There is a lot going on in a school day for Tali, and at six years of age she has loads of energy to keep up with all her activities. But what’s really going on is overall childhood development, in a style unique to Maimonides School.

“The Talmud places great emphasis on the girsa diyankuta, the learning that one does as a very young child, and how this lays the proper foundation for so much of life,” says Rabbi Stuart Klammer, former Elementary School Principal.

“Kindergarten lays a foundation in the obvious ways,” adds Nancy Posner, former Elementary School’s Principal for General Studies, “such as learning the letters and their sounds, but also in more subtle ways—Learning to wait to have needs met. Learning to listen respectfully to what others say, and value the contributions of peers. Those are all, we think, just as important to be successful in school and in life.”

Maimonides kindergarten is an environment that exudes familiarity and warmth, not just in the classrooms but throughout the first floor of the Brener Building. The kindergarten classrooms are built for small children. The furniture, the bathrooms, the dedicated playground, even the smaller set of railings in the corridors and stairwells are all the right size.

Tali’s typical day begins with davening, followed by “morning meeting,” a classroom gathering with her teacher that incorporates many important messages—children greeting each other, sharing discussions about friendship, perhaps some Shel Silverstein poetry. “The teaching teams in each of the classrooms adhere to different structures and styles, but we all have the same goals. So when we’re planning, or when we’re choosing themes, or how we integrate, those goals are always in the back of our minds,” says Brenda Slobodkin, who served as a Maimonides kindergarten teacher for 12 years.

After their meeting, Tali and some of her friends convene in one of the classroom centers, where kindergarteners explore a variety of things. Tali’s group learns mathematical concepts like sorting and measuring. Other students study may address the English calendar and the weather. They learn to work as partners, create with different media, and follow directions. They learn intangibles—not only independence but also to be part of a group, and how to be organized. Sessions are broken up with physical activities using music or poems or just stretching.

Tali next turns to her parashah booklet that she is illustrating this week for her family. “Limudei kodesh instruction focuses on the weekly Torah portion. It’s a very big part of our curriculum,” says one kindergarten teacher. The weekly portions afford kindergarteners the opportunity to learn not only the main story line but also appropriate middot of chesed, ahavat Hashem and the concept of mitzvot. Every page in the parashah book also helps children with skills such as cutting and gluing and learning colors in Hebrew.

Judaic and general studies average out to a balance, the teachers agree. They’re often taking place in the same room at the same time, and there is also overlap. For example, the teachers “incorporate a lot of science to limudei kodesh. The rescue of Moshe in the basket is a lesson on the principle of floating. The Chanukah is an opportunity to teach about light.”

Tali is also learning some conversational Hebrew as part of her experience at Maimonides School. “Hebrew language in kindergarten is part of the overall Hebrew language experience throughout the grades,” says Rabbi Klammer, noting that the teachers work with Galit Grutman, Hebrew Coordinator. Tali has semi-weekly visits from Shikma Benmelech, the Hebrew language instructor. These half-hour sessions of theme-based songs and stories in Hebrew supplement the alphabet and words which Tali has been taught throughout the day by her Judaic Studies teacher. Mrs. Benmelech explains, “My goal is to enrich the spoken Hebrew vocabulary with expressions, phrases, songs and sentences. The children join me in repeating parts. This gives them a chance to pronounce the words and phrases by themselves, to feel a part of the story, and to enjoy the class.”

Morning for Tali always includes a snack and recess; after lunch, she and the other children rest for about a half-hour. Weekly and special occasions include birthday parties, Shabbat parties, and baking challah or honey cake in the kindergarten kitchen. Today Tali is especially excited about the arrival of the mobile laptop computer laboratory, which visits the kindergarten classrooms regularly. Each day includes different enrichment activities, whether trips to the art or music rooms, the gymnasium, the library or time on the computer.

Tali, like all other kindergarteners, keeps a daily journal, recording observations and thoughts at an individual level, as drawings, words or even sentences. Her teacher says this not only helps Tali and her peers reach the next level of English literacy, but also is a chance for them to express their feelings. The approach is another component of the Maimonides kindergarten classroom which promotes educational and emotional development.

The exciting and engaging kindergarten experience that Tali receives at Maimonides has her clearly headed in the right direction, providing her with the tools necessary for her educational journey through Maimonides School. Tali, with a smile, tells it best. “I love my teachers…we have lots of fun reading, learning the mitzvot, and playing with friends. I’m learning why it’s special to be Jewish.”