I believe we all share a very similar vision of the outcome of an excellent Jewish education. We hope students will gain the knowledge and skills required to solve complex problems and develop the inclination to help shape a better future for all.
One important way to achieve this vision is by considering how a scope-and-sequence of learning might be created to emphasize engagement with the world beyond the walls of the classroom. Learning that challenges students to apply their learning to engage with authentic issues like accessibility, sustainability, or diversity can help foster a greater sense of confidence in our students’ ability to create a fairer and more sustainable world.
Thinking critically about how best to achieve their own vision for a better world requires students to consider not only how to accomplish the task, but also why they should strive to do so. This inquiry into the “why” opens the door wide for Jewish educators to bring wisdom and insights from Jewish texts to the center of teaching and learning.
Integrating authentic action, critical thinking, and Jewish wisdom into everyday learning through tasks that challenge students to take their learning beyond the classroom is something every educator can do to achieve our vision for Jewish education that is transformative for learners, today and in the future.
In these pictures, students are planting healthy produce to combat food insecurity with Action Against Hunger Canada, and learning about our responsibility to care for others by preparing a meal for clients at Ve’ahavta.