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PISACAWAY, NJ [CHI] — Nearly 100 Chabad Mechanchim, Torah educators, convened at the Radisson Hotel in Piscataway NJ. For two days they left the world behind to plan for its future. The listened, they studied, they discussed and yes they argued. They attended lectures, and workshops and they worked their way through meals. They knew that thousands of children will be impacted by their in-service work and responded accordingly.

Chabad Mechanchim Convene in Pisacaway

PISACAWAY, NJ [CHI] — Nearly 100 Chabad Mechanchim, Torah educators, convened at the Radisson Hotel in Piscataway NJ. For two days they left the world behind to plan for its future. The listened, they studied, they discussed and yes they argued. They attended lectures, and workshops and they worked their way through meals. They knew that thousands of children will be impacted by their in-service work and responded accordingly.

Two major themes were the subject of most of their deliberations, how their classrooms can contribute to the development of desirable behavior and sensitivity to others, and how technology can be harnessed to improve instruction. Other issues were relegated to single sessions while these issues were dealt with at length and from multiple perspectives.

Rabbi Dr. Shlomo Schuk and Rabbi Dr. Yitzchok Lob, both eminent psychologists discussed, from different perspectives, prerequisites to creating a classroom where sensitivity to “Midos Tovos” is prevalent is speech and behavior. How the rebbe, the teacher, can affect the speech and behavior not so much by regulating but more by demonstrating. “Wow! I Dr. Lob’s presentation gave a whole new perspective on the impact of words within my classroom” wrote Rabbi Simcha Frankel, a veteran Mechanech who attended this year with his son, Rabbi Manis Frankel, who will be teaching in Cheder Chabad of Morristown, next year.

Yeshiva rebbes virtually exploded with enthusiasm as they experimented with the multitude of educational options offered by “Smart Boards”, huge blackboard size, interactive computers which offer unprecedented educational versatility. Rabbis Shimon Seigel, a Smart Board trainer, was besieged before, during and and after his presentations. Rabbi Ephraim Piekarsky and Pinchas Hayman, presented their newly published work on the instruction of Gemara. “He opened up a new world” said Rabbi Menachem Klein at the conclusion of Rabbi Piekarsky’s presentation.

At a session led by Mr. Bryan Kaplan and Dr. David Jacobson, both of Los Angeles plans for the newly created consortium of Chabad schools by the Merkos Chinuch Office, to maximize Chabad schools’ benefits from various federal Title programs, were laid out and new year-long in-service plans were discussed. In recent weeks Mr. Kaplan was able to help one Chabad school multiply its allocation nearly exponentially.

“There was an unusual sense of “we can do” at this year’s conference” said Rabbi Nochem Kaplan, director of the Merkos Chinuch Office, which sponsors the conference annually. He also announced the development of new teacher website which will offer a plethora of activities, exercises and assessment tools directed toward a hierarchy of more than 100 Chumash skills, to facilitate optimal lesson planning by teachers.

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13 Comments

  • A greatful parent

    It was nice to see Rabbi Frankel quoted in the article. He should should be one of the speakers. He is an excellent teacher and many others could learn from his methods. He values and respects each and every talmid. He reaches out to accomodate all learning styles. He keeps everything positive.

  • cocoaman

    its conforting to know taht AT LEAST our mechanchim LOOK like role models, with proper beards, jackets, white shirts….THANK YOU

  • pretty happy

    Very happy to see Minnesota represented at the conference. Would have been even happier if either of the teachers had been there, too.

  • Proper perspective needed on Ed. Tech.

    The latest technology is potentially a great tool.

    BUT: Please, Hanhalas, these latest tools are OPTIONAL! IF a school is afloat and current on all of its bills and salaries, and IF a school is providing ample scholarships to ALL who demonstrate true need for them,

    THEN, and only then, look into spending the money on these technologies.

    As a frum person teaching in public schools for many years, I’m here to tell you that the bright students with good teachers will do well regardless of how much fancy equipment is in the classroom.

    And the not-so-bright students with so-so or below average teachers will not necessarily do well due to money being thrown at the latest ed. tech. toys.

    Frum schools must not make the same mistakes over again that the public schools have made with the public’s money! Learn from their mistakes; we don’t have a trough of public taxpayer’s money to waste, like the public schools do, R”L.

  • Check tech. appropriateness for OUR kids

    Much of the technology being marketed to secular schools is designed to appeal to television-watching, movie-going kids, who are used to being entertained by the media during non-school hours.

    But for our kids, who (ideally) don’t watch TV or go to the movies, etc., the kind of presentations these gadgets give may be truly unnecessary at best and overstimulating at worst.

    In the right context, these technological options may be of some value. (If anyone thinks these are amazing educational cure-alls, well, I’ve got a bridge in Brooklyn to sell to you!) But we must remember the context of OUR families’ and OUR kids’ lives.

    Please don’t be so open-minded that your brains fall out!