Tikkun Olam at JCDS

TIKKUN OLAM AT JCDS

JCDS - ב םלוע ןוקית

By Sarah Langer, 6th-8th Grade Math Teacher; Social Justice Coordinator

An overarching question last year has been, “What does Tikkun Olam (repairing the world) or social justice mean at JCDS?” Through numerous conversations with parents and faculty, and through reflection and research, we are starting to crystallize our answer. We know that our work naturally evolves from, and stays rooted in, our Habits of Mind and Heart, especially Empathy and Multiple Perspectives, Curiosity and Humility, and Reflection — all necessary components for critical thinking. Central to our approach is the active inclusion of all students and families with opportunities to explore the rich tapestry of all members of our community. Through three key domains, we hope to educate our students and create an ever more joyful, uplifting, and expansive experience for all of them:

Conversations for Understanding

In today’s common discourse, we are increasingly losing the confidence we need to bravely articulate our ideas, and the temperament to listen respectfully to the opinions of others. We risk losing the capacity to understand and value nuance and complexity, and the importance of considering multiple perspectives. As these trends continue, our desire and ability to engage with the “other” in ways that are productive and iterative decline. The values and methodologies of pluralism need to be reclaimed and re-implemented to effectively counter these growing and dangerous social and political trends. Students (and adults alike) need to learn how to have difficult conversations when we may not agree. Active listening skills and a willingness to be open to other views are critical in this endeavor, and our students are taught to grow in relationship while acknowledging points of pain and learning. This work is held in our Habits and in our work with the Pedagogy of Partnership curriculum. ףודרת קדצ קדצ

Justice, Justice, You Shall Pursue

(Deut. 16:20)

Current Events

We want our students to leave JCDS as critical thinkers around issues of justice. This is a place to practice conversations for understanding, to do deep dives into societal issues, to respond to text and research, and to further articulate our collective and individual values as they relate to the world outside our walls.

In the wake of the Derek Chauvin verdict, we engaged in grade-level, age appropriate conversations using our Conversations for Understanding and Current Events domains. In our 7th grade class, our students sat in a circle and reflected together on the meaning of healing, justice, and accountability, and ultimately responded to the question: What actions can you take as a 7th grader?

Tikkun Olam

Finally, building on the thoughtful work of many teachers across the grades, we plan to integrate Tikkun Olam into our curriculum in an explicit and intentional way. What does this mean at JCDS? Inspired by the Social Justice Standards of the national organization, Learning for Justice, we will integrate four categories into our unit planning and curriculum development: Identity, Diversity, Justice, and Action. As we work on this ambitious project, we are excited to be more aligned and intentional as we engage students in talking about their multifaceted identities. Students will use the lessons of history and our contemporary world to understand issues of justice and actions to pursue it. We look forward to integrating these units into our curriculum so that our graduates may confidently and skillfully bring these skills with them into high school and beyond. Repairing the world requires us to raise children into young adults who are willing and able to be articulate, well informed active listeners. We are confident that our graduates will be equipped to effect change in their communities and beyond.

TOP: Following the Derek Chauvin trial, Lower School students explored and reflected on the Jewish values of Tzedek (Justice): The moral responsibility to do what is right, Tikkun Olam: Repairing the World, and Pickuach Nefesh: Saving a life takes priority over everything. BOTTOM: As part of special post-election programming, each student contributed a puzzle piece to the all-school art project, Hinei Ma Tov (how good and pleasant it is to sit together).