Online Hebrew Schools Give a Glimpse Into the New Age of Education

Online Hebrew Schools Give a Glimpse Into the New Age of Education

Article by Mark Etinger

By going online, Hebrew school students are actively part of a changing landscape of education.

Recent technological developments have affected almost all aspects of the American economy and culture. Its hard to think about anything with cultural significance that has not been affected by the internet. The Academic world is no different.

In the world of education, there seems to be a new player in town. Online schools are becoming increasingly popular around the country, as educators seek new ways to introduce technology into the archaic system of education, which has not significantly changed in form, for centuries. In e recent TED conference, where the worlds leading minds come together and think about new ideas, Sir Ken Robinson discussed the state of education in the world. He astutely remarks on how we are still using the same system that was created in the early stages of the industrial revolution. He rightly says that education is based on the same model as a factory. Children are divided into classes based purely on one fact – their age. They go through the system and finish with their class date a reference to their abilities.

But common thinking about education has expanded in recent years and has allowed for new forms of teaching to find their place. Online schools are now becoming increasingly popular. Almost any regular school now offers online classes, and educators are finding new methods of teaching in this new platform. A great case study is the online Hebrew school.

Hebrew schools usually offer several services. Hebrew lessons online of course, but also Bar Mitzvah lessons, in which students learn how to recite the proper section of the torah, which they will read out loud during the Bar Mitzvah. Many of the practical considerations of the lessons involve the tone of each section and the proper pronunciations of the segments that are read. Finding the right person to teach the child the intricate balance of tone and Hebrew wording is not easy. However, in online Bar Mitzvah lessons, the child gets the help of experts who can help him navigate his way to the Bar Mitzvah right from the comfort of their own home. Many online Hebrew schools can provide children with a full Hebrew School education.

These Hebrew schools have a curriculum that includes a combination of Hebrew reading, Tefillah- Jewish prayer, and Judaica studies. None of the education is lost by going online. In fact, at these online schools, children are able to save money and time by taking a variety of lessons online. Could this be the new form of education that the establishment has been yearning for? Only time will tell. But for now, children are exposed to online education and it seems like it will be a big part of the new age of education.

About the Author

Jewish Online School is your online Hebrew School! Perfect for Jewish homeschoolers, our online school offers bar mitzvah lessons, online Judaic studies and everything you’re looking for in a Jewish School.