Sinai and Touro team up to offer teacher fellowship
Sinai Schools and Touro University have partnered to create the Sinai Teacher Fellowship program.
The program, set to begin this fall, was created in response to a national shortage of qualified teachers in Jewish and special education.
The collaboration offers current and prospective Sinai faculty the unique opportunity to earn a graduate degree while paying a greatly discounted tuition fee while receiving full compensation as an assistant teacher at Sinai and hands-on training and mentorship from experienced Sinai educators.
Fellowship program participants will study for Touro University’s master’s degree in Jewish education and special education, a two-year program that prepares its students for careers in special education. Anyone who has not yet earned a master’s degree in education (whether or not they are now a faculty member) is eligible to apply to Sinai to join the program, while also applying to Touro’s Graduate School of Education.
“This collaboration with Touro University, an educational powerhouse with a strong reputation in Jewish and special education, will produce a new cadre of highly trained special education teachers,” Rabbi Dr. Yisrael Rothwachs, the Leo Brandstatter z”l dean of Sinai Schools, said. “We are so delighted to partner with Touro in this endeavor.”
Graduates are eligible for dual licensure in education and special education from the New York and New Jersey Departments of Education.
“We are so excited about our new relationship with Sinai,” Dr. Jeffrey Lichtman, the Lucille Weidman director of graduate Jewish education/special education at Touro University, said. “This partnership reflects the foresight of Rabbi Rothwachs and the Sinai School leadership in focusing and committing to furthering the professional development of their teachers and staff.
“This relationship unites Sinai, a leader in special education throughout the New York metropolitan area, and throughout the Jewish world, with Touro’s graduate Jewish education/special education center, a leader in training teachers, and the only institution offering teacher training in limudei kodesh/Jewish studies instruction within graduate special education.
“We hope that this partnership inspires new creative ideas to bring more dedicated individuals into Jewish education/special education and provide them with the guidance and education necessary to be able to develop highly trained and caring teachers, rebbeim, and morahs for the children in our communities,” Dr. Lichtman said.
“The fellowship is also an opportunity to identify and engage early career stars in the field of Jewish special education, and they will benefit from receiving hands-on supervision from experienced Sinai educators,” Rabbi Dr. Rothwachs said.
Applications for the fellowship program for the fall semester are available now. For more information, email fellowship@sinaischools.org.
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