By Smarty Guest Blogger, Mariashi Groner, Director, Charlotte Jewish Day School
What skills do students need to navigate the 21st century, and how can the elementary school years best prepare them for success? The dual secular and Judaic curriculum at Charlotte Jewish Day School is the perfect formula for success in this ever-changing world. Rote memorization of facts, neat handwriting and mastering the Dewy Decimal System will not be indicators of success for our kids, when they now have ready information at their fingertips!
So what are the skills every 21st century student should possess?
1. A strong moral compass. Doing the right thing. Being a mensch (an overall good person.)
2. Believing in themselves. Having a strong identity.
3. Critical thinking skills. The ability to apply reasoning and logic to unfamiliar ideas and situations.
4. Multilingual skills. Children who speak more than one language have better problem-solving skills and think more creatively.
CJDS sets the standard for elementary education. We provide a rigorous up-to-date curriculum in a nurturing and stimulating environment with an exemplary foundation in mathematics, language arts, science and social studies. For the fifth year in a row, on average CJDS students’ ERB CTP IV scores outperformed those of national independent schools. But even more outstanding is that our pool for enrollment is not chosen by academic ability.
As strong as the CJDS General Studies curriculum is, there is no doubt that everything on this list is strengthened by our Judaica curriculum.
Using an ancient text to keep students grounded in this modern world is a learning tool like no other. The Torah (The Jewish Bible) gives us a blueprint for living to our highest potential. Judaism focuses on relationships – the relationship between us and G-d, between G-d and the Jewish people, between the Jewish people and the land of Israel, and between human beings. Between their belief in G-d and their connection to their Jewish soul, our kids develop a stronger sense of “self” than most kids their age. They learn from the Torah stories that time and time again, the Jews stood strong and persevered through the best and worst of times. And that standing up to “do the right thing” is just what we do. Our children’s strong moral compass and high self-esteem blossom from their Torah study.
In the 4th and 5th grade, when our Judaica teachers introduce Rashi (a medieval commentary) and teach the kids to dissect Jewish text, their critical thinking skills are challenged in a way that they don’t even realize. They are taught to think until their little brains “hurt”…exercising the brain in a way that is not typical of elementary school children.
And, of course, the Hebrew immersion that our students are exposed to at such a young age has been proven to dramatically impact mental agility and creative problem solving. Evidence shows that time spent on another language strongly reinforces the core subject areas of reading, language literacy, social studies and math and promotes creative development and awareness of cultural diversity.
Every child is loved at Charlotte Jewish Day School. And because we love every child, we cannot and will not rest until we find the path of success for each one. We have 92 children at the school this year, and there are 92 different paths. We spend more time talking, meeting, discussing and strategizing how to best meet each individual child’s needs than doing anything else, and we are most proud of that.
CJDS graduates leave our school after the 5th grade and thrive wherever they go – whether it be a large public school, a charter school or another private school. Transition? What transition?!? There is no doubt that our strong, secular curriculum prepares them for the road ahead, but it is the gift of a Jewish Day School that is giving them so much more than that. And we truly believe it is the combination of the dual curriculum and a strong spiritual center that makes our graduates successful in this ever-changing world.
CJDS sets the standard in elementary education based on Jewish beliefs. We are a community day school open to all Jewish children regardless of affiliation. Our mission is to provide a Jewish education to all families of all levels of observance from unaffiliated to orthodox. Make CJDS your neighborhood school!
Charlotte Jewish Day School
5007 Providence Rd # E
Charlotte, NC 28226
(704) 366-4558
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