Gan Teva Educational Philosophy

About a month in, Gan Teva at Ner Shalom finally had its first real rainy day of outdoor early childhood education. It was an exciting opportunity for Ms. Sarah to test the limits of our outdoor play, and for the kids to learn about the world in a new light. And they LOVED...Read more...

At Congregation Ner Shalom, we believe strongly in Mixed-Age play and learning. Our Tot Shabbat programs, Religious School classrooms, and Youth Group activities all invite a range of ages: 3-5, 5-12, and 13-18, respectively. There is almost nothing that is done by a single grade, and Gan Teva at Ner Shalom will be no exception.

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We've said it before and we'll say it again: Nature-based learning is the future. While we of course will not have children outside in dangerous weather, we intend to keep them outdoors as much as possible and to encourage their growth and learning by engage with the real world around them. Studies show that gross motor skills and sensory concerns are better served through outdoor play than what we have come to expect from classroom learning....Read more...

“It’s not just teaching outdoors but using the outdoors to teach in real, hands-on ways. It makes education more relevant to students’ lives. When they experience something, it’s more meaningful to them.” - Jeanne McCarty, CEO of Out Teach

Learn More here!

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The grounds at Ner Shalom invite so many types of gross motor skill development and ways to engage in the world, including a universally beloved pasttime for all children - playing in puddles!

Check out this article on the science behind Gan Teva's encouragement of such activities!

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“The future will belong to the nature-smart—those individuals, families, businesses, and political leaders who develop a deeper understanding of the transformative power of the natural world and who balance the virtual with the real. The more high-tech we become, the more nature we need.”

—Richard Louv

At Gan Teva, we are striving to prepare our students to be nature-smart and ready to...Read more...

At Gan Teva at Ner Shalom students will learn that all living beings are unique creations. We celebrate every member of our community and individualize our approaches to learning to foster the growth of each child.

We guide our children to treat all members of our community with honor and respect.

We celebrate the unity of the Jewish people. We appreciate the diversity of approaches to Jewish life and...Read more...

Curious what an outdoor classroom has to offer?

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