hiddensparks

What People are Saying About Hidden Sparks

admin — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 13:36:25 +0000

Feedback from Hidden Sparks participants highlights the impact it’s making on teachers and their students. In the words of one teacher, “Because of Hidden Sparks, I now understand the importance of collaboration between principal, teachers, parents, and students to help students succeed.” And from another teacher, “I used to focus on the student’s major weakness without looking enough at the whole student. The constructs allow me to check and look at the whole student. (They) also taught me to focus more on students’ affinity and strengths.”

Another teacher explained, “Hidden Sparks showed me that the more students understand their own learning issues the more able they will be to help themselves develop strategies even after they leave school. I thought that I had a good understanding of how to approach teaching children with learning differences. Now I have been given a toolkit, which has more precise tools that will help me use my prior knowledge and the “best” key to open the door for more of my students.”

Reflections from Our Teachers

admin — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 13:35:42 +0000

The Hidden Sparks Program is an educator’s dream. It provides the opportunity to focus on each child’s individual needs by providing concrete strategies and ongoing support to our teachers. The integration of behavioral and learning strategies helps teachers focus on the total child, identify the hidden sparks in each, while igniting the flame which will hopefully illuminate the child’s future development.” Rabbi Gary Menchel, Menahel Yeshiva Har Torah, Bellerose

“The teachers think differently about students. They don’t say ‘this child is impossible.’ They are thinking more deeply about each student and wondering what might be going on.” Sara Rosenfeld, Assistant Principal, Barkai Yeshiva, Brooklyn

“A highly professional program that is very helpful for bringing out the best in each of our students.” Rabbi David Abramchik, Principal, Shaare Zion Ohel Bracha, Forest Hills

“Hidden Sparks offers unparalleled professional development. Working with a mentor, teachers are able to gain insight into individual students and so modify their teaching to enable them to reach every student in their class.” Rabbi Alan Berkowitz, Principal, Ramaz Lower School, Manhattan

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HIDDEN SPARKS IN ACTION

admin — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 13:17:07 +0000

Hidden Sparks programs reflect the belief that all children learn differently and that the most effective way to help those with learning difficulties is to design programs that help all children in the school. With the goal of building long-term capacity within schools, Hidden Sparks programs and online courses focus on providing teachers with the tools and teaching strategies to better understand and teach children with social, emotional, and learning differences, as well as to nurture a cadre of trained experts

Our Programs

admin — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 13:14:17 +0000

External Coach Program (ECP) offers school-based training, coaching, and mentoring in understanding and teaching to diverse learners.

Internal Coach Program (ICP) trains a member of the school faculty to become a resident expert in diverse learning styles.

School Change Administrative Leadership Endeavor (SCALE) provides an overview of the Hidden Sparks professional training to principals from participating Hidden Sparks schools.

Hidden Sparks Without Walls (WOW) makes available short-term classes on differentiated learning to teachers in Jewish day schools and yeshivas across North America. The WOW design, which combines audio and online content, but does not rely exclusively on access to a computer, allows the program to be used by a range of teachers, including those who do not have computers in their homes