Teacher Training Program to Begin

Forget coordinated uniforms and small classes. The secret to stellar learning and thriving students is teachers. One study, found that in a single year’s teaching the top 10% of teachers impart three times as much learning to their pupils as the bottom 10% do.

It is clear that what matters in schools is teachers. Fortunately, teaching can be taught.

For eight years, the Menachem Education Foundation has directed teacher training programs for young teachers in the first years of their Shlichus of Chinuch. The programs, which evolved over the years, sought to expertly train a small group of qualified and dedicated new teachers in the pedagogical skills necessary to succeed in the classroom. And it worked. The teachers’ skills improved tremendously. Many Chabad schools started offering aspiring teachers to take the course. Over 127 graduates in 40+ schools today are proof that professional development has a direct impact on student learning. One grateful alumnus summed it up by claiming, “It would have taken several years of classroom experience to accomplish what the Teacher Training Program has taught me in just one year.”

But isn’t there more to being a Chabad mechanech than practical skills? Can you train a teacher in Chassidishkeit? How do you capture something so important, yet so intangible?

To address this important issue, the TIP men and women program directors, Rabbi Zelly Silber and Mrs. Chana Rose, collaborated with members of MEF’s Vaad Ruchni, and set out to incorporate Chassidishe Chinuch strategies directly into the curriculum. This summer, with input from some of Chabad’s top Mechanchim and under the direct guidance of MEF’s esteemed Vaad Ruchni, the widely-acclaimed program has been restructured with distinct standards to ensure that teacher participants graduate the program with the tools they need to pursue a lifelong career as a Chassidishe Mechanech.

“The revised TIP curriculum now includes Kodesh sources for many of our learning concepts,” says Rabbi Silber, explaining that each lesson is grounded in Yiddishe and Chassidishe sources that align with the Rebbe’s teachings.

“We have a had a bit of a paradigm shift, where our main focus is on the teacher’s Chassidishkeit, Yiras Shamayim, and ability to be Dugma Chaya for his students. Instead of limiting the definition of a good, proficient teacher to pedagogical skills, we now view the techniques we teach as a toolbox towards that end.”

The revamped program focuses on four main domains: the Teacher, or how to be a Chassidishe Mechanech, the Teaching, all about lesson planning and delivery, the Students, strategies for classroom management and student rapport, and the Learning, a comprehensive look at standards and assessment.

“Everything we teach is strongly rooted in the Rebbe’s Hadracha on Chinuch,” says Mrs. Rose, who emphasizes that the program is a work in progress. “All of us in Chinuch are grappling with the question of what makes a Chassidishe Mechanech. Whenever we discover something new, we try to incorporate it into our curriculum.”

To that end, the team created a detailed criteria for what it really means to be a Chassidishe mechanech and are incorporating Farbrengens and inviting guest speakers to share their insights on the crucial topic.

Throughout the year, the four teaching standards will be closely evaluated, so that participants can show actual results in their development as a strong and Chassidishe Mechanech. And what is that exactly?

A Chassidishe Mechanech is someone who implements learning activities to promote student growth in Yiras Shamayim and Chassidishkeit. He imparts knowledge and prepares young minds to receive and retain it. Strong Mechanchim set clear goals, enforce high standards of behavior and manage their lesson time wisely. They use tried-and-tested instructional techniques to ensure that all the brains are working, all of the time, and train for classroom success.

To assist the trainees along the way, each participant will be matched with an experienced coach from the concurrent Teacher Coaching Program, run under the auspices of Rabbi Levi Feldman. The coaches, who are veterans in Chinuch, will be trained in the same standards that the new teachers are learning, allowing them to provide structure and support for their mentee and empower them to master the four standards.

The formula is clear; it now just needs to be taught.

About the Teacher Induction Program:

Men’s and women’s* programs follow different schedules and structures. The men’s program is aimed at training new teachers within the first years of teaching and will take place in Crown Heights. The program begins with a summer intensive that will take place over the course of 8 days (Mon. – Thu.), from August 15-18 and 22-25 / Av 11-14 and 18-21 from 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM. A yearlong program with monthly Sunday meetings and various Farbrengens will start on September 18/Elul 15 from 6:00 – 8:00 PM. A Summer Intensive ONLY option is available to those teaching out of Crown Heights. Crown Heights teachers must take part in the complete program. Accreditation is also available.
Registration Deadline is August 11/7 Av.

For program costs and to register, please visit: https://mymef.org/programs/teacher-induction-program/

Download the program description here: Men’s TIP Info Sheet 5777
Download the application form here: Men’s TIP Application 5777

* To best suit the needs of Chabad Mechanchos, the women’s TIP will become modular this year and will be offered as four six week courses. It is open to all teachers regardless of experience. Participants will be able to choose the sessions and topics that are most relevant to them, with a less intimidating time commitment. To inquire about the women’s TIP 5777, call 718-663-7215 or email [email protected].