Register for NewCAJE15. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
It is easy to submit a workshop for the conference. Just click here. At the lower section of the registration form lies an opportunity to submit a workshop proposal for educational sessions.
Please complete the form with as much detail as you can provide.
Questions? Email Stephanie Marshall at workshop@newcaje.org
Thank you for your interest in teaching at NewCAJE8! Your sessions are the backbone of the conference and we sincerely appreciate your willingness to present.
As you will see on the form, sessions are either 90 minutes or 3 hours. Please note, we have a limited number of slots for the 3-hour sessions. Please think wisely about what you have to offer and how much time you need to teach it effectively.
IF YOU ARE PROPOSING A SESSION, PLEASE READ THIS CAREFULLY:
Most presenters will find that only one of their general topic sessions will be accepted. We ask you to list your best session under workshop 1. We are looking for general topics, such as: innovative work you have been doing, best practices, subject matter areas, methodologies, topics of general interest to Jewish educators.
If you’d like to teach a second workshop, consider teaching the topics we are looking for in our certificate programs (Administration, Early Childhood, Family Engagement, Teaching Tefillah [including decoding, youth congregations, spirituality, theology], Judaica for the Day School Setting).
Also consider teaching a session on Shavuout which is the highlighted topic this summer.
Detailed information about these topics are available in the tabs above.
If you would like to suggest an offering outside of these topics, please feel free to do so. If we find that we need additional workshops, we will look for them.
For questions or clarification on teaching at NewCAJE, please call the NewCAJE office at 857-288-8765 or email workshop@newcaje.org.
The deadline to submit proposals is …….. Do not wait until the last minute to submit your session(s). We will review proposals and if the program committee has questions about your session, they will give you a call. The earlier you submit your proposal, the more likely it has of being accepted. Acceptance letters will be sent out on ….. Please note, preference for teaching spots will be given to those who are attending the entire conference.
General Interest:
We are looking for 100 sessions of general interest on all topics of Jewish education. You can share best practices, curricular methods or methodology, topics geared toward one age group such as teens or adults. Other suggested topic areas include tzedakah and social action, teaching subject matter like Bible, Israel, History, Holocaust, Holidays and Life Cycle, Jewish Values, the Creative and Cultural Arts, Spirituality, Teaching Techniques, Torah Lishma and Theology. We are interested in modalities of teaching such as Project Based Learning and in the subject of diversity and inclusion. We would love to hear about innovative work you are doing in the field of Jewish education.
Special Sessions
Skills and Resources:
There will be special sessions on skills and resources for teaching. We are looking for knowledgeable experts in media, technology, storytelling, art, drama, creative and expository writing, etc., as well as experienced teachers who know how to integrate such material into the Jewish classroom. We are also looking for people who can guide educators through valuable online resources that may help them teach (or help their students research) social studies, music, Hebrew, stories, and more.
Problem Solving:
There will be collaborative problem solving sessions on topics like: how to work with lay leadership, how to communicate with difficult parents, and how to build a relational classroom. We are looking for people to facilitate these conversations.
Shavuot:
Our special highlighted topic this year is Shavuot. Shavuot falls on a Sunday in May when school and communities might join together to celebrate this holiday. We will be publishing a special issue of our journal devoted to Shavuot. People whose sessions are accepted will be expected to write them up for inclusion in the journal to be published in early January 2018. See the “Teach Shavout topics” tab for a complete list of topics we are looking for.
NewCAJE will offer 6 certificate programs this year. Certificates are tracks or majors. If you choose a certificate program you will concentrate on one subject during the conference. People hoping to complete certificate programs will take 8-10 classes in that topic and attend a community of practice luncheon. The certificates can be personalized by consulting with the Program Chair so it reflects what the person hopes to learn. We are calling for sessions on topics listed below.
More information coming soon.
Shavuot
If you’d like to teach a second workshop, consider offering one about Shavuot. This coming school year, Shavuot falls on a Sunday in mid-May. NewCAJE will devote one complete time-slot of the conference to Shavuot. We invite proposals on how to maximize teaching about this oft-forgotten holiday. Each session and its handouts will be published in a special issue of Jewish Educator.
Here are some suggestions of the range of topics we are looking for:
Titles should be catchy. They are the advertisement that will get people in the door.
Titles should be accurate. You want the people in the door to learn what you are teaching.
Descriptions should be about five sentences long (100 words is ideal, 150 is the max).
The 90 minute sessions are usually used to present a program you have implemented OR a text you want to teach.
The three hour sessions are best when you want to involve the group in a discussion OR teach them a skill or technique.
The above are just examples, but mostly you should think about YOUR material and how long it will take you to teach it without being rushed.
Here are three invented examples (you can also see previous program books by CLICKING HERE for real examples):
How Does My School Measure Up? Looking at Self-Evaluation and Accreditation
This session is intended for administrators who have been at their schools at least three years, and are interested in engaging in a systematic self-evaluation process using materials developed by national Jewish educational organizations. Sample questions will be shared and your questions will be answered about the how, why and when of these accreditation programs.
History on the Plate: Our Story in the Pot
Jewish food tells many stories. What we eat is a memory, home family, celebration, survival, history, culture, genealogy and Torah. In this session we will consider two texts, stories and lore behind the Jewish foods we love. We will talk about ways to make Jewish cooking classes and hagim meaningful, education and delicious. You will go home with recipes, lesson plans, and strategies to help you students learn food.
From Soup to Nuts: A Workshop for the Novice Educator
The world of Jewish education is vast and navigating through it can be challenging. We are a diversified team of Jewish educators from Florida who will conduct a comprehensive session that with touch on a variety of subject areas. Learn about where to go for assistance, how to obtain new ideas, and who are you best advocates. You will receive a packed to goodies including sample contracts, behavior and classroom management ideas, websites, sample letters, forms, and other helpful materials.
YES. On the registration form, there will be a link to the workshop form. If your workshops are not accepted and you change your mind about attending the conference, we will issue a full refund, including the $50 cancellation fee, if you cancel before May 22nd. After May 22nd, the $50 fee will apply.
Acceptance letters will go out on May 15th.
Workshops are either 90 minutes or 3 hours long. Please read the “Writing a proposal” tab for more information.
No. NewCAJE is a primarily volunteer-led movement, from the programming teams to intensives and webinars. Through NewCAJE, we together establish a field of Jewish education and enable educators to share our experiences with each other. As workshop leaders, we benefit from exposure to other educators and spreading our ideas throughout North America. Sometimes, our workshop leaders receive invitations to speak during the year based on the workshops we give at NewCAJE. Workshop leadership is a generous and appreciated donation to NewCAJE – one that is our reason for being here. We do all we can to keep conference fees down and locations accessible, and we can advise you on the best ways to raise money for your attendance from your employer and your local community.
Can I make copies of handouts at the conference?
Most classrooms are equipped with a smart board or a projector and sound equipment hooked up to those devices. If you have a Mac and want to bring your computer, we advise you to bring the appropriate VGA adapter cables to connect. If you will need other technology outside of this, please make sure to discuss it with us. Please note that each classroom will have a computer hooked up to the projector that you will be able to use. We suggest bringing your presentation on a flash drive if you plan on doing that.
In order to propose a workshop, you must register for the conference.
Having reflected on NewCAJE9, I realize how fortunate I am to have participated in the magic of the experience. I was inspired spiritually through the learning, new friendships, and true intentionality of every moment. I truly was present in each moment, and found meaning in the word ‘hineni,’ ‘I am here’.
I was so fortunate to have grown up at CAJE, surrounded by amazingly talented and knowledgeable musicians, artists, and educators who helped set me on the path of Jewish music and education that I am on today. It is such a privilege to bring this all full circle and share my love for Jewish music with those who taught me and the next generation of Jewish musicians.
The idea of gathering Jewish educators together to provide them with the networking, skills, & confidence to elevate the Jewish world & beyond is exhilarating.
An unparalleled opportunity to network and interact with educators from all types of Judaism.
NewCAJE gives me a feeling of being part of something larger than can be put to words.
At NewCAJE, we aim to unite, motivate, and validate all Jewish educators, nurturing a more robust and lively Jewish community. Our unwavering dedication offers a supportive community and abundant resources to empower educators in honing their skills, exchanging insights, and jointly creating innovative methods for Jewish education.
