Beth Tfiloh Dahan Community School, like so many academicenvironments in and around our region, is more than just a building. It is morethan just four walls where teachers and students gather to learn.
Rather, we are a community of engagement, a community thatencourages our students, faculty and administrators to gain knowledge from oneanother, to socialize and to enjoy the daily general and Judaic studies that weoffer.
Fortunately, the enjoyment of learning will not change evenin this new temporary socially distant world. Thanks to connectivity, our BethTfiloh community, along with educational communities around our region and ourcountry, can enjoy instructional continuity even without physically beingtogether.
“School at home” is how I like to characterize our newexistence and we all need to make adjustments, settle in and plow forward. Keepingkids engaged, connected and learning means different things to different divisions.No matter the age of the student, a routine is priority one. We have suggested toour families that kids wake at the same time each day on school mornings (M-F),that they eat a healthy breakfast and create a quiet space designed forlearning and study. Each of ourdivisions is communicating with parents and students via daily emails sentahead of time so everyone can prepare for the week ahead. Assignments, homework, and regularassessments are continuing as scheduled.
At Beth Tfiloh, like at every school, we are aware thatdistance learning will present challenges, but also unforeseen benefits forchildren and parents alike.
Here is how we are advising our students and families toplow forward at Beth Tfiloh:
- Preschool engagement should continue in the form of virtual sing-alongs, story time and suggested indoor and outdoor physical play activities.
- Lower school children will have more questions about what is happening in our world, what the duration of this new norm will look like, and how we can go forward. We are suggesting structured learning time balanced with an opportunity to be creative and move for this age group.
- Middle and high schoolers may worry a bit more about how this pandemic will impact them. When will life return to normal? How is this impacting my social and academic world? It is important to answer these questions with honesty and compassion.
- High Schoolers should also recognize that the anxieties and worry they are having about the college testing and AP process is shared by all of their peers. The college testing companies are mandating certain changes so no student will be at a disadvantage since the entire system will be adjusted to fit the new reality.
- Adults don’t know the answers and, while that is unsettling, it is important for kids of all ages to know we are in this together as one community.
- It is important to remind kids to continue their own self-care and to engage in activities that bring them joy, though these activities may be modified for now.
Through it all, our teachers are supporting kidseducationally and emotionally. These areunprecedented times, but we need to be sure our kids continue to learn andensure that their emotional health stays strong, too.
Rabbi Yosef Kanefsky said it best on how to properly practicesocial distancing: “Every hand that we don’t shake must become a phone callthat we place. Every embrace that we avoid must become a verbal expression ofwarmth and concern. Every inch and every foot that we physically place betweenourselves and another, must become a thought as to how me might be of help tothat other, should the need arise.”
This reminds us to stay connected amidst our separation, tonot forget those in need of “warmth and concern.” At Beth Tfiloh, we areencouraging our school and shulcommunity to embrace this philosophy.
Similar to our traditional school day, school at home isguided on the pillars of our Jewish beliefs. It is important to remain positiveand in good spirits, and rely on our faith to guide us through. Until we cangreet each other in carpool line or throughout the halls of our beautifulschool, we need to know that we remain connected to each other and keep eachother company — even from afar.
And don’t forget to wash your hands.
Dr. Zipora Schorr is director of education at Beth Tfiloh Dahan Community School.
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