CJDS Philosophy

Posted by Rabbi Meir

It is through our faith and cultural heritage that we define the focus of our educational approach. The love for children and families, the emphasis on academic rigor, and the need to be involved with issues of social justice make our school special. There is something magical about being in our school. Whether one is attuned to the students working at constructing knowledge, the school coupling with families to best serve children, or the laughter and joy as children work together, there is a positive feel throughout the Day School.

 

Academic rigor with an emphasis on inquiry

  1. Beyond describing academic rigor as memorization or covering the curriculum, our students will uncover the curriculum and state standards through the teacher structuring an environment where students construct knowledge through asking questions, forming hypothesis, researching answers, presenting findings, and publishing data.

Active Nurturing

  1. The care we provide for each student has been the centerpiece of our school since its inception. However, active nurturing must move beyond love and care. Active nurturing includes respect shown each family as we work as a team. Active nurturing is also recognized by our persistence in tailoring our curriculum to meet each student’s individual learning style. We are deeply committed to maximizing his/her cognitive, spiritual, and social emotional development.

Praxis/Social Justice

  1. Praxis means the translating of an idea into practical action. This ideal spans from having children doing acts of kindness to having children work on root issues of injustice. We strive to have children recognize that all areas of academic pursuit can provide opportunities for making the world a more G-dly place. Facilitating the children’s recognition of these opportunities affords the highest goals of learning.

Jewish Life Skills

  1. The Judaic curriculum is focused on developing children who are skilled and committed to live Jewishly. This means; A) speaking, reading and writing Ivrit (Hebrew), our living heritage language, combined with a deep and lasting connection with the land and people of Israel.  B) Study of the Torah from the text with the commentaries, together with a thorough general knowledge of the history and culture that continues to shape our identities as Jews.  C) An understanding of the holidays, customs and observances, as well as Jewish Prayer, through a hands-on daily, joyful celebration and practice of the Mitzvot.