Mark S. Yung, Managing Directr f The Leadership Cmmns f The William Davidsn Graduate Schl f Jewish Educatin at the Jewish Thelgical Seminary. Techniques t Supprt Experiential Jewish Educatin Questin students using thinking verbs ( explain, cmpare, cntrast, analyze ). Be the guide n the side. Create activities that require students t d the research and thinking t determine answers by themselves r in teams. Prblem-based learning is an example f this type f planned learning activity. Teach students t paraphrase what they have heard. Create activities that help students transfer knwledge frm ne area f learning t anther. Integrate acrss the curriculum. (See Appendix B: Curriculum Integratin.) Appendix B: Curriculum Integratin An integrated curriculum prvides cnnectin pints acrss areas f study and between previus and new learning, enhances the prcess f learning, and maximizes the effectiveness f learning time. In the wrld f Jewish learning, curricular integratin may ccur as fllws: Multidisciplinary integratin (i.e. in the study f hlidays where, in a hliday lessn, educatrs integrate areas f Trah, Jewish histry, Judaic custms--including music, fds, and symbls- - blessings and prayers). Interdisciplinary integratin (i.e. lessns are rganized t cmbine reading/ Hebrew decding practice, writing, art and ral cmmunicatin). 8
Appendix C: Key Elements in Develping Hebrew Decding Skills Children learn t read in their native tngue thrugh authentic patterns f language acquisitin, spending years building a vcabulary f understanding, s that when written wrds are intrduced, there is immediate recgnitin and cmprehensin. This fundatin eventually leads t an ability t sund ut r decde wrds that are unfamiliar, allwing children t read wrds they have nt seen befre. In Jewish schls, the teaching f Hebrew reading is cmplicated by an alef be that is unrelated t the English alphabet, with letters that ften resemble ne anther. The clser we can apprximate the natural prcess f language acquisitin t teach a language that is nt native t ur students, the mre successful ur students will be. The fllwing tips can help t make the teaching f Hebrew a jyful experience: Base the teaching f Hebrew decding n the desire t attain Hebrew fr meaning by intrducing interactive Hebrew activities that are fun and engaging. Reading begins as an ral prcess. As early as pssible in the learning prgram, begin t build a Hebrew vcabulary. Create a classrm Hebrew wrd list that is used during each class sessin. One recmmended curriculum t accmplish this gal is Hebrew thrugh Mvement. www.hebrewthrughmvement.rg. Teaching Hebrew decding is mst effective when delayed until the third grade, after having established a vcabulary f classrm Hebrew wrds. The human brain stres wrds as sunds, and des nt stre them as print. By secnd grade, begin t intrduce whle wrd recgnitin f the Hebrew vcabulary wrds students have mastered rally. Place Hebrew signs arund the schl and in classrms, surrunding students with the language s Hebrew bth lks and sunds familiar. Early in the prcess f teaching Hebrew decding, intrduce activities that encurage letter differentiatin. Because Hebrew is an ancient language, letters are variatins f a square. Exercises that help students recgnize the differences between letters facilitate decding (i.e. which letters have an pening n the left? Which letters have a line acrss the bttm? etc.) Teach the names f bth letters and vwel signs, and refer t them by their prper names. They are equally imprtant in Hebrew decding. Lk-alike letters are best taught separately frm each ther. Allw students t master ne f the lk-alike letters befre intrducing the ther (i.e. intrduce the dalet (ד) first and practice fr mastery, using the dalet (ד) with a variety f letters, vwel sunds and vcabulary. Wait several weeks befre intrducing the resh (ר) with its vwel sunds and vcabulary. Students decde lnger wrds mst easily by chunking, r dividing the wrd int syllable segments. The mst effective way t chunk is by intrducing the shva ( ) in its syllabificatin rle. 9
Practice makes perfect. Schls can maximize decding practice by prviding teamed reading pprtunities. Encuraging students t practice just five (5) minutes each day imprves Hebrew decding skills dramatically! Acknwledgements: The USCJ Guiding Principles fr Cngregatinal Learning is the result f years f study and planning. It represents a 21 st Century iteratin f the riginal Aims Statement f Cnservative Synaggue Schls published in Nvember, 2000. This prject is part f a three-year business plan f the USCJ Learning Task Frce. Our gratitude t Task Frce members fr their dedicatin and service: *Gena Chen (Cleveland, OH), Susan Crt (St. Luis, MO), Faye Gilman (Oceanside, NY), Temma Kingsley (New Yrk, NY), Aviv Matzkin (Pal Alt, CA), *Anne McDnagh (Highland Park, IL), *Rchelle Prujansky (Ithaca, NY), Cyd Weissman (Philadelphia, PA). Staffed and guided by Susan Wyner, USCJ Directr f Learning Enrichment. (*indicates members f the Guiding Principles subcmmittee) We are especially indebted t thse members f the Jewish Educatrs Assembly wh have helped t guide the writing prcess. 10