When Robyn Eiseman enrolled her son at Mequon Jewish Preschool 20 years ago, little did she know it would be the cornerstone of a transformative tenure. While her career started in middle and high school Spanish, she found her professional home in early childhood at Mequon Jewish Preschool.
Eiseman taught in every classroom, from infant to K-4. Currently, as director of outreach and engagement, she oversees the Grandparents Chavurah and alumni programming. Partnering with Ovation, the Grandparents Chavurah program is an opportunity for senior adults locally and nationally connected to Mequon Jewish Preschool to be part of an online community of Jewish learning and arts exploration around the topic of brain, health and wellness.
Eiseman boasts about alumni presence as a successful part of the landscape of Mequon Jewish Preschool. From ages 5 to 25, former Mequon Jewish Preschool participants stay connected through an alumni committee, participation in graduation, and “Project Pick Up” to get ready for summer camp.
Eiseman’s mother inspired her to be a teacher. As a lifelong learner, she taught her the importance of learning, seeking knowledge and collaborating. When Eiseman’s mother advised her to reflect on what she was passionate about, Eiseman considered her love of babysitting and working as a camp counselor. Pursuing a career in education seemed a perfect fit.
What draws Eiseman to teaching? “Teaching gives me the opportunity to be with other learners, it is interesting and never dull, as an educator you never know what can emerge from lessons — so many possibilities.” What is challenging? “For me it is challenging to keep up with technology. It is ever so important but it is not something that comes easily to me so I really have to work to embrace all of the new methods to enhance learning.”
Eiseman lives in Mequon with her husband, Marc. Her three grown children are all alumni of Mequon Jewish Preschool. When not at Mequon Jewish Preschool, Eiseman enjoys volunteering, reading and gardening. Eiseman brought her love of gardening to Mequon Jewish Preschool by teaching students how to germinate seeds inside and transfer them to plant together in the school’s garden.
When Eiseman is looking to kick back, she loves to go boating, finding being on the water to be so serene. When she debarks and is looking for a snack, her favorite Jewish food to enjoy is shakshuka. She learned a great recipe from the shin shin they hosted, Omer Saada. Batayavon, Robyn Eiseman!
* * *
The Coalition for Jewish Learning of Milwaukee Jewish Federation is celebrating local educators with this regular feature. To suggest someone for coverage, contact Jewish Education Community Planner Tziporah Altman-Shafer, at TziporahA@MilwaukeeJewish.org.