What Judaic Knowledge Should Be Taught in our Supplemental and Day Schools?

According to *Wiggins and McTighe (1998) in order to decide what (Judaic) knowledge should be taught in school, the following three categories or priorities of knowledge should be determined.

First priority: Knowledge that is enduring. essential information that students must know.

Second priority: Knowledge that is important, but not essential for students to know.

Third priority: Knowledge with which students should be familiar.

A graphic organizer of the three different types of knowledge appears at the top of this post.

In our opinion it is the responsibility of the Jewish Professional Learning Communityincluding the rabbi, the school director, the teaching staff, the parents, in conjunction with the Central Jewish Educational Agency or Board of Jewish Education, and with the input of other Jewish educational institutions of the various Jewish movements ( e.g. the Association of Modern Orthodox Day Schools, the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, the Union of Reform Judaism, and the Jewish Reconstructionist Federation) who should determine what is enduring Jewish knowledge, important Jewish knowledge, and knowledge with which an educated Jewish person should be familiar.

Now here are a few questions for you to ponder.

1. What is enduring Jewish knowledge from your perspective?

2. Where specifically can a mentor or a teacher find enduring Jewish knowledge?

3. Is all Jewish knowledge enduring?

4. What is not enduring Jewish knowledge?

I welcome your answers to any and all of these questions.

* Wiggins, G. & McTighe, J. (1998). Understanding by Design. Alexandria, VA. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

In our next post we will begin to describe what constitutes enduring Jewish knowledge from the perspective of several different Jewish educational institutions.

What is the Relationship Among These Structures: A Congregation of Life-Long Learners, a JPLC and a Jewish Community of Cooperative Learners?

What is the Relationship Among These Structures: A Congregation of Life-Long Learners, a Jewish Professional Learning Community (JPLC) and a Jewish Community of Cooperative Learners?

The ideal educational setting in which to be a mentor teacher is within a congregation that is committed to life-long learning, a school that is a Jewish professional learning and within a classroom that is a community of cooperative learners. Let's explore these structures and their connections more thoroughly.

A congregation of life-long learners is one that studies and lives Torah. A Jewish professional learning community (JPLC) is a school in which the administration, teachers and students, all investigate life’s eternal questions. A Jewish community of cooperative learners is a classroom where these questions are addressed. Ideally, the mission and values of the congregation inspire the Jewish professional learning community (i.e. members of the school) to teach its students how to live those values within and outside of the classroom. Each Jewish structure thus is inextricably linked and reinforces the other.

* Jack Wertheimer, (2005) describes contemporary Jewish educational institutions as vertical silos which have their own missions and goals and operate independently of each other. He suggests that Jewish leaders need to reconceptualize the manner by which Jewish educational institutions function so that they are more directly connected to and supportive of each other. Dr. Wertheimer writes:

Education is not a separate sphere of Jewish life; it is integral to how American Jews live today.... Overlapping circles of learners, parents, members of extended families, fellow synagogue congregants, peer groups, educators, and communal leaders all interact with one another in the activities of Jewish education. This means that beyond the cognitive knowledge and the skills they teach, Jewish educational settings are central to the way American Jews construct their lives and communities today. Precisely because of these important interconnections in the actual lives of average Jews, leaders concerned with Jewish education must find ways to build institutional linkages between various formal and informal educational programs, between families and schools, between educators in various venues, between the key communal agencies engaged in support of Jewish education. The field of Jewish education is currently based on a loose, barely connected network of autonomous educating institutions. Each operates as a silo.... The current challenge in the field of Jewish education is to link the silos, to build cooperation across institutional lines and thereby enable learners to benefit from mutually reinforcing educational experiences ….

Thus, the values and behaviors of (a) the members of the congregation; (b) the teachers who instruct our children; and (c) the students in our supplemental and day schools should be mutually reinforcing.

* Wertheimer, J. (2005). Linking the Silos: How to Accelerate the Momentum in Jewish Education Today. New York, New York, NY: The AVI CHAI Foundation.

In the next post we will start a new section on the blog and begin discussing this challenging question; What Judaic knowledge should be taught in our supplemental and day schools?

Wendy Light, National Education Consultant, USCJ Praises Toolbox for Teachers

More Praise for Important New Publication:

Wendy Light, National Education Consultant, United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism writes:

We all agree that there is a significant demand for qualified teachers in Jewish day schools and congregational schools. There is concern as to where the next generation of Jewish educators will come from. Dr. Richard and Elaine Solomon have sensitively addressed this challenge in their new book, just released, and entitled Toolbox for Teachers and Mentors: Moving Madrichim to Mentor Teachers and Beyond.

In question and answer dialogue format, each chapter addresses the essentials; lesson plans design, classroom management, motivational activities, learning and learning assessment all seen through the lens of Jewish knowledge and values. The book is also filled with charts, diagrams and exercises to engage tomorrow’s Jewish educators today.

This book can be used for 11^th and 12^th grade students in a supplementary school or in a day school program and would also serve as an outstanding text for education consultants, principals, supervisors and professors who conduct workshops and seminars in mentoring, supervision and staff development.

Building on their success in secular education the Solomon’s have adapted those same important ideas about teaching enduring knowledge of the Jewish traditions. I believe that this is a ‘must have’ book for every Jewish educator’s book shelf.

The book has been published by Wheatmark Press and can be purchased at http://toolboxforteachersandmentors.com

What is the Five Step Backward Design Approach to Lesson Planning Preparation of Wiggins and McTighe (1998)?

When mentoring our pre-service and in-service teachers we need to make clear the connection between enduring Jewish knowledge and the lesson plans we create. An excellent approach to making that connection comes from the work of *Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe, the authors of the 'Backward Design' lesson planning process. Accordingly, below please find the five steps for 'Backward Design' lesson planning.

The Five Steps for Backward Design Lesson Planning Preparation of *Wiggins and McTighe (1998)

Step 1. Decide what content or knowledge is enduring. That is, you want to determine what your students must learn during a particular period of instructional time (i.e. a lesson, a unit [a set of lessons], a semester, or the entire year). This is essential Judaic knowledge that an educated person should understand, and be able to apply. In this text we will refer to this essential information as enduring Jewish knowledge. Example:

· The Torah and the Talmud contain a body of wisdom that guides a person regarding how to lead a righteous and meaningful life.

Step 2. Decide what question or questions you want your students to answer. These are the essential questions that focus student thinking on enduring Jewish knowledge. Examples:

· What are the Torah and Talmud?

· Why are we commanded to study the Torah and Talmud?

· How does the study of the Torah and Talmud help us live a righteous and meaningful life?

Step 3. Decide what evidence your students need to demonstrate to prove that they truly understand this enduring Jewish knowledge. Examples:

· Students will be able to cite specific examples from the Torah and Talmud of g'milut chasadim, acts of loving kindness, i.e.

1. Visiting the sick, Bikkur Cholim, Genesis 19:1-3

2. Welcoming guests/strangers, Hachnasat Orchim, Genesis 18:3-5.

Step 4. Determine what student skills and classroom activities students can do which demonstrate that they understand, and can apply this enduring Jewish knowledge. Example:

· Students will generate a list of g'milut chasadim projects that they will implement individually, or as a class during the school year.

Step 5. Determine how to assess or measure whether individual students truly understand, and can apply this enduring Jewish knowledge. Examples:

· Students will define and give examples of g'milut chasadim from personal experiences, and from stories in the Torah and Talmud.

· Students will write an essay, create a song, or draw a picture showing how doing an act of g'milut chasadim made a difference in their lives and those of others.

*Wiggins, G. & McTighe, J. (1998). Understanding by Design. Alexandria, VA. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

On the next several post we will discuss how to incorporate the Backward Design process into your lesson planning.

Rabbi Dr. Moshe P. Weisblum, author of Ruth Talk, and Table Talk: Biblical Questions and Answers Endorses Toolbox for Teachers

"One of the best books on the subject"

Rabbi Dr. Moshe P.Weisblum, spiritual leader of congregation Kneseth Israel, Annapolis, Maryland and author of Ruth Talk and Table Talk:Biblical Questions and Answers offers this endorsement of Toolbox for Teachers and Mentors: Moving Madrichim to Mentor Teachers and Beyond.

"One of the best books on the subject...offering hope and help, this groundbreaking book is an ideal source for the transitions that educators often experience . Sensible, empowering and up-to-date advice for teachers, mentors, and madrichim, Richard Solomon's trusted and knowledgeable voice is both informative and comprehensive."

What is A Jewish Community of Cooperative Learners?

A Jewish community of cooperative learners represents the transformation of a group of individual members into a united, interdependent, mutually supportive and cohesive unit (i.e. classroom or school) that works, studies, and learns together because of a shared set of middot such as: Derech Eretz, showing civility and respect for others; Kehillah or community and B’tzelem Elohim; all people are created in HaShem’s image. The chart below summarizes the major differences between a traditional classroom or school and a Jewish community of cooperative learners.

Comparison of Traditional Classroom/School and Jewish Community of Cooperative Jewish Learners (Solomon, Davidson & Solomon, 1993)
A Traditional Classroom/School	A Jewish Community of Cooperative Learners
Little instructional time is devoted to class or school community building.	Instructional time includes specific activities for class or school community building.
Little time is devoted to teaching the social/relationship skills. It is assumed that individuals have the social skills for effective interpersonal and group communication.	Specific time is devoted to teaching and refining the social/relationship skills for interpersonal and group communication.
Common values, shared goals and expectations are not jointly developed.	The class/school develops common Jewish values, shared goals and expectations.
Little time is devoted to reflecting on how well the class or school is adhering to its values.	Specific time is set aside to reflect on how well the class or school is living its Jewish values.
There is little, if any, positive interdependence. At times members may actually be pleased if others do not do well or do not get their needs met.	There is positive interdependence. ("All for one, and one for all." "To do a quality job, we need each other.")
Individuals are responsible for themselves only.	There is shared responsibility for each member of the class or school.
There is minimal sense of class or school loyalty.	There is a strong sense of class or school loyalty.

* Solomon, R., Davidson, N. & Solomon, E (1993). The Handbook for the Fourth R III: Relationship Activities for Cooperative and Collegial Learning. Columbia, MD: National Institute for Relationship Training, Inc.

On the next post we will describe the relationship among these institutional structures: A Congregation of Life-Long Learners, a Jewish Professional Learning Community and a Jewish Community of Cooperative Learners.

What is a Congregation of Life-Long Learners?

A congregation of life-long learners is one whose mission and daily activities are designed to satisfy the quest for Jewish knowledge and meaning of all its members including its parents, children, singles, young marrieds, empty nesters, seniors, volunteers, pre-service and in-service teachers, mentor and expert teachers, rabbi, education director, cantor, lay leaders, and support staff. It is a congregation that studies and strives to live a Torah-centered life. A congregation of life-long learners recognizes the fact that the Jewish people have a set of challenging questions they continually confront during their entire life span. *Rabbi Jan Katzew (2007) writes: “… Jewish learning is a lifelong marathon, and we need to equip ourselves for long-term thought and practice.” Accordingly, a congregation of life-long learners is not one focused on providing its children with sufficient knowledge and skills to successfully complete the bar or bat mitzvah rite of passage.

**Jack Wertheimer (December, 2005) summarizes the changes in the direction of congregational education over the past fifty years from being focused on the Bar and Bat Mitzvah to being a congregation of life-long learners. He writes:

A few decades ago, observers of the Jewish community lamented the “pediatric Judaism” promoted by synagogues. Congregational programming tended to focus on the needs of children in the years before Bar and Bat Mitzvah. Today we think about Jewish education as an enterprise for Jews of all ages. Family education programs seek to involve parents in their children’s schooling. But even this is giving way to more sustained and robust adult education curricula. Proportionately far more parents are engaged in serious Jewish study than was the case 50 years ago. Parents also feel a greater sense of responsibility to reinforce Jewish education than was the case in the past.

* Katzew, J. (2007). Educational State of the Union. NY: Union of Reform Judaism.http://urj.org/educate/edstate/ Retrieved January 30, 2009.

** Wertheimer, J. (2005). Linking the Silos: How to Accelerate the Momentum in Jewish Education Today. New York, New York, NY: The AVI CHAI Foundation.

On the next post we will discuss this question: What is a Jewish Community of Cooperative Learners?

What is a Professional Learning Community?

From an organizational perspective, *Richard DuFour and Robert Eaker (1998) inform us that a professional learning community is a school that has these six characteristics:

1. Shared mission, vision and values: It is a school in which its members talk, walk, and live with a common set of understandings and values.

2. Collective inquiry: It is a school in which all of its members are continually questioning and investigating what they are doing in order to determine what are the best practices for teaching and learning.

3. Collaborative teams: It is a school in which its members work in collegial teams to promote continuous improvements of individual and organizational performance.

4. Action orientation and experimentation: It is a school in which its members are not satisfied with the status quo. They are continually examining their professional practices, questioning their assumptions, testing old and new theories, generating new hypotheses, and implementing and evaluating new ideas to determine what works best for the members in its learning community.

5. Continuous improvement: It is a school in which continuous improvement is both a means and an end. It is a school in which its mission and vision are never truly realized, but are continually refined and approximated.

6. Results orientation: It is a school in which its initiatives are subject to ongoing assessment on the basis of tangible results measured by multiple internal and external measures.

*DuFour, R. & Eaker, R. (1998). Professional Learning Communities at Work: Best Practices for Enhancing Student Achievement. Bloomington, IN: National Education Service.

On the next post we will discuss this question: What is a Congregation of Life-Long Learners?

What is a Jewish Professional Learning Community?

Ideally, the mentor teacher trains the pre-service and in-service teachers within a supplemental or day school that is a professional learning community. A Jewish Professional Learning Community (JPLC) is one in which every member including the students, madrichim, teaching assistants, student teachers, co-teachers, novice, beginning and experienced teachers, mentor teachers, expert teachers, Rabbi, school principal, or educational director is continuously teaching and learning from each other. It is a kehillah (community) of Jewish learning where each member acquires Jewish wisdom for personal growth, and also cares for the social, emotional, and spiritual well- being of others.

The foundational values of the JPLC include, but are not limited to these middot: the pursuit of knowledge (daat) wisdom (chochmah) and joy (simcha); kindness (chesed), compassion (rachamim), civility (derech eretz), respect for self and others (kavod); community (kehillah), study in order to teach (lomed al manat lelamed), doing good deeds (ma’asim tovim), repairing the world (tikun olam), holiness (kedushah), and acting in the image of HaShem (B’tzelem Elohim).

These Jewish values are not merely discussed and debated, but are evidenced in the daily interactions of its members.

On the next post we will discuss the six characteristics of a professional learning community as defined by Richard DuFour and Robert Eaker (1998).

The Role of Adult Learning Principles As a Variable in Mentoring Teachers

In this section of the blog we are focusing on a body of knowledge about learning to teach that a mentor needs to understand in order to provide constructive assistance to their mentees.

In this particular post we will describe *M. Knowles’ (1980) Five Principles of Adult Learning as a variable in mentoring teachers.

Malcolm Knowles’ research on adult learning informs us that adult learners view themselves and the process of learning differently from children. Adults have a breadth of experiences and distinct needs that the mentor may very well want to consider as a variable when working with his/her mentees. With this background in mind, here are Knowles’ Five Principles of Adult Learning:

1. Adult learners have a wealth of experience that should be drawn upon whenever possible. Thus, it is more important to utilize the experiences of the mentee rather than those of the mentor.

2. Adult learners tend to see themselves as self-directed and independent learners.Thus, many adult learners resent being treated as children or being patronized.

3. Adult learners tend to have a present orientation, wanting to learn skills, methods, and strategies that will help them now not at some point in the future. Thus, mentees are often resistant to learning about some innovation or change that has no bearing on their present focus.

4. Adult learners tend to want to solve specific, not general, or theoretical problems.Thus, effective mentors should keep the focus on problems that the mentee identifies (or the mentee and mentor agree upon) rather than on ones that are global in nature.

5. Adult learners tend to be highly motivated to make a difference in the lives of people. Thus, effective mentors should be wary about questioning the motivation of their mentees.

* Knowles, M. (1980). The Modern Practice of Adult Education. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Cambridge Adult Education.

On the next post we explore a related concept, what is a Jewish Professional Learning Community.

The Role of a Mentee’s Ability to Think Abstractly as a Variable in Mentoring Teachers

In this section of the blog we are focusing on a body of knowledge about learning to teach that a mentor needs to understand in order to provide constructive assistance to their mentees.

In this post we will discuss the work of *Carl Glickman (2002), a noted authority on supervision, who suggests that the mentor should take into account a mentee’s ability to think abstractly as an important variable when assisting a mentee.

According to Glickman's analysis, the mentee's level of abstract thinking is reflected by these indicators: The mentee's:

· ability to define and see problems from multiple perspectives

· ability to generate alternative ways to solve a problem

· ability to formulate a comprehensive plan for problem solving

A summary of Glickman's thinking on the levels of a mentee's ability to comprehend abstract ideas is reflected in the chart below.

Carl Glickman on the Levels of Mentee's Abstract Thinking

Low Level of Abstract Thinking	Moderate Level of Abstract Thinking	High Level of Abstract Thinking
Mentee is confused about the problem.	Mentee can define the problem.	Mentee is able to think of the problem from multiple perspectives.
Mentee does not understand what can be done to solve the problem.	Mentee can think of one or two possible solutions to the problem.	Mentee can generate many alternate ways to solve the problem.
Mentee wants to be told how to solve the problem.	Mentee has difficulty thinking through a comprehensive plan for solving the problem.	Mentee is able to choose a comprehensive plan, and can carefully think through each step of the problem.

* Glickman, C. D. (2002). Leadership for Learning: How to Help Teachers Succeed.Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

On the next post we discuss the role of adult learning principles as a variable in mentoring teachers.

The Role of a Mentee’s Commitment to Teaching as a Variable in Mentoring Teachers

In this section of the blog we are focusing on a body of knowledge about learning to teach that a mentor needs to understand in order to provide constructive assistance to their mentees.

In this post we will discuss the work of *Carl Glickman (2002), a noted authority on supervision, who suggests that the mentor should take into account a mentee’s commitment to teaching as an important variable when assisting a mentee.

According to Glickman's analysis the mentee's commitment to teaching is reflected by these attitudinal indicators: The mentee's:

· degree of concern for students and teaching

· willingness to devote time and energy to students and the school community

· primary focus for becoming a teacher

A summary of Glickman's thinking on the levels of a mentee's commitment to teaching is reflected in the chart below.

Carl Glickman on the Levels of Mentee's Commitment to Teaching

Low Level of Commitment	Moderate Level of Commitment	High Level of Commitment
Mentee shows a low level of concern for students and teaching.	The mentee shows a moderate level of concern for students and teaching.	The mentee shows a high level of concern for students and others in the learning community
Mentee spends little time or energy on students and the learning community.	The energy of the mentee is focused periodically on the students and the learning community. This occurs when a particular student, group of students, or school program captures his or her interest.	The mentee provides extra time and energy on students and the learning community.
The primary focus of the mentee is on self, i.e. retaining his or her job.	The primary focus of the mentee changes according to situations and circumstances.	The primary focus of the mentee is on doing more for others within the school community.

* Glickman, C. D. (2002). Leadership for Learning: How to Help Teachers Succeed.Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

On the next post we will examine the role of a mentee’s ability to comprehend abstract ideas as a variable in mentoring.

What are the Three Stages of Concerns of Beginning Teachers During the First Five Years of Their Career?

In this section of the blog we are focusing on a body of knowledge about learning to teach that a mentor needs to understand in order to provide constructive assistance to their mentees.

In this post we will examine three developmental stages of concern that beginning teachers report experiencing during the first five years of their career.

*Frances F. Fuller (1969), another researcher, identified these three critical stages that many beginning teachers pass through during their first five years of teaching.

F. Fuller's (1969) The Three Stages of Concerns of Beginning Teachers

During the First Five Years of Their Career

Stages	Description of the Stage
One: Survival or Self Stage	Beginning teachers are concerned about performing well during observations and evaluation meetings, and getting students, parents, and other teachers to accept and appreciate them. The main focus is surviving the school year.
Two: Mastery or Task Stage	Having passed the survival and security stage, beginning teachers are now concerned about instructional and classroom management issues.
Three: Impact on Students Stage	Having passed the mastery stage, beginning teachers are now concerned with the impact of their instruction on the learning needs of their students.

Although Fuller’s research dates back to 1969 it resonates with us today. Indeed we believe that these three stages are not only the developmental concerns of beginning teachers; they are also shared by experienced, mentor, and expert teachers under these and related conditions:

· when they teach a new course

· when they take on a new responsibility at the school

· when they work with a different student population from the one with which they are familiar

· when they transfer to a new school

· when they are assigned or volunteer to participate in a new project

When working with pre-service, beginning, and experienced teachers you will inevitably encounter resistance to the technical assistance that you wish to provide. This mentee resistance should be expected in view of the fact that many people express a reluctance to change. Indeed, experienced teachers may have sound reasons for not wanting to modify their instructional and classroom management procedures. For example, these mentees may:

· feel comfortable with the instructional and classroom procedures they are presently using

· find that their present procedures are highly effective

· see no need to change what they are doing at this point in their career

· tell you that they have tried to implement the change that you would like them to consider, and it did not produce the desired results

· tell you that new innovations appear each year and each one has a limited shelf life.

These reasons are all valid for not adopting a new innovation to their professional repertoire of practices, and we would suggest that you sincerely validate mentees for wanting to retain that which is working for them.

* Fuller, F. (1969). Concerns of Teachers: A Developmental Conceptualization.American Educational Research Journal 6 (2).

In the next post we will examine the role of a teacher's commitment to teaching as a variable in mentoring.