The only teaching season more stressful than the end of the year is the beginning of the year! What does it mean to support all of our classroom teachers in inviting their young learners into the joy of the fall holidays? As leaders in a moment of stress and transition, we are in a position to support our teachers to bring huge joy to their classrooms. How do we make holiday learning accessible and bite-sized for teachers?
1. Start with modeling. Find a time to set up a provocation about Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, or Sukkot for the teachers of your school and invite them to play.
2. Allow modeling to be geared toward them as adults. Offer Jewish text, a verse from the prayer book, or your favorite song thematically related to the holiday. Their experience doesn't need to be something they can perfectly replicate in their classroom.
3. Plan a time for reflection. Invite teachers to think carefully about:
● what they loved about your provocation
● what they would modify for their age group
● and what questions it opened up for them about the possibilities
When the preparation to teach is joyful, the joy and excitement naturally flows through to our students. Let me share a few ideas of a text you could use and some provocation materials that could enliven your High Holiday prep.
Today is the day the world began. -Talmud Rosh Hashanah 27a
1. Plan a birthday party or a parade for the world. Invite children to plan and do everything you can, to bring their plans to life.
2. Create a list of good choices we can make to take care of the world.
3. Display sprouting small plants for learners to explore tangibly. Bonus: if they are edible seeds that grow quickly, like arugula or microgreens, then tasting is safe. See what they notice about how that creation begins.
4. Take a walk to collect sticks and use them to build sukkot and other structures on a table top.
When even our youngest learners get to build the community they need, Jewish Placemaking is happening in our classrooms every day at Makom Community. All our teachers, learners, and parents get to enjoy the experience they are creating for themselves and each other even more.
Beverly Socher-Lerner, Executive Director Makom Community Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. beverly@makomcommunity.org
