To Life!

EDUCATION

Small,

But

Effective

Beth Ahm's multi-level
religious school customizes education.

Keri Guten Cohen
Story Development Editor

B

Sarah Wolf of West

Bloomfield reads to her

dog "Izzy" during Beth
Ahm's First Annual

"Teach your Dog to
Read Hebrew Day."

eth Ahm has created an
innovative religious
school model to serve
the needs of its congregation.
Since September, 10 students
ranging in age from kindergarten
through seventh grade have par-
ticipated in a
"one-room shul-
house',' where
each child's edu-
cation is cus-
tomized accord-
ing to level and
background.
For example, a
second-grader
might be work-
ing on brachat
(blessings), while
a fifth-grader is
learning Torah
trope and explor-
ing Israeli geog-
raphy.
Jennie Allan,
religious school
director, teaches
the class, with
the aid of volunteers and paid
assistants. Allan says this
arrangement allows for more
individualized time for each stu-
dent.
"Jennie is a phenomenal direc-
tor and instructor who teaches
each child at their level, then
brings them up from there," says
Faye Wolf of West Bloomfield,
who has three children in the
program and serves on the
school's board. Wolf had tried
other synagogue schools that
were good, but says Beth Ahm's
West Bloomfield-based school is
"different and special."
Rather than classrooms with

Junior Congregation service each
15-20 children following a set
curriculum, "here they go at their Saturday with her students, giv-
own pace, not limited by curricu- ing them opportunity to practice
their prayers.
lum — and the sky's the
"The younger kids really
limit. My third-grader is
worship the older kids,"
doing fourth-grade work.
Allan said. "They love it
They are learning so much
when the older kids make
more than in a regular
presentations to them, for
classroom."
example. And the older kids
Jen nie
Allan said: "Some of my
have been taking responsi-
All an
students are working on
bility for being good role
[advanced] material
models for the younger kids."
because they can. Others get the
Feedback has been positive,
special attention they need to
Allan said. "The parents enjoy
master difficult concepts. We
have the luxury of small size that the model and feel that it gives
their children the opportunity to
allows us to do that."
learn in a small, communal envi-
Wolf sees benefits to the small
ronment." ❑
size of the school.
Beth Ahm's Natalie and
Manny Charach
Religious School
meets on Tuesday
afternoons and
Saturday morn-
ings, during
regular
services.
Allan
runs a
weekly

Arielle Wolf, 8, and
Bailey Kersch, 7, both

of West Bloomfield,

study together.

e

Beth Ahm's religious school students include, front row: Micayla Kersch, 9; Alexis Michaels, 7;

Arielle Wolf, 8; and Bailey Kersch, 7. Back row: assistant Emily Hersch, 14; Rabbi Steven
Rubenstein; Aviel Keidar, 12; Hannah Kopinsky, 11; and Sarah Wolf, 10, all of West Bloomfield.

February 23 2006

19