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Educating Jewish Educators Worldwide: Across North America, the pressure is mounting to improve the quality of congregational schools. It is estimated that up to 80% of children who receive a Jewish education are enrolled in these schools. “This renewed focus on congregational schools goes hand in hand with synagogue renewal and transformation,” says Dr. Jonathan Rosenbaum, President of Gratz College, a transdenominational academic institution in suburban Philadelphia. “Community leaders are now taking a closer look at best practices in congregational schools as part of a comprehensive program of synagogue renewal.” Effective teaching demands trained religious school teachers. Both professional teaching skills and a strong knowledge base in Jewish studies are essential. The Jewish community faces a dire shortage of teachers meeting these requirements. Many of those currently teaching in Jewish supplementary schools lack professional training or formal Jewish education. According to research from the Mandel Foundation, we have to face this problem today:
Jeffrey Lasday, executive director of the Coalition for the Advancement of Jewish Education (CAJE), notes: “We are facing a continued shortage of qualified, properly trained Jewish educators.” Click here to read the complete article. The need for quality teacher training is now on the front burner of the national Jewish communal agenda. Professional teacher development and quality education are critical success factors which need to be addressed, according to the article “Congregational Schools Focus on Teacher Training," published in The Jewish Daily Forward [August 11, 2006] Bureaus of Jewish education, federations and others are actively working to tackle this crisis and have rolled out a variety of local and national programs. Two such programs are “Sharsheret,” CAJE Miami’s Program for Congregational Religious School Excellence and the Jewish Education Service of North America (JESNA) program “Center for Excellence in Congregational Education.” These types of professional development initiatives are a step in the right direction towards best practices in teacher training. However, the practical reality is significantly more complex. First, professional development opportunities are offered mostly in large, metropolitan areas or require travel for on-site classes. Second, it is unrealistic to expect part-time religious school teachers with other professional and family responsibilities to avail themselves of these opportunities, even when subsidies are available. Finally, most of the initiatives take the form of several hour workshops as opposed to formalized, intensive academic study. Online Academic Programs: Transforming Jewish Education There is skepticism about the value of online higher education. Dr. Saul Wachs, professor of education and liturgy at Gratz College, used to be one of the skeptics. It took quite some time for him to agree to teach online and he is stunned by the significant Judaic background of the students, the quality dialogue that is taking place weekly in the virtual classroom and the unique opportunity to share his passion for liturgy with Jewish educators who are not able to travel to Philadelphia to study with him. “With the Jewish community more dispersed than ever, it is necessary that we provide for the needs of teachers and would-be teachers who live in communities that do not have access to local institutions of higher Jewish learning. The online option vastly expands the range and quality of the learning opportunities available to Jews around the world.” Gratz College’s online programs are serving Jewish educators both academically and professionally while working within the boundaries of their active lives. The online program operates asynchronously, meaning that students never have to be online at any particular time of day during the week and can access their course materials via the Internet 24/7. This enables busy people with jobs, families and other commitments, to pursue their Jewish studies and upgrade their skills at a time and place that works for them. Stephanie Koval of Columbus, Ohio is a prime example of how online learning is meeting the needs of Jewish educators who lack the time to attend an on-campus program. The busy mother of two works full-time and teaches part-time at Temple Beth Shalom in New Albany, Ohio. As a new teacher, Ms. Koval is seeking to enhance her own Jewish knowledge and enrich the classroom experience for her students. Koval believes that her teaching experience during the first year would not have been as successful or as fulfilling had she not enrolled in Gratz’s online programs in Jewish studies and Jewish early childhood education. “The educational theory and insights into the specific challenges of Jewish education that I have gained from my professors and my classmates has been invaluable to me as a new teacher.” Sharon Mayer, education director of Beth Shalom Religious School in Cary, North Carolina, cites a direct correlation between her online studies and the learning that takes place at her religious school. Among other changes, she has completely revamped the curricula for History and Family Education at the school. One of the key advantages that the online venue is providing for Ms. Mayer is access to a community of Jewish educators. Many Jewish educators feel isolated in their local areas. Gratz College has made creating a vibrant online community a priority and it has become a cornerstone of the program. As a Jewish educator living outside of a major metropolitan community, Ms. Mayer has found that the online learning venue enables her to:
Ms. Mayer is able to gain the knowledge she desires and translate that into a better educational experience for the families in her congregation. “I believe that the future of Judaism is in the hands of Jewish educators,” says Mayer. “If we do not do it [educate Jewish children], where will the next generation be when this one is gone?” In the 21st century, addressing the issue of Jewish continuity is a priority for the American Jewish community; the need for excellent Jewish educators tops the communal agenda. Online learning provides a much-needed pathway towards achieving this goal. “By transforming Jewish education through online study, we are investing in the future of the Jewish people,” says Dr. Rosenbaum, President of Gratz College. “For Gratz College, transforming Jewish education is not just a tag line; it is our commitment to the Jewish people and our purpose as an academic institution.” Ronni Ticker is Director of Online & Distance Learning at Gratz College. She also teaches Bible and rabbinics to teens and adults at The Jewish Center in Princeton, New Jersey |