A High School classroom is an excellent space for growth-oriented discussion, even during secular studies. Bashy, a teacher of ninth-grade English Language Arts, uses literary pieces on self-growth topics during Sefira.Â
She sometimes brings in children’s books, too. The students love the lighter atmosphere that picture books bring.
The lesson is structured just like all other Literature classes, and the theme, rhyme structure, imagery, etc. spark quality literary discussion.Â
Books that can be purchased at national bookstores
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The Sneetches by Dr. Seuss
A typical Dr. Seuss-style book about a community of Sneetches who are divided into two groups: those with stars on their bellies and those without. Through the storyline, the Sneetches realize that their external differences do not define their worth, leading to a conclusion about equality and friendship.
Brings home the meaninglessness of peer pressure and how people tend to perpetuate such an environment.
A book about a group of colored circles who stand up to Red, a powerful color that shames and excludes Blue. Through a simple narrative and vibrant illustrations, the book conveys a message about the importance of individuality, friendship, and the impact that one voice can have in creating more inclusivity.
Well-known book that shows a picture and keeps zooming out further and further to add perspective. The children in the first picture are really on the cover of a magazine, in an ad on a bus which is pictured on a tiny postage stamp, and so on.Â
Can be used to highlight how limited our view of a situation can be. Can be used to encourage taking a wider perspective, or to be dan l’kaf zechus.Â
Although this book has no words, there is quality to the experience of sharing this book with your class.
A hilarious, almost nonsensical book about a boy who gets his kite trapped in a tree and keeps throwing items at the tree, and they all get stuck too. Highlights how we sometimes react to challenging situations in ways that either don’t solve them or even make them worse.
Small efforts, big impacts We know how quickly children grow when learning is consistent—and how quickly skills can fade when routines disappear for months. The “Summer Slide” is real. Children can lose foundational academic skills, and even social and emotional progress, over the break. For some, September feels less like a continuation and more like starting all over again. A few intentional moments each week throughout the summer can help reinforce and protect the skills students worked hard to master during the year. That said, summer was never meant to be a third semester. Young children still need rest, play, family time, and freedom—and the goal isn’t to push them toward new skills. It’s simply to preserve what they already know. The Balance According to one of Torah Umesorah’s leading Intervention Specialists, assigning summer homework three times a week is sufficient for maintaining students’ progress. The assignments don’t need to
If you had a quiet moment this summer, what would you want to get better at? This one isn’t for everyone. Some of you are busier in July than in January — summer jobs, kids home, camps, family. If that’s you, bookmark this for when things settle. But if you do find yourself with a quiet mid-morning once the kids are out, or a calm early evening before the night gets going — that might be exactly enough. Torah Umesorah is offering sessions built for exactly those pockets of time. As little as 20 minutes, and you walk away with something real and usable for your classroom. Live  Zoom or phone sessions Scheduled during mid-morning and early evening hours, when things tend to quiet down. On your own time  Recorded sessions Listen whenever works for you — folding laundry, on a walk, or with a cup of coffee.
For the Teacher Who Can’t Find the Words The last day of school has a feeling all its own. Backpacks bulge with the year’s worth of seforim and workbooks. The classroom looks a little bare already. Coat hooks hold one last sweater. And somewhere between the goodbyes, you find yourself wondering where the time went. And then they’re gone. Just like that, the room that held so much — the noise, the questions, the breakthroughs, the giggles — goes quiet. There’s a particular hollow feeling that settles in when the last talmidah walks out the door, a mix of pride and nostalgia that’s hard to put into words. You want to stop them on their way out. You want to tell them how much they’ve grown, how much you’ve grown, how this year meant something. But you also know — because you know them — that a heartfelt speech from
Small efforts, big impacts We know how quickly children grow when learning is consistent—and how quickly skills can fade when routines disappear for months. The
As we continue developing the K’mayim approach, we focus this week on something that happens right in real time—in the classroom, during teaching. Week 4:Where
As we continue the K’mayim Sefira Challenge, we turn to the moments that often matter most—the small, unplanned interactions outside the classroom. Week 4:On A
As we continue the K’mayim Sefira Challenge, we return to a place that quietly shapes everything—our ×¤× ×™×ž×™×•×ª. Week 2:Daven for Her  The Challenge Choose
At this time we offer classroom setup materials only for General Studies. You can also browse themed bulletin boards by clicking General Studies in the menu.
