When schools invest in their staff, students are the ones who benefit. With the help of the Menachem Education Foundation’s Consultancy Program, 24 schools so far this year have provided their staff with targeted workshops as well as individualized mentorship for teachers and principals.
Rabbi Gedalia Potash of Bais Menachem Yeshiva Day School in San Francisco chose to start his school year off on a positive note by having Mrs. Nami Friedman present a webinar on “Rules and Relationships,” a balance every teacher grapples with. “Her message was inspiring, empowering, and articulate,” he shared after the event. “It’s amazing to be able to partner with MEF to provide quality professional development to our staff.”
The program works closely with schools to determine the service that would have the greatest positive impact, and matches them with a consultant in a smooth and affordable way. A special fund for teacher coaching has been established as well, to ensure that every teacher can avail themselves of the gift of mentorship in order to be successful in the classroom.
Some schools sign up for an individual workshop, and others are interested in ongoing consultation. Dr. Sara Rosenfeld works with a number of schools in a continuous fashion to uplevel their Chumash instruction, in the U.S., Canada and Europe. Meanwhile, 20 principals are engaged in group and individual coaching with leadership specialist Mr. Mark Moscowitz. “Mark’s ability to ask the right questions and coach you forward has been of great assistance to me in many areas,” says Rabbi Shneur Wilhelm, principal in Lubavitch Hebrew Academy of Margate, Florida.
Once school is underway, many parents question the benefit of teacher-in-service days, necessitating a day off of school for their children. For teachers, however, these opportunities are a breath of fresh air, making them feel supported and appreciated, while providing important skills to help them better reach their students.
Most recently, Ganeinu of Queens, NY turned to MEF for help planning their in-service day in November. Mrs. Chanah Rose provided a workshop entitled “Hands On, Hearts On, Minds On,” providing strategies to increase student engagement in the classroom. The principal, Mrs. Shevy Kogan, reflected that the workshop “left a profound impact on our educators, providing them with valuable tools to enhance the learning experiences of our students.”
This diverse team of consultants – also including Mrs. Shana Tiechtel, Rabbi Mendy Greenbaum and more – are available exclusively through MEF. By providing educators with the support that they need, MEF ensures that students can benefit from safe and engaging classroom environments, and educators who are equipped with the tools to help them flourish. Find out more at mymef.org/consulting.
