Some of my own favorite memories of going to school as a kid always involved projects. Specifically, I always found joy and motivation in projects that required me to step outside of the classroom or school and get into the community. One of these experiences that comes to mind for me is a science project in middle school where our class created an exhibition about the prairie wildlife found in the south suburbs of Chicago. As a class we visited prairies, discovered wildlife and then we created an exhibition for our city hall. This experience not only had a lasting impression on me but it showed me that learning experiences could reach people outside of my classroom and school.
As a teacher & leader, one of my favorite educational buzzwords has always been the idea of authenticity. The idea of providing our students with authentic learning experiences in and out of the classroom not only helps them see the relevance of what they are learning, but also intrinsically motivates them to want to do well. When I think of authenticity here at Yavneh, I think of countless examples including:
– Our Hebrew program prepares our students to chant torah.
– Our Keshet program where our 8th graders take ownership & leadership of one of our staples: Keshet of Kavod.
– The 5th grade this year is working as bloggers to share and inspire others with their unique messages.
– Our 3rd Graders who have taken ownership of our school’s garden.
– If you had the opportunity to zoom into any of our Hanukkah programs last week or attend our programs at the Pruneyard or Children’s Discovery Museum you bore witness to performances by students in various grade levels.
– Our Middle School student council is working diligently to create experiences for the entire school community. I have been in awe of their vision, execution and value that they have added to the Yavneh experience this year.
As the school year continues and our student-driven curriculum continues rooted in Project Based Learning (not just projects,) I am excited to see how your student continues to be inspired through authentic learning experiences which will have a lasting impact on them. At Yavneh, we are always looking for ways to help our students see the relevance of their learning by providing authentic learning experiences.
~ Doug Hinko