Teachers & Educators

Reflect on Teaching and Learning During Shavuot

As the school year comes to an end, Shavuot offers a uniquely appropriate opportunity for us as teachers to reflect on the year and our students' learning. It is also a moment for us to pause and consider our own thoughts and feelings about some of the questions we ask of our learners during the year.   These reflection questions, based on the lesson on Talmud Torah from our new student journal Jewish Holidays, Jewish Values, might spur your thinking.

Special Offer When You Sign Up for Golem Express

Sign up for Golem Express now for a simpler, more predictable way to review innovative materials for Jewish education as soon as they are published through 2015 for the same $99 flat fee. By signing up now you can be sure to be the first to see our new Hineni for iPad and Hebrew through Music programs when they become available in a few months.  How it works:

Jewish Values in Game Form

By Eliana Schechter

Detroit Federation's Alliance Welcomes New Regional OLC Expert

Breaking News: The Detroit Federation’s Alliance for Jewish Education has selected master educator and Associate Director Harvey Leven to become the regional expert on how to use the Behrman House Online Learning Center (OLC).

Coming Soon: New Games for Alef Bet Quest

We're refreshing Alef Bet Quest with a few new games for the next school year. We will have updates available in the next couple of weeks. 

Let Smartifico Gather Relevant Resources For You

Get resources for your classroom instantly just by selecting text and entering it into Smartifico Knowledge Board.  Smartifico, available from JLearning Labs, is an educational tool that helps you find, post, and recommend web-based content based on any text you choose. Now you can easily enhance your learning materials with relevant stories, carefully curated from the best web sources, matched to your curriculum. 

5 New Jewish American Recipes from Recipe Rachel

May is Jewish-American heritage month and we have 5 new Jewish-American recipes to help you celebrate.  Our favorite; Recipe Rachel from Get Cooking! A Jewish American Family Cookbook whipped up this list Jewish-American recipies: Fraiche New Salad - Take the flavors of a bagel and lox and transform them into a lighter, more contemporary salad. 

Prepare Parents for a Smooth Start to Next Year's Classes

This year is ending and it will soon be time to prepare for next year's classes. We want to help you guide parents for a smooth start.  Help parents (and yourself!) be classroom ready by including permission forms right along with registration packets. If your parents register online you can use a check box in an online form. 

Grow a Vibrant Learning Community by Asking 'What if?'

How do we get over our nervousness about the impact of technology? Dena Neusner begins by asking "What if?" The Next Big Thing: What If on PhotoPeach New technologies can help learners acquire Hebrew skills, support projects, create discussions, and promote sharing. 

Conflicting Priorities Among Jewish Generations

How can we engage our children if the Jewish things we care about are not the ones that speak to them?

Focus Jewish Education on the Outdoors.

Is environmental education one wave of the Jewish future? According to recent studies, the Jewish community is taking learning outdoors.  In a recent article on Jweekly, education that blends Jewish learning with the outdoors and the environment are attracting a growing number of young Jews. Nigel Savage, President of the Jewish environmental nonprofit organization, Hazon, confirmed this shift in Jewish education. 

Big Ideas for Part Time Jewish Education

Curriculum writers Lesley Litman and Ellen Rank have identified three BIG IDEAS that encompass the key values and purpose of part-time Jewish education programs. They’ve written a concise (just 3 pages) mini-curriculum.

Keep Students Busy with Summer Hebrew Games and Practice

Encourage students to retain the Hebrew reading skills they've gained this yea with some practice using Hebrew games over the summer.

Creative Ways to Say 'Thank You' to Your Teachers.

It's teacher's appreciation week and we have the perfect ways for you to say 'Thank you!'. With this list of 50 cute sayings and candy treat ideas, you have endless, creative gifts to give your favorite educators. This list has ideas from pairing flowers with the saying "Thanks for making our child bloom!" to "You are tea-riffic!" with a box of tea. 

User Guides and Parent Permission Forms Mean a Quick Start to Using the OLC

Add our downloadable parent permission forms to your school registration packet to simplify your job this year.  We have ready-to-use written permission forms you can customize for your school. Distribute now with registration packets, add to your online forms, or give to parents at the beginning of the year.

It's All Done! Get Every Volume of ISRAEL21c Now.

Your learners explored the dead sea in volume one, met the extreme adventurer for peace and friendship in volume 5 and can now dig deeper and complete their Israel tour with volumes 15, 16, and 17 of ISRAEL21c. 

New Game Packs Offer Fun, Creative Learning--Free

This spring Behrman House introduced two student journals, Jewish Holidays, Jewish Values and Our Place in the Universe, together with free game packs, that will help students construct their learning in new ways. 

Plan Ahead for Yom Ha'atzma'ut with this Ready-to-Go Lesson Plan.

Help students (or families) work together to learn about Israel using folders from the Let’s Discover Israel series as inspiration for Yom Ha&rsquo

Coming this Summer: Jewish Values Playing Cards

Work with teens and pre-teens on developing a deeper understanding of 58 Jewish values in a playful environment using card-based games created by Robyn Faintich.  Each card in this 58-card card deck includes the name of a significant Jewish value in English, Hebrew, and transliterated Hebrew, along with a one-sentence explanation to help clarify the value.

Gather Relevant Web Resources Instantly with Smartifico Knowledge Boards

Now you can use any text as a source to create instant Knowledge Boards with recommended links and web resoruces for your students.   Smartifico, available from JLearning Labs, is an educational tool that helps you instantly find, post, and recommend web-based content based on any text you choose.

Teach Israel

 Experience Modern Israel

New from Behrman House. Fly to Israel without a plane ticket.

Discover Israel

 Let's Discover Israel

Offer younger children an exciting and age-appropriate introduction to the Jewish homeland