Conventional wisdom is the body of ideas or explanations generally accepted as true by the public or by experts in a field. Here is some of the conventional wisdom regarding education over the past century: Education is primarily about delivering … Read More
Collaboration
The Homework Question Revisited
Nothing much has changed since the last time I wrote about homework, in 2010. The most recent research supports earlier data that shows little to no correlation between homework and achievement in the elementary grades, with one caveat: there is … Read More
Soft Skills, Solid Values
Recently, in an nprEd article, “Nonacademic Skills Are Key To Success. But What Should We Call Them?” the author, Anya Kamenetz, wrote that more than ever before, people in education and in the workforce agree on the importance of learning … Read More
Change Or……!
In a day and age when knowledge is easily obtainable by grabbing your smartphone from your pocket, and information learned may be outdated two minutes after a student graduates, employers care less about facts and more about whether a graduate … Read More
Hillel: A Little “Google” with A Jewish Twist
When I lead tours of the Audrey and William Farber Family IDEA Collaborative, I always make the point that space impacts mood, creativity, productivity and innovation. Children deserve inspiring, bright and comfortable spaces as much as any adult working at … Read More
Innovation Hub: Encounters with the Unknown
The innovation hub at Hillel Day School is the centerpiece of the new Audrey and William Farber Family IDEA Collaborative. It is unique in the Detroit area and rather cutting edge for an ECC-8 school anywhere in the United States. … Read More
The “Heart” of Hillel Day School
As I write this blog, a 5th grade Torah class is sitting in the “cove,” talking and reading together in front of a huge picture window looking out on a beautiful late summer’s day. The teacher is intentionally speaking of … Read More
Who Needs an IDEA Collaborative Anyway? (And Why It’s Jewish)
Why does Hillel need the Audrey and William Farber Family IDEA Collaborative? Simply put, we are determined to prepare our children for the 21st century world they will inherit, not the world of the 20th century. To teach them the way … Read More