Item Number
44001
This innovative workbook for high school helpers in religious schools is designed to be the core resource for a year-long training program. It teaches skills and knowledge that will produce success, including insights into child development, management strategies, and the dynamics of the school and the classroom.
A NOTE TO BOTH ABOUT-TO-BE MADRIKHIM AND TO ABOUT-TO-BE LEADERS OF MADRIKHIM PROGRAMS:
In this introduction we are really explaining to your teachers and principals the way to use this book. We’ve included it here, because now that you are part of the teaching team, you should be in on all the planning.
At present, there are many different kinds of madrikhim programs all over North America. They range widely in age requirements, intensity, responsibility, style, and the kinds of pizza they order in for madrikhim meetings. In creating this Madrikhim Handbook, we have tried to create a resource which will be valuable in a majority of settings; that means that it will probably meet the precise needs of no school. You will need to make choices and adapt the chapters, exercises, discussions, and even commandments to your own needs.
We’ve made the following assumptions:
Madrikim work as teachers’ assistants in classrooms. While we know that some madrikhim work in offices, some madrikhim serve as tutors, and that in a few cases high school students even have their own classrooms, we’ve centered this handbook on classroom support roles. Madrikhim are part of a madrikhim program. We assume that at least once a month madrikhim will meet with a supervisor or master teacher and study the art of teaching. While the Madrikhim Handbook will perhaps be an even more valuable resource for madrikhim who aren’t fortunate enough to be part of such a program, it was designed to facilitate this training. The other intriguing possibility that the Handbook enables, is the formal mentoring of madrikhim by their master teachers. Rather than being the basis for a class curriculum, the book can serve as a resource for a one-on-one tutorial.
Madrikhim are high school students. Yes, we do know that many eighth- and ninth-graders serve effectively as madrikhim, we know they do this with great maturity and skill. Even so, we’ve targeted this resource for tenth, eleventh, and twelfth graders. Younger, responsible, mature madrikhim will rise to the occasion.
Madrikhim should keep a journal. Our experience has suggested that one of the best ways to enter the field of Jewish education is through “reflective practice.” The process of keeping a journal facilitates this reflection.
Imagining all the different ways this book will be used was lots of fun. Enjoy. If you ever invite me to one of your madrikhim meetings, my favorite pizza is mushrooms and olives.
B’Hatzlahah,
Rabbi Sam Joseph
Joel Grishaver
|