Some Milwaukee Jewish educators are planning a “TRIP” — but they don’t have to pack or buy an airline ticket.
Rather, they are participating in TRIP — Teacher Recognition and Incentive Program — a new initiative being launched by the Coalition for Jewish Learning, the education program of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation.
Its goal is to encourage Jewish educators in day schools and supplementary schools to continue their professional growth.
“The plan is the product of an extensive collaborative effort by teachers and principals working with CJL volunteers and staff,” said Bonnie Shafrin, chair of CJL’s Professionalization Task Force Committee and the Certification Action Team.
“Ultimately,” she said, “we want to build an excellent pool of teachers in the community to improve the quality of Jewish education. We’ve found that there are some educators with strong Judaic backgrounds who may lack the teaching pedigogy and other secular teachers who lack a strong Judaic knowledge. TRIP will provide some monetary support for them to enhance their skills.”
“The TRIP initiative is part of a professionalism thrust that seeks to provide expanded opportunities for families supporting careers in Jewish education,” said Steven Baruch, CJL executive director.
Baruch added, “TRIP encourages planned professional growth by educators beginning with a self-assessment of participants’ strengths and weaknesses.”
The educator then works with his or her principal, peers, mentor or CJL staff to draft an individualized Professional Growth Plan (PGP). Once the plan is approved, educators may apply for funding to take the appropriate courses that will help them implement it. The effectiveness of the educator’s growth experience will be evaluated annually and revised as necessary.
Baruch said, “The program is for religious school and day school teachers and is available for immediate implementation. Individual teachers enroll in TRIP, not schools.”
“TRIP is an extension of the ongoing effort in Milwaukee to professionalize day school and religious school teachers,” said JoAnne Gaudynski, who served on the task force.
“To improve the quality of learning for teachers, the opportunities have to be more professional. TRIP is a continuing educational program for Jewish teachers. And I think the building of a relationship between the educator and the administrator of their institution is key to improving performance,” Gaudynski added.
For example, she cited an experienced classroom teacher who feels a weakness in Hebrew. “TRIP will underwrite the tuition for that person to take classes to strengthen that skill. Or a teacher may want to teach religious school and need to improve his or her Judaic background. This is not about just taking a course, it is a plan.”
Ready to go
Kate Mann is ready to take a TRIP. Her self-description as a “non-definable” educator is one of the reasons she feels it’s necessary for her to participate. Mann teaches Israeli dance as part of the music curriculum at the Milwaukee Jewish Day School and Judaica through creative movement at Congregation Sinai’s Religious School.
Mann said, “Because what I do overlaps with so many things — movement, Hebrew, Judaica, prayers — it’s confusing for me to get personal resilience. I’ve attended some Coalition for the Advancement of Jewish Education [CAJE] workshops, but still find gaps in my teaching ability.
“I think this new program will be more demanding for teachers because it will force us to think about where we are and where we are going in our careers.”
According to the plan, Mann met with Baruch to discuss her strengths and weaknesses. “By learning what areas I need to build on, I wrote a PGP with the goal of developing a recognized expertise in my area. Right now, I’m searching for courses that will help me further the relationship between the brain and body, which ultimately will enhance learning.”
A kinesthetic teacher, Mann said, “As a dance educator I see that it works, but I don’t know why. I want to work with classroom teachers to help them disseminate what I know.”
TRIP features three incentive levels for teachers in either the day school or religious school systems that are based on a combination of academic and field experience. Using the growth plan, teachers may also become expert in a particular area and themselves become presenters of courses for educators.
Resources include university courses, continuing education classes, study opportunities in Israel and other CJL-approved programs.
Shafrin noted that it has always been CJL’s responsibility to direct teachers to enrichment programs. “CJL is the entity to assess the needs and then see that the services are provided. Rather than reinvent the wheel, we hope to direct educators to existing programs — whether offered locally, on-line or through distance learning — or set them up ourselves if necessary.”
Monetary support for religious school teachers is provided through a grant from the Jewish Community Foundation, the endowment development program of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation. Funding from the Helen Bader Foundation, Inc., will support the day school phase of the program.
Baruch further explained: “This Milwaukee initiative is part of a national effort to implement ‘A Vision For Excellence,’ a study produced by the Jewish Education Service of North America Task Force on Congregational and Communal Education. Milwaukee is a pilot community implementing this Task Force report.”
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