Workshops

UPCOMING JEWEL EVENTS

Back to School Workshop 2012

Session Information

**REGISTER THROUGH YOUR SCHOOL DIRECTOR**

Sunday, August 26^th

Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center JACOBS FAMILY CAMPUS

4126 Executive Dr. La Jolla CA 92037

Registration 8:00am

Welcome and Awards Ceremony from 8:30 – 9:00am

Educator Sessions from 9:00am – 11:15am

Educator Fair 12:30pm- 1:10pm

Yom Limmud: San Diego’s Community Day of Learning 9:00am- 3:30pm

Session A: A Curriculum of Wonder: The Spiritual Genius of Abraham Joshua Heschel

9:00am- 10:00am- Rabbi Ed Feinstein

Abraham Heschel taught that wonder is the chief characteristic of a religious person’s approach to life. But where is wonder in our classrooms and curriculum? Where are mystery, awe, insight? Heschel opened a radical way to understand Judaism’s spirituality. His works are treasures of insight for the seeking Jew and his life a testimony of God’s closeness. Heschel provides a unique perspective on the tasks of Jewish education and community leadership.

Rabbi Ed Feinstein is senior rabbi of Valley Beth Shalom in Encino, California. He teaches at the Ziegler Rabbinical School of the American Jewish University and the Wexner Heritage Foundation. He is the author of Tough Questions Jews Ask – A Young Adult’s Guide to Building a Jewish Life, and Jews and Judaism in the 21^st Century, and Capturing the Moon.. Ed shares life with his wife, Nina, and three college-age kids. Every Friday afternoon, he bakes brownies from a recipe revealed to his ancestors at Mount Sinai.

Session B: Motivating Students to Learn Hebrew

9:00am- 10:00am- Dr Ilana DeLaney

The bulk of our classroom Hebrew-related efforts is directed at mastering cognitive functions: decoding, chanting, learning vocabulary, translation…Does it work? How successful are we in teaching Hebrew? What does it mean when we say that we “teach Hebrew?” This workshop will explore various ways to increase students’ motivation to learn, share methods that activate creativity and curiosity, and discuss meaningful and relevant learning experiences in the classroom.

Dr. Ilana De Laney has been the founder and the Executive Director of the Bureau of Jewish Education in Stamford Connecticut. She has taught teachers and students of all ages at schools, community centers, conferences and universities. Ilana is now the Executive Director of Congregation Beth Am in Del Mar.

Session C: From Administrator to Innovator (For Early Childhood Directors)

9:00am- 10:00am- Peter Blair

From Administrator to Innovator will explore how leaders of early childhood programs can transform their organizations to be learning communities for children, families and teachers. Using the lens of Jewish values, we will explore Leadership through programs who were transformed to create schools that foster intellectual vitality, collaborative relationships, and exemplary programs for children.

Peter Blair has been the Director of Early Childhood Education at the Merage Jewish Community Center of Orange County for the past two years. Peter began working in the field of early childhood education at the Stroum JCC in Seattle, WA. in the fall of 1997. He began working in ECE as a teacher, held several administrative positions, and served as the Director of Early Childhood Education at the Stroum JCC of Greater Seattle from 2004-2010.

He holds a degree from the University of Wisconsin at Madison and has received training in Reggio-Emilia practice from Reggio Children of Italy, St. Louis Reggio Collaborative, and studied at the early childhood schools in Reggio Emilia, Italy.

Session D: Bal Yoga For Kids (For Early Childhood Educators)

9:00am- 10:00am- Sylvia Roth and Glenda Kacev

In this workshop we will introduce you to a teacher and child friendly yoga program. Through the use of whimsical illustrations, songs and the letters of the alphabet, this program introduces the children to yoga poses, attention to breath, movement, music and literacy. No yoga experience necessary. Please join us for a fun and relaxing yoga workshop. Bal Yoga for Kids is a Winner of The San Diego Book Awards 2012!

Glenda Kacev and Sylvia Roth are both Early Childhood Education Specialists, having each had 30 years hands on classroom experience. Throughout their years of teaching, each has been responsible for creating age appropriate curriculum, promoting self-worth, imagination and discovering the joy of learning! It is their dedication to teaching young children that inspired them to create the Bal Yoga for Kids program.

Sylvia has been practicing and teaching Yoga to adults and children for many years. It is her passion for yoga that has endeared her to the children she has taught. She has studied and practices Ashtanga yoga with Tim Miller in Encinitas, California.

Glenda and Sylvia reside with their husbands and families in San Diego, California. Their many interests include outdoor activities, fitness, cooking, gardening and the arts.

Session E: "Be Like God:" Teaching Kids (and Families) How to Be Superheroes - God's Partners on Earth

10:15am-11:15am- Dr. Ron Wolfson

Ron's newest book - "Be Like God: God's To-Do List for Kids" - encourages 8-12 year olds to use the "superpowers" God gives everyone to do the work of creation and repair. Torah texts and stories of real kids encourages students to develop a relationship with God.

Ron Wolfson is a visionary Jewish educator whose enthusiasm for bringing Judaism alive in homes and synagogues has shaped his work in the community. He is the author most recently of The Seven Questions You’re Asked in Heaven: Reviewing and Renewing Your Life on Earth, The Spirituality of Welcoming: How to Transform Your Congregation Into a Sacred Community, God's To-Do List: 103 Ways to Be an Angel and Do God's Work on Earth, and Be Like God: God’s To-Do List for Kids (Jewish Lights Publishing). A pioneer in the field of Jewish family education, Ron has authored The Art of Jewish Living series of books (Jewish Lights Publishing

Ron is currently the Fingerhut Professor of Education at the American Jewish University (formerly the University of Judaism) in Los Angeles where he has been a member of the faculty since 1975. He has also served as Dean of the Fingerhut School of Education, Vice President and Founding Director of the Whizin Center for the Jewish Future and the Whizin Institute for Jewish Family Life. The book, First Fruit: A Whizin Anthology of Jewish Family Education, which he co-edited with Adrianne Bank, won the 1999 Jewish Book Award.

Session F: Israel’s Natural Treasures: Environmental Curriculum Development

10:15am-11:15am- Michelle Levine

This presentation including film clips will review Israel’s natural treasures and environmental issues, in the context of building an environmental curriculum that focuses on Israel, and reviewing sample lesson plans. Detailed environmental lesson plans will be provided. These lesson plans are currently being used with schoolchildren all over Israel, in Hebrew, yet are equally relevant to American Jewish kids.

As the English Spokesperson and Marketing Director for the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel for the last 8 years, Michelle Levine has covered is uniquely qualified to comment about environmental issues across Israel. She published SPNI News, the largest distribution English-language publication on Israel’s environment and wrote SPNI’s 60 projects, referred to within the organization as Israel’s environmental bible. Michelle is now ASPNI’s Outreach Director. Michelle and her family lived in Israel for over 10 years and Michelle has an MA in American Indian literature and language from the University of Arizona.

Session G: Are You Inspired? (For Early Childhood Educators)

10:15am-11:15am – Peter Blair

We will explore the work that we do with young children and families, seeking to look internally and see if we are truly "inspired". We will delve into the ideas of Early Childhood Theory and Philosophy from the schools of Reggio Emilia, Italy and contrast these ideas with the richness of Judaic culture and traditions. Teachers will delve into ideas such as image of the child, documentation and observation, use of artistic media to deepen learning, and other ideas inspired by Judaism and the programs of Reggio Emilia, Italy. Peter Blair, has been a Director of Jewish ECE programs for over 10 years and has studied with the educators from Reggio Emilia for the past 12 years, both in Reggio as well as here in the United States