After the frustrated parents of a five-year-old with a chronic genetic cell disorder shared their struggles of being denied by Jewish organizations and educational institutions they approached, Rabbi Steven H. Rau informed the parents that their child would be treated like all other children at The Temple in Atlanta.
"Unfortunately, the experiences of these parents is common to many parents of children with learning differences - children with differences are often treated differently." Rabbi Rau explains.
Rabbi Rau teamed up Stacey Levy, with a B'nei Mitzvah tutor at The Temple and a local speech pathologist, to create a program that serves students with learning differences from pre-K through seventh grade.
Through the program Rabbi Rau and Levy came up with an outline to help encourage others to make their congregation's educational program more inclusive.
The outline includes these eight steps:
- Win the support of your education committee. Make sure board members fully understand the school's philosophy and need for funding.
- Provide teachers with the support they need
- Avoid terminology that isolates
- Learn the appropriate terms and definitions
- Adapt traditional curricular materials and teaching methods
- Provide alternatives and options for b'nei mitzvah programs
- Create a tzadikim (righteous assistants) programs
- Advertise you program well.
"Every child deserves the opportunity to shine as a Jewish learner." Rabbi Rau said. "Breaking down the learning barriers in your congregation, in partnership with the clergy, is the first step toward creating an environment that includes all children."
To read the in-depth outline, click here.
Rabbi Steven H. Rau, RJE is the Director of Education at The Temple in Atlanta.
Stacey Levy holds an MS and a certificate of clinical competence in speech-language pathology. She is the learning consultant at The Temple in Atlanta.
This Passover you can celebrate with families with children of all abilities and disabilities with the new Gateways Haggadah. This concise Haggadah is respectful to all participants, whatever their abilities, to ensure that all can take part meaningfully in a complete Passover seder.
For more information and to order your copy, click here.
Quantity discounts available for for religious organizations.
