Turn to the Text for Display Materials

In organizing a Teacher Resource Center for our synagogue, I came across religious school texts that dated back to the 1950’s. They were printed in black and white and the contents were rather bland and a bit stuffy by today’s standards.
An important development in Jewish education over the past few decades has been the design of textbooks, workbooks, teacher’s guides, CD’s, and on-line support that is creative, colorful, kid-friendly, and expansive in its approach to Judaic Studies and Hebrew language.

In keeping with the theme of classroom displays, which we’ve been exploring, check the website for the textbook publisher you’re using to see what support or enrichment materials are available. Some textbook series have flash cards, mini-posters which have pictures or icons related to vocabulary, and posters with grammar rules. If your school owns or can order any of these visuals, use them as the basis for displays.

Grammar posters can be displayed above the chalkboard or high on walls, as they can remain up all year for reference.

A display based on flash cards or mini-posters is best set up in an accessible area, as you’ll want to change them to reflect different lessons in the text. Once vocabulary flash cards or mini-posters for completed lessons have been removed from the display, they can be stored in manila envelopes in a file holder or plastic crate near the display. Students can use these cards and posters for individual or partner review.
As the year goes on, and more envelopes accumulate, groups of students can each be given an envelope for use in playing word games such as the following:
State a Jeopardy style “answer” and have student groups use the words from their envelopes to provide the “questions.”
Answer: A word built from the root bet-resh-chaf.
Question: What is baruch (or bracha or barchu)?
The first group to respond correctly gets a point.

AND – you get points for maximizing your textbook’s display potential!

More to come…from door to delet.

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Ronni Sims

Ronni has been a Jewish educator since Moses was in preschool (almost!). She has had the pleasure of teaching all age groups in a variety of formal and informal settings, as well as directing a Jewish Teacher Resource Center. While teaching in a Jewish Day School, Ronni coached an award-winning Odyssey of the Mind creative problem solving team.Ronni was an active participant in the former Conference on Alternatives in Jewish Education (CAJE), where she held leadership positions including Network Chair and Conference Co-Chair of CAJE 29 at Hofstra University. She currently teaches Hebrew at the Congregation Albert Religious School in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The Talmud teaches: “The Torah cannot be learned unless it is learned among friends.” Ronni views blogging on JCast as such a learning opportunity.

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