Connected Congregational Education, Part 2

Lisa ColtonPresident, Darim Online

Chief Learning Officer, See3 Communicationslisa@see3.com @lisacolton #connectcongs

This presentation is adapted from materials developed through Connected Congregations: A UJA-Federation of New York Initiative with Darim Online

A Little About Me

TODAY… Think Connected. And Empathy

• Think big• Take risks, push yourself• Challenge each other (and me!)• Be ACTIVE!• Question your assumptions• Yes, AND… (not yes, but…)

The Game Plan

1. Review: What is a Connected Congregation?2. Design Thinking Basics: Empathy and Iterate3. Case study from Rachel Happel, Temple Beth

Shalom, Needham, MA

We need to matter to each other, and the collective.

Our Connected Hypothesis

What is a Connected Congregation?

A connected congregation is one that deeply understands the meaning of community, and works explicitly to build a strong, meaningful and engaged Jewish community.

Connected congregations prioritize relationships and shared values, and align all aspects of institutional management in service of the community.

Those within connected congregations feel a sense of shared ownership and responsibility for each other and the collective, and are empowered to contribute their ideas, energy and resources.

WORKS EXPLICITLY TO BUILD COMMUNITY

A connected congregation is one that deeply understands the meaning of community, and works explicitly to build a strong, meaningful and engaged Jewish community.

“Everything of importance must be deliberately designed and done with our greatest insight and imagination, or it is left to chance…. The world needs more designers.”

DESIGN THINKING

Empathy + Iterate

EMPATHY• The ability to share someone else's feelings• The action of understanding, being aware of,

being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another of either the past or present

It’s about the PERSONnot the PROGRAM.

OPERATIONALIZING CONNECTEDNESS MEANS DESIGNING FOR SOCIAL

Rachel Happel, Director of K-12 Learning, Temple Beth Shalom, Needham, MA

At the heart of our program … is community.

We are striving to create and nurture “HaKehilah” (the community), in every arena of temple life, and that is certainly true for our children and their families.

The other “H” molecule in the logo is “HaLimud” (the learning), which will strengthen with this innovative new Jewish learning program.

What connects these two core values is “Omek” (depth).

We envision a K-5 learning community where depth of relationships and depth of learning are intentionally fostered and visible everywhere.

Listening & Empathy• 2010 survey: insights about our existing religious school program.• 2011 focus groups of K-5 parents to listen to their “big picture”

goals for their children’s Jewish learning at TBS.• Fall 2011 surveyed all of our religious school about their

preferences for class timing• We convened the “Elementary Learning Transition Advisory Group”

(ELTAG) – a dedicated group of parents, lay leaders, and public school teachers from our congregation who advised us on the changes that we have been considering.

• We spoke with all of our current 6th graders about their own learning experiences – particularly in Hebrew – and listened to what they thought needed to improve.

Moadon: Lounge Social Time

Mifgash: Encounter Circles• Responsive classroom methodology• Personal greeting• Sharing• Group Activity• Message connected to learning

Jewish Connection Experiences

Practical Operational Considerations

• Registration process• Friend requests• Directory with contact info & encouragement• Full time teachers

We design for what we measure.Measure what you want to achieve.

OPERATIONALIZING CONNECTEDNESS MEANS DESIGNING FOR SOCIAL

Rachel Happel, Director of K-12 Learning, Temple Beth Shalom, Needham, MA

Q&A

What’s Next?

• August 20th 1-2pm eastern• Looking at practical work and examples.• What are you doing? Want to share?

• Recording, slides and links will come via email shortly.