Jewish Herald:
JCDS introduces
social/problem-solving program - Teaching students how
to be successful in the world
One of the main
principles within the JCDS mission is the nurturance
of the “Neshama” – the soul, or the individual. In
addition to the rigorous academic curriculum, JCDS
encourages our students to be better human beings
with a strong Jewish identity and broad knowledge of
the world. To this end, with the assistance of a
generous grant by the Jewish Federation of RI, JCDS
is excited to announce the implementation of a
nationally recognized, award winning social
curriculum, The Social Decision Making/Problem
Solving Program
The Social Decision
Making/Problem Solving Program, developed by Maurice
Elias Ph.D. (Professor, Rutgers University) and John
F. Clubby Ph.D. (Robert Wood Johnson Medical School)
uses research validated skill building methods to
promote good citizenship through teaching children
the skills the need for effective social decision
making. The overall goal of the program is to
provide students in grades PreK – 8, with skills to
make healthy and responsible choices in their lives.
JCDS faculty and
staff recently underwent the first in a series of
training modules to be held throughout the year.
Prior to the start of school, Ms. Erin Bruno, M.A,
our SDM/PS consultant, facilitated a
thought-provoking and hands-on workshop to all JCDS
faculty, designed to introduce the basic principles
and skills underlying the SDM/PS curriculum. Ms
Bruno, in conjunction with Mr. Jeffrey Kress, from
the Jewish Theological Seminary and previous SDM/PS
consultant, will be joining us throughout the year
to help staff learn, understand, and transfer their
knowledge to students via infusing their curriculum
with important concepts such as self control,
emotional regulation, improving social awareness,
and effective communication.
Parents may have
already have heard their children talk about such
things as Sharing Circle, Listening Position, Active
Listening, Speaker Power, Listening Power, Keeping
Calm, or the Eight Steps of Problem Solving. A visit
to our school will reveal the beginnings of
incorporating the language and practice of these
skills school-wide in order to create a safe,
respectful and nurturing environment in which your
children can grow and thrive.
Parent involvement
is essential to the successful implementation of
this program. On Thursday, October 23rd, parents are
invited to attend a special evening parent workshop
conducted by Ms. Bruno. It is during this time that
parents will hear, in more detail, about the
specific features of the SDM/PS program and how it
is being incorporated throughout the school.
If you are
interested in hearing more about the SDM/PS program,
please contact Betsy Cable at
bcable@jcdsri.org, or
you may check out the SDM/PS website at
http://www.umdnj.edu/spsweb.
We are very excited about this new initiative n look
forward to partnering closely with you throughout
your child’s experience at JCDS.
SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL
LEARNING IN THE JEWISH CLASSROOM:
Tools for a Strong Jewish Identity (PDF)
Jewish Herald:
JCDS introduces
social/problem-solving program - Teaching students how
to be successful in the world
