JconnecT – An Interactive Complementary Religious School Option that has Kids Asking for More!

Over the course of the past several decades, reams of reports and piles of papers have been written about what's wrong with complementary Jewish education in North America.

The hours are inconvenient….parents are uninvolved….the subject material doesn't relate to the students' lives….participation often requires mandatory Temple/Synagogue membership which pushes up the price….discipline is lax….staff members are not always well-trained…..

There is, however, much that is right in Hebrew School education. This is particularly evident when looking at some of the educational models that have been developed over the last 10 years or so in which Religious school professionals have recognized the problems in the system and have taken steps to rectify the issues.

The new online Hebrew School offers one such model. Suddenly, as students study Judaism online, they find that they are actively-engaged in an interactive and engaging online complementary school where they have the opportunity to learn meaningful subjects through stimulating experiential activities.

Online religious school offers students the opportunity to learn about their heritage from the comfort of their own home. Parents can easily be involved, to the extent that they wish, by simply joining the lesson. The lessons can be scheduled at a time that's convenient to the child and family, and the instructors, can be located anywhere in the world, ensuring that professional and proficient educators facilitate the classes.

JETS has been running the online JconnecT Hebrew school for 3 years. Each year the school grows as more and more families recognize the benefits of online Jewish learning and decide to offer these advantages to their children.

Judging by the evaluation comments of this year's students, the 2013-2014 school year was the most successful year yet. Students from North Carolina, Omaha Nebraska, and other far-flung regions "met" virtually every Sunday morning with Michal Lashansky, a professional educator based in Israel.     

Throughout the course of the year, the students learned about Jewish traditions, holidays, ethics, language, culture and more via participatory project based learning activities which included discussions and debates, online presentations, collaborative projects, posters, online bulletin boards and audio and video casts. Some of the highlights of the year included

·         ordering a falafel (in Hebrew)

·         hearing people in a local mall describe how they celebrate Chanukah

·         reviewing celebrities who embody Jewish values

·         presenting about Judaism and healthy living

·         identifying Jewish heroes

·         discussing Israeli leaders

·         examining the question of what makes Israel a Jewish state

When asked whether they would recommend JConnecT to a friend, the entire class answered in the affirmative.

JconnecT will begin again for 5^th – 8^th graders in September 2014. Registration opens June 2014.

" I learned so much about this then i ever could before and i really like this school because i learned more then i learned before." JConnecT student, course evaluation, 2013-2014

" I love shopping!!!!! and I thought that it was cool to learn about all the different things Israel has made in such a short time." JConnecT student, course evaluation,  2013-2014

"Interesting and not too difficult …. I learned a lot of new things from this class.". JConnecT student, course evaluation,  2013-2014

 

Temple Emanuel of Pascack Valley Takes their Religious School Online!

Jewish educators have been grappling with the question of how to create a more meaningful and engaging Hebrew School environment for over half a century. Afternoon Hebrew schools have been an important part of transmitting Jewish heritage to young American Jewish youngsters since the 1920s but 100 years later, it's clear that changes are needed in order to more fully engage 21^st century youngsters.

Most Jewish educators agree on several points:

·         Today's Jewish educational model must offer a more meaningful and personalized experience that will provide students with the  knowledge and guidance that they need to integrate Judaism into their lives

·         Experiential Jewish education is a highly effective way of transmitting Jewish heritage on to the next generation

·         When parents are involved with their children's Jewish education, Hebrew school  becomes a more significant experience  for the students. The students are more likely to take their Jewish studies more seriously, and parents may choose to integrate their child's Hebrew school experiences into the home

·         Hebrew schools often send an unspoken message that the "goal" of Hebrew school is to perform or chant for a Bar or Bat Mitzvah. This message should be replaced with information and skills that aim to help the children develop into ethical, giving and kind people with an understanding of how their Jewish heritage translates into these values.

To address these issues the Religious School of Temple Emanuel of Pascack Valley, under the leadership of Education Director Rabbi ShelleyKniaz, has partnered with JETS, Jerusalem EdTech Solutions, to present a highly innovative distance learning program for their 7^th grade students. The interactive program meets online, to provide the students with an opportunity to learn about a wide range of Jewish concepts and values via engaging online tools.

The subject matter includes sessions entitled Freedom and Slavery, Pursuing Justice, Redeeming Captives, Accepting Strangers, Remembering and Rebuilding: Holocaust and the State of Israel, and more.  Students log on from their home computer and chat, talk, post, create audios, play online games appropriate to the lesson, break off into teams, view guided multi-media and engage in non-stop activities as they relate ancient texts to modern day dilemmas and consider "what does it mean to be Jewish?"

Parents have responded enthusiastically to the program. One parent noted that "it uses the technology that relates to the children’s interest; it holds their interest longer" while a second parent related to the content, writing that "The topics are rich for learning and discussion. My son sometimes wants to do more research into a topic after school."

A core component of the program is parental involvement. Religious schools often look to involve parents by inviting them to come to the school or synagogue/temple. Conversely, parents try to find time to participate in their children's Hebrew School program. The online program enables parents to participate in their children's Hebrew School experience without ever leaving their home. Parents can join in the class, observe their child's engagement and interactions and even watch the discussions so if they wish, they can follow up later. This has proven to be a successful model, with parents expressing their satisfaction as they watch their children interact with their peers and teachers in the online environment. Some of the parents' comments:

·         "The topics are rich for learning and discussion. My son sometimes wants to do more research into a topic after school."

·         My daughter finds the subject matter very interesting and informative."

·          I like the enriched learning they are receiving. It is very interactive and incorporates technology into the learning."

·         "My son is enjoying the experience immensely. I am happy that my child is enthusiastic about the program and enjoys participating"

·         "My daughter is enjoying it very much!"

Students, parents and Temple Emanuel synagogue staff are enthusiastic about the project which is scheduled to move into its second year in September 2014. Both students and parents note the convenience aspect. Students expressed their heightened engagement in class activities and comprehension of the subject material. Parents commented that the online program holds their children's interest longer even as it presents more challenging subject material and a faster pace which includes multiple interactive activities in each lesson. For the school staff, the ability of the parents to be present and observe their children's Jewish learning is a tremendous benefit of the program, unifying the Hebrew school, parents and children.

Students also weighed in on the new program with comments that expressed their involvement and engagement with the material. 

·         "I have learned so much I will never forget. I really feel a part of something big."

·         “Better than class and you can relate to more of your classmates.”

·         "It is great, a cool way to learn; it’s interactive and fun."

Hebrew Studies in Woodcliff Lake Step into Digital Age

READ MORE

Education CAN Educate

Last year my daughter, who was then in the 10^th grade, studied about the early Zionist movement for her history class.

I remember my own enthusiasm when I first encountered this material. I was 14, in 9^th grade, and was reading Leon Uris's Exodus for an English book report. The subsequent 10-page report was, my teacher ruefully told me, the biggest book report that she'd ever received, but it expressed my new-found passion for the fascinating history of modern Israel, and would pave the way for my future involvement in Zionism and my eventual aliyah.

So to say that I was thoroughly disappointed with my daughter's unenthusiatic feedback about her class ("It's boring. Who cares?") is an understatement. Needless to say, as soon as the test was over, my daughter and her classmates had forgotten 99.9% of the material that they learned. (They did seem to remember some of the personalities for whom Tel Aviv streets have been named).

In contrast, as I have watched the the JETS elearning history class with Yeshivat Kadima progress through the year, I see a different way of facilitating student learning that creates a true educational framework, not simply a mechanism for memorizing and regurgitating material.  The Kadima students are studying about issues in Jewish history in a JETS distance learning class that uses the Haiku LMS (Learning Management System) for student assignments and projects.

In contrast, as I have watched the Yeshivat Kadima Haiku progress through the year, I see a different way of facilitating student learning that creates a true educational framework, not simply a mechanism for memorizing and regurgitating material.  The Kadima students are studying about issues in Jewish history in a JETS distance learning class that uses the Haiku LMS (Learning Management System) for student assignments and projects.

The participating Kadima high school students are currently concentrating on the period of the Tanaiim.  As opposed to a traditional history lesson of "x wrote this and then y wrote that while plony did something and almony did something else", the Haiku allows the Kadima kids to interact with the world of the Jews who lived in the years during and immediately following the destruction of the Second Temple, and to interact with each other as they learn.

Through the use of online tools and a dynamic LMS, the kids acquire information and then utilize this data to complete assignments that challenge them to think about the subject matter, consider alternatives and internalize the material.   As I view the work on the Haiku, I see how the LMS can be used to foster collaborative learning and the development of critical thinking skills.

Concepts that we grapple with today, including "Land for Peace" and "Assimilation vs. Acculturation" are put in the context of the decisions that the Jewish leaders who lived 2000 years ago were forced to make. How could they ensure the continuation of Torah learning? How could they save lives? At what point did saving physical lives endanger the  spiritual lives of the Jews? How could the leaders retain their leadership while making these difficult decisions?

The debates, flow of ideas and pure enthusiasm with which the Kadima kids are tackling their assignments ensures, I believe, that this subject material will remain a part of their lives for many years to come.

And isn't that the true meaning of education?  

Moving the Mountain

I've been thinking about the webcast that I saw yesterday (recorded from the live webcast last week)in which Jewish educators met to discuss the findings of the PEW report Portrait of Jewish Americans.

In essence, what the speakers were saying was "the numbers don't look great but let's concentrate on the people who are still part of the Jewish community and build on that."

That's an important point. Jewish educators work hard to pass on Judaism to the next generation and it's discouraging to hear the statistics. But if teachers are prepared to focus on the majority of Jews who continue to feel that Judaism is an important part of their lives, and who do want to grow Jewishly, they can succeed.

I would have liked to have added another question to the webcast. How do we, as Jewish educators, meet the needs of individuals and families who don't come to the Jewish institutions? How can we bring the institutions to them?

As the study indicated, not all of the unaffiliated families want to connect to the Jewish community, but many do. Reasons for disinterest in affiliation vary. Some individuals intermarried and subsequently didn't feel comfortable within the Jewish community. Others moved to rural areas in which they were unable to find a community environment.  There are numerous other reasons for families' lack of affiliation but the study did indicate that, even among Jews for whom Judaism did not play a significant role in their lives, many identify as Jews and want to maintain a connection with their Jewish heritage. It may not be 100% but we're still talking about thousands of families and we have to think about how to facilitate their continued engagement, on any level.

I was thinking about the situation this evening while sitting in on an online Hebrew school class. The JconnecT 2013-2014 season has launched and the classes alternate between Hip Hop Hebraics and Contemporary Jewish Issues. The students, aged 11 -14, participate in JconnecT as a complementary Jewish experience that allows them to explore Jewish history, values, culture and traditions in an open atmosphere of dynamic Jewish learning.

Today's class was an engaging look at Jewish Ethics. The instructor posted a list of ABCs and asked the students to write words next to each letter that related to elements of ethics.

The class then discussed the meaning of ethics and how it applies to modern-day life. The instruction moved over to a linoboard where several different assignments awaited the students. Each assignment included a question about a real-life or fictionalized issue of ethics in which the students were asked to decide how to act, with references to Jewish texts and scholarly writings which relate to Jewish ethics.

The students were given time to review the issues and add their comments and thoughts, after which the class concentrated on a few of the dilemmas, such as the question of if and when it's OK to cheat. The instructor presented the students with various scenarios and asked them "when is it OK to cheat? Are there any times that you can cheat?"  Once again, the students were forced to review their stand and decide what was ethical, both according to Jewish standards and their own standards of behavior.

At the end of the lesson the instructor polled the students, asking them which subjects -- military ethics, cheating, gossip, respecting elders, etc -- they wanted to delve into more deeply in future classes.

For the entire 45-minute class the students were involved in the subject matter. The online tools that the instructor used ensured that students didn't have to "wait their turn" to express an opinion or ask a question -- the action never stopped as students reviewed the material and posted their comments as they maintained a high level of interactive engagement throughout the lesson.

If Moshe and Miriam can't come to the mountain, online learning offers a partial answer to the question of how the Jewish community can bring the mountain to Moshe and Miriam.