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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT This year’s professional development theme was G-d and Spirituality, which carried through our Rimon Series, Yom Iyun and Early Childhood Education Conference. Many times children have questions about G-d, and teachers are unsure of how to answer them. We wanted to give teachers the opportunity to consider how G-d enters their lives and to contemplate their own relationship with G-d. In turn, this personal exploration better enables them to do the same for their students, creating an environment in their classrooms and schools that invites spiritual exploration. Rabbi Lawrence Kushner helped provide inspiration in this journey as the keynote speaker at CJE’s Yom Iyun in January. Looking ahead to the coming program year, professional development will focus on Connections. It will include spiritual aspects—connections between people and G-d and connections between individuals and the community through mitzvot. It will include relational aspects—connections between teachers and parents, teachers and students, students and students, teachers and teachers. It will also include scientific aspects, such as what brain research has to say about the way children learn. It will also include specific pedagogy that teachers can use to help foster these connections. The possibilities are endless, and we are eagerly assembling next year’s Rimon schedule of presenters, so stay tuned. Next year’s Yom Iyun will be Sunday, November 4, 2007. The day will focus on connections between teachers and students, with well-known educator and author Lori Palatnik as the keynote speaker. For more information about any of CJE’s professional development programming, please contact Monica Gwon at 410-735-5014 or mgwon@cjebaltimore.org. |