Source: International Journal of Jewish Education Research, Volume 3, Issue 3 July, 2011, pages 35-63
In June 2005, the Lookstein Center for Jewish Education at Bar-Ilan University in Ramat Gan, Israel was approached by the United Jewish Israel Appeal (UJIA) of the UK to design a Scoping Paper outlining the Jewish studies curriculum expectations of graduates from central orthodox day schools in the UK. This work was to provide the foundations for intensive curriculum work in Jewish studies in these schools.
The paper focuses on the process by which these curriculum expectations were reached. The conceptual model that is presented attempts to show how a synthesis between Fullan’s collaboration model and Schwab’s ‘commonplaces’ concept can yield a fruitful foundation for a successful curriculum process. The paper also outlines the weaknesses of the Fullan/Schwab model as evidenced in the process of consultation undertaken with various stakeholder groups within the UK Jewish school setting and subsequent implementation of the curriculum model.
In this paper, the author first outlines the educational and philosophical underpinnings of the overall curriculum design model adopted in the writing of the Scoping Paper and the process of consultation undertakenwithin the UK school setting. He then then offers some reflections about the model and challenges in its implementation, which could be relevant to other educational settings.