By Ellen Lefkowitz, Jewish LearningWorks Senior Educator
As we kick off a new school year, the early childhood community is welcoming new families, children and new educators into their school communities. These new educators are a critical component to the future of our schools and the hiring of qualified new teachers is currently one of the most significant challenges facing Jewish early childhood education. This month we are kicking off ElevatEd, a groundbreaking national effort to respond to this issue.
ElevatEd’s mission is to uplift the profession of early childhood educators by increasing the number of qualified educators in communities, providing ongoing training and support, and creating structured career paths for educators. The East Bay Jewish early childhood community is one of five pioneering communities participating in this first cohort. Emerging educators from across the East Bay will come together for weekly learning and mentorship and also receive funds to pursue academic credentials required to become a fully licensed early childhood teacher.
Jewish LearningWorks will convene this new cohort of emerging educators over the course of the next 18-months. The educators will meet regularly for reflection, collaboration, and examination of their teaching and learning with their colleagues and mentor. At the same time, they will build a strong network of colleagues from across the country through virtual learning sessions with other emerging educators. This foundation of deep learning in the most current early childhood practices, Jewish curriculum, ongoing reflection, and collegiality is building a new generation of Jewish early childhood educators and a solid future for our schools.
Early Childhood Educators
If you want to learn more about this effort or find out how Jewish LearningWorks can support you as an early childhood educator, please contact Ellen Lefkowitz at ellen@jewishlearning.works.
