About Lamplighters // Lamplighters Yeshivah Parent Handbook
Our Values- The Flame in Our Name 1. OUR MISSION IS TO CREATE WHOLENESS
WHAT WE BELIEVE:
We live in a fragmented world of artificial barriers: between our hearts and minds; our body and soul; the mundane and holy. Classic Jewish texts explain that one of the basic missions of each Jew is to reveal the inherent unity in all of creation: to create wholeness within the world, our community, our families and ourselves.
This is not an easy task. It requires us, like an antenna, to be tuned in to a deeper reality- one in which Hashem’ s unity in revealed in every detail around us. One where we always feel His presence. One where we know that every detail counts-- to create a magnificent whole.
WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE AT LAMPLIGHTERS YESHIVAH:
• At Lamplighters, we develop and utilize a fully integrated curriculum between Judaic and secular studies: there’ s no barrier between them. The same teacher who teaches Chumash teaches English literacy. The same Rebbe who prays with them also teaches them math. Through the study of maps and timelines we learn the weekly Parshah. Through a meditation on morning blessings we delve into the digestive system. There’ s no artificial separation between the physical and the spiritual.
“[ When King Shlomo said“ Chanoch Le’ naar, educate a child according to his way” he was not ] referring to the art of teaching known as pedagogy- for it is not the student’ s mind alone that we are trying to reach. Our goal is to get in touch with the student’ s entire being.”
— From Chovas HaTalmidim by HaGaon Rav Kalonymus Shapira
• We have designed our unique approach to such subjects as Hebrew reading, Chumash, interdisciplinary parsha, English language arts and phonics, but those materials are just the starting points. We are constantly developing the unique way these subjects interplay to produce a Jewish graduate with aligned thought, speech and actions- who will go on to live a healthy, balanced, vibrant life, in mind, body and spirit.
• Education is a holistic endeavor between parents and educators. Parents and teachers share the responsibility of educating the whole child, through an alignment of values. At Lamplighters, we appreciate and invite meaningful parental input. We have an open door policy, host parent education evenings, and hold Open-Camera Viewings where parents are invited to watch their child’ s class on camera live as our Head of School narrates the academic and social interactions in the class. Through cross-sharing of information of a child’ s behavior at home and school, parents and teachers equally revel in a student’ s success. For the child, his learning environment and home life are aligned- warm, and full of love. Her school feels like a home and her home reflects the values of her school. They are whole.
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