The School Year:
The school year calendar at Temple Beth Am generally mirrors that of the secular schools. Religious school starts near the end of August and concludes in mid-May, with appropriate breaks for secular and Jewish holidays. Classes are held on Sunday mornings, from 9:30am to noon. During the last half-hour all the students come together for song and celebration at a school-wide kehillah, Hebrew for “community.” Parents and family are invited to attend kehillah but are asked not to take their children out before it concludes.
To facilitate parents getting to know one another, and to encourage their participation, everyone is invited to visit the JAMTY Café, run by our Youth Group. The JAMTY Café offers a delicious continental bagel breakfast, from 9:00am to 9:25am before Sunday morning classes begin.
Children in grades 3-6 also attend classes on Tuesdays, from 5pm – 6:30pm. We offer a pizza and healthy snack-time from 4:30pm – 4:55pm prior to afternoon classes.
Curriculum Overview:
The Temple Beth Am Religious School uses the URJ’s Chai curriculum as its core. The Chai Curriculum was developed for synagogue religious schools and is based on three vital threads of Judaism: Torah study; Avodah (prayer study); and G'milut Chasidim (behaving righteously). There is also an Israel strand throughout the year for each grade which culminates with our annual TBA Yom Ha’atzmaut (Israel Independence Day) celebration. In conjunction with the Social Action Committee, each grade participates in year-long projects which are highlighted at our “Light up Shabbat/Friday Night LIVE” Services.
The curriculum includes clear teaching goals using the "Understanding by Design" model. Each teacher explicitly uses "essential questions" to guide their teaching and their students' learning. These are overarching questions that are readily broken down into smaller parts, which helps students to critically examine and think about the subject matter and facilitate connections to prior learning.
In addition, our faculty has been trained to teach with an awareness of the "Multiple Intelligences" theory developed by Dr. Howard Gardner. Teachers use a portfolio collection/assessment tool to ensure they are meeting the needs of all the children in their classrooms who have diverse learning styles.
Hebrew & Prayer:
We introduce Hebrew in Kindergarten by teaching students the basic prayers, such as the Shema, Shabbat blessings, and the blessings over different foods. They also “meet” the alef-bet. In 1st & 2nd grades, exposure to Hebrew is increased using varied techniques which include edible letters! Students’ formal Hebrew instruction begins in the 3rd grade. By the time the students graduate the 6th grade they are not only ready to lead a Service from our bima/pulpit, they can now participate in Services anywhere in the world! They will have a working knowledge of the Siddur (prayer book) – understand the order of prayers during the Service, as well as feel comfortable with many of the melodies used in TBA’s Services. Through the Avodah component in the Chai curriculum, as well as more in-depth discussion about the specific prayers studied in Hebrew class, students move beyond mere decoding skills and develop a working knowledge of the themes of these prayers.
Kindergarten students begin their education by getting to know their classmates, teacher and the temple building. They experience free play along with guided investigations into Jewish symbols, customs and ceremonies, as well as a journey through the Jewish calendar with special stops along the way to celebrate the Jewish holidays.
Students in Grades 1 - 6 are involved in experiential learning with teachers utilizing the Chai Curriculum. A more detailed, grade by grade curriculum road map, is located at the top of this page.
Shalom Chai:
Shalom Chai is Temple Beth Am’s Hebrew High School. It is primarily for 8th – 12th grade students, although 7th grade students also take part in the fun! It meets for 25 sessions on Tuesday nights from 6:30pm – 8:30pm. The students participate in grade-level core classes, followed by a dinner break and then their choice of elective classes. Please refer to the Shalom Chai link on the temple website for more info.
Grade 7 students also come to Temple Beth Am on Saturday mornings when there is a Bar /Bat Mitzvah, to study Torah with Rabbi Alon and then to join their friends and community in the Sanctuary to support the B’nei Mitzvah.
Students in Grade 8 study the Shoah (Holocaust) from a Jewish perspective. We use the “Facing History and Ourselves” Curriculum, where the emphasis moves beyond simply the facts of what happened. Students explore the causes and effects of the Holocaust and integrate these lessons to help them combat prejudice and injustice in the world around them. They also use the Anti-Defamation League curriculum called "Echoes and Reflections" among other materials, during the second semester.
Students in Grade 9 concentrate on learning about the similarities and differences between streams of Judaism. Next, they begin to compare Judaism with Christianity and Islam. Throughout the year, students enter into dialogues with local clergy and students from various local religious institutions in order to discover common themes as well as what makes Judaism unique.
Confirmation students in the 10th – 12th grades meet weekly with Rabbi Alon Levkovitz. His classes are topical and thought provoking, allowing students to ask - and discuss - important theological questions, centering around Jewish justice and ethical dilemmas, often deriving from current events. This program also includes participation in 2 trips – the Winer Panim el Panim Trip to Washington D.C. and a mid-year trip to New York City with Rabbi Alon!
Music:
Music is integral in Jewish learning and Cantor Tanya will get us all up and singing! Cantor Tanya will meet regularly with all the grades during class time. Our student choir, Cantor’s Chantors, is another opportunity for students to experience ruach, joy and connection within the synagogue.
Teaching Philosophy:
Nachman of Bretzlav was a Chasidic master who lived in the late 18th century Poland. He taught: All people reach in three directions. They reach in to find themselves. They reach out to find others. And they reach up to find God. The miracle in the way God created the universe is that when we grasp in any one of these directions we wind up making contact with all three.
Our staff of dedicated teachers strives to be the catalyst for this interaction. Rather than standing in front of the class lecturing, our teachers set the scene for interactive learning. Our students follow Jacob’s example by “struggling with God,” that is their text, as they find meaning in their studies, meaning that helps guide them on their 21st century journeys of self-discovery.
Many of our teachers are full-time professional teachers in the secular school system, and all bring their passion for children, learning, and Judaism to the classroom. Much of successful teaching stems from the relationships that are formed between the students themselves and with their teachers. At Temple Beth Am, relationship building and community are at the forefront of the learning experience.
Our teaching staff uses the following rubric of teaching standards* to measure success in the classrooms:
1. Teacher is committed to students and their learning;
2. Builds a classroom learning community rooted in Jewish experiences and values;
3. Knows subject matter for teaching and how to teach (teaching for understanding and meaning);
4. Plans for student learning;
5. Teaches for understanding;
6. Assesses student learning; and
7. Develops as a professional Jewish educator.
*Teacher Growth Standards are adapted from the New York Teachers’ Project (California) and the Brandeis University Mandel Center for Jewish Education Studies DeLeT Teaching Standards.