Our Approach to Networks...

At The Jewish Education Project, we believe in bringing educators together regularly in order to create safe spaces that stimulate creative thinking and that can lead to designing and implementing new models and strategies for Jewish Education.  

Core assumptions of our Network strategy include:

• Our networks are based on building and maintaining trusting relationships among network participants and with network facilitators. As participants deepen relationships, they are comfortable sharing ideas and challenges with understanding colleagues.

• We build the capacity of network participants to spark and spread innovative models of Jewish education. Facilitators work closely with network participants to provide tools, resources, and technology that encourage and inspire innovation and reflective practice.

• Network participants engage in professional learning (both within and outside of the networks) to enhance their knowledge, skills, and abilities to deepen impacts within their individual institutions and across the Jewish education sector overall.

Selected Network Resources:

1. Why Networks (from June Holley, Network Weaver Handbook, 2012, p. 58-59)
   This article highlights eight benefits of effective networks.

2. Characteristics of a Healthy Network (Ibid. p.90)
   This checklist reminds us about positive attributes and underlying values of a healthy network.

3. Interest Inventory 
   This tool helps the network uncover participant’s interests and strengths, providing a good start for relationship building and cultivating a culture that values the gifts of each member.

4. Creating a Brit/Norms (Adapted from Network Weaver Handbook, p. 150-1)
   This resource helps networks develop a framework for productive collaboration and work toward shared goals. It can help the network determine the rules of engagement that will reflect the culture they wish to create.

Selected Protocol Resources:

1. Modified Tuning Protocol (based on the School Reform Initiative’s Tuning Protocol)
   This protocol is often used by networks as a framework for exploring a case study presented by a network member. It can also be used for percolating ideas. With some modification, it can also be used to process a dilemma and collect group wisdom and suggestions.

2. Text Rendering Protocol
   This protocol is for collaboratively constructing meaning, clarifying and expanding thinking about a text or document.

3. Helpful Protocols for Building Relationships and Critical Colleagueship
   This is a compilation of many helpful protocols that can be useful to build relationships between network members and increase their opportunity to develop into effective critical colleagues.

What’s On your Mind?

• What is something that you have recently learned from another educator in one of your networks?
• What is an inspirational mantra, affirmation, or quote that inspires you in in your daily life?

If you have a "What's on Your Mind" submission, please send it and any other questions you have to Suri Jacknis, our Director of Educator Networks.