- HOME
- Table of Contents
- Resume
- Philosophy Statement
- 1. History of Jewish/General Education
- 2. Assessment
- 3. Curriculum
- 4. Language Development/Hebrew
- 5. Personal Development of Teachers
- 6. Collaboration/Community
- 7. Technology
- 8. Learning and Cognition
- 9. Evidence-Based Practice
- 10. Child Development
- 11. Content Knowledge
- 12. Ethics and Values
- 13. Instructional Methods
- Inspiration/Chizuk
- Post-Observation Reflections
10. Sichot- Reflections
For the 2011-12 school year, the school psychologists at Moriah introduced a new social-emotional learning initiative for grades 1-5. They created a curriculum called שיחות, or Conversations, to be implemented by the Assistant Teachers in each class, twice a week for 20 minutes each. The year is organized into 8 units, with suggested activities and discussion topics, to foster students’ better self-awareness and interactions with others.
Teaching/facilitating this program has been a great opportunity to lead my class in a structured yet informal setting. I plan units and individual lessons, with interactive activities that usually give students the main role. We discuss relevant issues and experiences that arise in the course of their psychological, social, and emotional development, trying to empower them and give tools to cope best in various social and personal situations. Thankfully, the students have come to really enjoy our sessions, eager for the next one, enthusiastic to participate.
Certainly, as with all education, there is a gap that needs to be bridged between the intellectual/theoretical and actual/practical arenas. While the activities are enjoyable, the goal is to help the children actively improve their social skills. We frame the activities into structured and relevant examples and discussions to stimulate their thoughts, enable them to express their opinions, and produce their own solutions to problems. Through the experiential exercises, we hope to make the lessons hands-on, realistic, and transferrable to their daily lives.
For the 2011-12 school year, the school psychologists at Moriah introduced a new social-emotional learning initiative for grades 1-5. They created a curriculum called שיחות, or Conversations, to be implemented by the Assistant Teachers in each class, twice a week for 20 minutes each. The year is organized into 8 units, with suggested activities and discussion topics, to foster students’ better self-awareness and interactions with others.
Teaching/facilitating this program has been a great opportunity to lead my class in a structured yet informal setting. I plan units and individual lessons, with interactive activities that usually give students the main role. We discuss relevant issues and experiences that arise in the course of their psychological, social, and emotional development, trying to empower them and give tools to cope best in various social and personal situations. Thankfully, the students have come to really enjoy our sessions, eager for the next one, enthusiastic to participate.
Certainly, as with all education, there is a gap that needs to be bridged between the intellectual/theoretical and actual/practical arenas. While the activities are enjoyable, the goal is to help the children actively improve their social skills. We frame the activities into structured and relevant examples and discussions to stimulate their thoughts, enable them to express their opinions, and produce their own solutions to problems. Through the experiential exercises, we hope to make the lessons hands-on, realistic, and transferrable to their daily lives.