Early Childhood
Education
Joline Riddle
Director of Early Childhood Education
2017 was our year to continue
our commitment to our
families as engaged partners
and increase our view as
children as constructivist
learners. In addition to these
areas of the Sheva Framework
leadership has had multiple professional learning
opportunities to be a visionary for our ECE. We have
continued events and professional developments that
represent our philosophy of learning and community
and added events that would enhance our commitment
to families.
Sheva Learning Communities have continued to be
an opportunity for faculty to meet in small groups
during professional developments to discuss early
childhood education. Our conversations are framed
by seven core elements: Children as Constructivist
Learners, Early Childhood Directors as Visionaries,
Early Childhood Educators as Professionals, Families
as Engaged Partners, Environments as Inspiration for
Inquiry, discover: CATCH as Sh’mirat aGuf and Israel
as a Source and Resource. Our faculty has become
comfortable with the language and support that is
provided by this learning framework.
We are now giving ourselves support through seven
Jewish lenses that parallel the elements by viewing
our daily strengths and struggles with a different
interpretation: Tzelem Elohim – Divine Image, D’rash
– Interpretation, B’rit – Covenant, Masa – Journey,
Hit’orerut – Awakening, K’dushah – Holiness, and
Tikkun Olam – Repair the World. I can’t think of a
better way to start the day or end a day with this in
mind:
Being created b’tzelem Elohim (divine image) unifies
all of humankind, while at the same time distinguishing
each human being from all others. Just when our
awareness of being created in the divine image might fill
us with egotistical urges and an overblown sense of self,
we are reminded that each of us is equal in our divine
nature, and that our treatment of others is a reflection
of our faith and our respect for our role in our society
and our universe. We are powerful, unique, dynamic
individuals who are also, at the same time, exactly like
everyone else.
- Sheva Center, for the Advancement of
Early Education Professionals