Jewish Every Day: The Complete Handbook for Early Childhood Teachers

The field of early childhood education is constantly evolving. In recent decades, new approaches (developmentally appropriate practice, Reggio Emilia, emergent curriculum, and anti-bias education) have had an enormous impact on the field. Change is in the wind for Jewish early childhood, too. At last, here is a guide to help integrate into the Jewish classroom the best that the secular field has to offer. It is indeed a challenge to make our early childhood classrooms Jewish every day, and not just on holidays and Shabbat. This outstanding and comprehensive book will enable every teacher to create a Jewish developmentally appropriate classroom, one in which Jewish values and themes permeate every learning experience every day. God, Torah, and Israel, the cornerstones of Judaism, are fully explored. Twelve holiday chapters provide substantial background information for the teacher, as well as concepts for each age level and engaging and unique activities. Further chapters discuss storytelling, music, secular holidays, working with interfaith families, keeping kosher at school, and even how to make the summertime Jewish. Bibliographies accompany each chapter, and there is a comprehensive resource list at the end of this volume which lists books for adults and for children, sources for supplies, pertinent organizations, and many Internet sites. Jewish Every Day is an invaluable contemporary resource for the twenty-first century – a must for every early childhood teacher!