Electives (Birkot Hamazon) 2018-2019

12-12-18 - Week 4

Embroidery

Fall electives are going strong. The embroidery elective is making challah covers with words inspired by the Birkot Hamazon. The students learned how to use special threaders, embroidery thread, bamboo embroidery rings and stencils. They made beautiful challah covers!

We are looking forward to summarizing our electives as a group and sharing our beautiful covers. Also, looking forward to winter break!

You can ask your child What is the Birkot Hamazon? And when is the "Birkot" sung?

11-27-18 - Week 2

Local Food (Tuesday Only)

We discussed what it means for a food/plant to be "native" to an area. We also discussed, the advantages/disadvantages of the majority of our food coming from the same place or region.
We talked about why we eat latkas for Chanukah (answer: potatoes are root veggies available in Eastern Europe in December "Ashkenazi." Lastly, we tasted root vegetables: daikon radish, watermelon radish, celery root/celeriac, turnip, parsnip, horseradish.

Ask your child: Why do we eat latkas? And How did the root vegetables taste?

11-14-18 - Week 1

Embroidery

We discussed why we sing the Birkot with joy. We are grateful to God for providing us with food. As we read the translation of the Birkot, we chose words or phrases that would be chosen to embroider on a challah cover. We watched a few Youtube videos of basic embroidery stitches. We chose a handkerchief or napkin to use. We began stenciling onto the fabric. We are looking forward to beginning to use the bamboo hoops, the embroidery thread and needles.

Week 1 was interesting, enjoyable and all of the students are happy with their elective choices.

-Marsha Horovitz

Local Food (Tuesday Only)

On Tuesday, We learned the process of making bread and how they relate to prohibitions of Shabbat (eleven melachot). We also, played "Guess that Grain." Lastly, we grounded wheat into flour.

We are looking forward to learning more about where are food comes from.

You can ask your child about the different stages of wheat and if anything really makes food Jewish?

-Leora Mallach

Madrichim 2018-2019

12-9-18

The Madrichim are discussing learning styles and how they differ in the classroom. Each Madrichim was asked to find out their learning style and how they see that style being addressed in the Hebrew School classroom. "My style of learning was visual.  An example of a visual learning style is watching a video or using pictures to learn a lesson.  One example of visual learning that I saw in the classroom was Margie reading to the kids with picture books to help the kids understand the story and to keep the engaged."

- Justin Linden.

12-2-18

My learning style is visual learning. Visual learning is when one uses graphs, charts, diagrams, and maps to learn. An example of visual learning is using a map to learn how to get to one destination from another. I learned something new about the way I learn because now I know I learn visually. In the kindergarten classroom we are making a visual representation of the Hanukkah blessing. This can help the kids learn the blessing through  visualization. 
- Bina Landis

11-11-18

What is your learning style and how does this help you in the classroom?

After taking the survey, I discovers that my learning style is tactile/ kinesthetic. An example of this is taking notes in class. I tend to write notes on what is written in a textbook or on the board, it is easier for me than writing what was said. I am not always a fan of all hands on learning, but it does have a big presence in the Hebrew classroom through the new Hebrew through movement curriculum. I both enjoy the activities and think it helps the students learn a lot of new Hebrew words.- Ari Klawans

10-14-18

What did you hope to gain from being a Madricha? I enjoy doing this (4 years now) and I enjoy being in the Jewish classroom. My students make me happy- Bina

What did you hope to gain from being a Madricha? I want to learn how to work with a variety of ages. Last year I was in the 4th grade classroom and now I am working with 3rd grade. What a difference!!- Naomi

10-7-18


What I hope to get out of my Madrichim experience is:

I hope to become a better teacher and connect more to each of my students.  I want to engage each of the students in the lesson so they gain a better sense of appreciation for Jewish learning.

- Justin Linden