At this particular meeting, the team is busy brainstorming creative, consistent ways to refresh colleagues on Responsive Classroom, a social-emotional learning approach that teaches students to understand their own feelings and empathize with others. The discussions focus on developing concrete ways to foster positive language, in Hebrew as well as English, when classroom teachers remind, redirect or reinforce students. The group also shares examples of interactive modeling, which essentially gives educators tools to create clear, positive mental images for children to better understand what is expected of them as a classroom community.
“As curriculum leaders, we can make broader decisions beyond our respective classrooms,” explains Tali Seinfeld, a 26-year veteran Judaic studies teacher at Ramaz. “We stay current with new trends and help our colleagues push forward with new ideas.”
A great example, Seinfeld says, has been working with general studies teachers to help students find deeper meaning in tefillah through literacy, showing how prayer connects to everyday life. With Seinfeld’s guidance, the general studies team chose Mo Willem’s The Thank You Book to read aloud and connect to Modeh Ani, the morning prayer of gratitude. Students then wrote letters to people in their lives they may not ordinarily thank: teachers, peers, service people, security teams.
“Even as a seasoned teacher, being in this position has enriched me professionally,” Seinfeld says. “I now have a fresh path to explore and the ability to bring a new idea to its natural, best conclusion.”
For some, however, taking on this new role initially came with a healthy dose of reservation. Admits Noa Betesh, a third grade Judaic studies teacher at Ramaz for the past nine years, “At first, I was hesitant because I was concerned about what my colleagues would think. Would they feel like I’m ‘taking over’?”
Her experience has proved the opposite. “Fellow teachers care what I think; they come to me for advice. I feel more purpose-driven, more mindful, more confident, more appreciated,” she says.
Ask second grade general studies teacher Samantha Dunoff to share the most powerful part of becoming a curriculum leader, and she immediately responds, “Having the time and space to collaborate, reflect, and improve on what we do as teachers.”
Danielle Smith, a fourth grade educator at Ramaz, wholeheartedly agrees. “We are deeply invested in leading collaborative conversations that result in new shared learning, learning that benefits us as educators and the students we teach.”
The curriculum leader program at Ramaz is helping build teachers’ educational muscle to tackle challenges and find their voice to implement changes. “We feel respected by team members when we share information and offer guidance,” Dunoff says. “Before we were teachers; now we feel we are also part of educational leadership.”