The Menachem Education Foundation is working to solve the teacher shortage crisis by opening a 10 week course called “Step Up for the Shlichus of Chinuch,” for Chabad Kollel Yungeleit to receive professional teacher training in Crown Heights.
“Schools reach out to the Menachem Education Foundation every day requesting we help them find teachers. There are simply not enough individuals going into Chinuch,” notes Rabbi Zalman Shneur, Founder and Executive Director of the Menachem Education Foundation (MEF). While MEF’s Shlichus placement department is there to help people find Chinuch positions, there aren’t many candidates willing to make Chinuch their Shlichus. Both Chabad and non Chabad schools locally and out of town, are finding it difficult to staff for the upcoming year.
As an organization dedicated to the success of Chabad Chinuch, the Menachem Education Foundation is working to solve the teacher shortage crisis by opening a 10 week course called “Step Up for the Shlichus of Chinuch,” for Chabad Kollel Yungeleit to receive professional teacher training in Crown Heights.
Beginning on 27 Nissan 5783, April 18, 2023, and running for ten weeks, the goal is to create a new cohort of talented Chabad educators to fill up classrooms and provide high quality Chinuch to Chabad students. It appears that lack of teaching tools, knowledge and empowerment make it feel unsustainable for people to devote themselves to this vital Shlichus, and too many young teachers quit teaching after a short stint. This course promises to combat that cycle by providing tools and support to emerging educators.
Directed by Rabbi Levke Kaplan, Menahel of Cheder Chabad Monsey, participants will spend 2-4 hours each morning assisting and observing star teachers in Oholei Torah and United Lubavitcher Yeshiva Elementary Schools in Crown Heights, for real hands-on experience in the classroom. Training courses led by renowned educators will take place in the afternoon. Course participants will also receive individual mentorship from experienced Crown Heights teachers, a generous stipend upon completion of the course, and will be guaranteed a permanent Chinuch position for the upcoming school year, highlighting the value of investing time and energy in learning how to be a Mechanech.
MEF plans to develop this three-month pilot teacher training course into a year-long program, and provide professional teacher’s training for women in the future as well, to build a new generation of skilled educators who are equipped to meet the needs of today’s students.
To incentivize the initiative, there will be an up to $7,000 stipend awarded to qualified participants who complete the upcoming program and make Chinuch their Shlichus, whether locally or out of town.
There are limited stipends available and the course begins soon after Pesach, so MEF encourages those who are interested to sign up soon, and those who know talented young individuals with potential to be fantastic teachers to spread the word. To be a part of ultimately paving the way for a new generation of equipped educators in Chabad school, visit https://mymef.org/teach for complete details on the program and stipend.
