Jewish Portal of Teacher Education

Source: Jeducation World 

Mitjabrim Chinuch is a program that aims at training the next generation of teachers in Jewish Education in Uruguay as well as providing professional development to the current morim of educational institutions and strengthening the bonds between school and family. Sponsored by the Pincus Fund, the program is developed by a professional team from two Jewish schools in Montevideo (Uruguay): Escuela Integral and Yavne. This joint project provides an enriching environment where both institutions need to work together sharing every single step from planning to realization.

Both Escuela Integral and Yavne offer their students varied and different educational visions; however, they share a concern for the future of Jewish education in Uruguay. For this reason, both schools considered it important to get together and share a common space of preparation and enrichment for their teachers. The concern arises from the growing number of students who attend schools outside the Jewish network, a phenomenon that impacts assimilation. We believe that our schools should collaborate and contribute to connecting our students to their Jewish roots.

Escuela Integral ran a successful pilot program promoting the Seminar Lehajsharat Morim (teacher training seminary) where students studied subjects such as Ivrit, Tradition, Judaism and Tzionut. These students are the continuity of the Community and will be the future teachers in our school. This program is now continued by Escuela Integral and expanded to include Yavne School in the Mitjabrim Lejinuj program. The 3-year course includes lectures and workshops inside and outside school (Universidad ORT Uruguay, with MOFET online courses) given by local speakers as well as lectures invited from Israel and other countries.

Additionally, Yavne ran a very successful Teachers’ Development pilot program which was very popular among its participants. Its aim was not only to update contents but also to strengthen the institution’s teaching team.

Today, as part of Mitjabrim Lejinuj, in-service training for teachers of both schools takes place with local speakers, Israeli shlichim and guest speakers from Israel and other countries. These courses prove to be extremely beneficial for participants who adapt and incorporate what they learn, making their lessons richer. There is, additionally, a distance-learning platform providing not only a great source of resources on Israel and Judaism but also enabling teachers to use many of its contents in class with their students, making lessons more interactive and updated. A web page with updated material is currently under construction.

Mitjabrim Lejinuj is the driving force leading to achieve the goals set by the two schools, Integral and Yavne. By working together across ideological divides the program operating in each school is now of benefit to the other, and the project as a whole maximizes the chances of increasing overall student enrollment at both schools.

Read the whole article at Jeducation World.