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A Newsletter of the Jewish Community Center of Greater Baltimore March 2010 Adar/Nisan 5770
Inside: Jewish Life 2 FYI 3 Children & Youth 4-5 Teens 6 Special Needs 6 Maccabi 7 The Arts 8-9 Adult Life Plus 10 Fitness & Wellness 11 Aquatics 12 Staff News 13
JCCs of North America
Associated Corner 13
Engaging and Challenging
Our JCC Early Childhood Education program provides an integrated curriculum enhanced by hands-on experiences. What do the letter “S” and the country of China have in common? Did you guess spaghetti? If so, you’re just as smart as the four-year olds enrolled in our Early Childhood Education (ECE) program here at the JCC. Using an integrated curriculum our teachers have taught their students that spaghetti, which was invented in China, can also be used to create geometric shapes and when you boil spaghetti it becomes soft forming the letter “S”. In just a few short lessons the students have taken a journey with the letter “S”. It has becomes more than just a letter in the alphabet, it also plays a role in social studies, math, science and vocabulary. At the JCC ECE our integrated curriculum is just one example of how our program is always evolving and changing with what research and practice prove to be “best practices” in early childhood education. “In both our Park Heights and Owings Mills ECE programs, we strive to offer our students innovative and interesting learning opportunities that are both engaging and enriching,” explains Ilene Meister, the JCC’s Early Childhood Education Director. “Many parents today are looking for preschool programs that are intellectually challenging while also providing ample time for play.” In fact “play experiences provide some of the most significant opportunities for learning,” says Jodi Fishman, Director of Early Childhood Education at Park Heights. For instance, when playing together with blocks, children are naturally exposed to math, science and social studies concepts - all while developing new vocabulary and social skills. It is also during play when children can “practice” the Jewish values we teach at the JCC. The children are introduced in a hands-on, developmentally appropriate manner, to Jewish principles or values based on passages from Pirkei Avot, a classic Jewish text. Its teachings focus on how we can live a moral and ethical life showing children ways to turn ethical values into ethical behavior. Drawing from the rich
moral teachings of Judaism, our goal is to bring these values to the children and families whom we serve. In the process we hope to build a community of learners who have respect for the diversity of thinking and expression that exists within the Jewish community. “Exposure to values through Jewish text is an opportunity for young children to make important connections between the way they behave and the impact these behaviors have on members of their community,” says Ms. Fishman. Another way for children to learn about their “inner selves” is to teach them to eat right and take care of their bodies. To this end the school has started a healthy snack program, which features fruits and vegetables, whole grains, cheese and milk. At the Owings Mills ECE we offer healthy cooking classes that introduce new food items and discussions on the importance of eating food from all the food groups. Parents are thrilled to learn that at school, their kids are eating nutritious food that they want to have at home too. ECE continues on page 14
Limited Fall Openings Now Available in our ECEs Meyerhoff Early Childhood Education Center at the Park Heights JCC • Infant/Toddler Program (ages 3 months to 2 years) • Preschool Plus (full day) and Preschool (ages 2-4 years) Early Childhood Education Center at the Owings Mills JCC • Preschool Plus (full day) and Preschool (ages 2-4 years) • Full day Kindergarten (age 5)