Jewish New Teacher Project Continues to Support Teachers and Elevate Jewish Education

My JNTP mentor has stood by me through all the ups and downs of my first year of teaching; consistently observing my class in action and being available to discuss it with me in a non-threatening, non-judgmental setting…This has allowed me to explore many sensitive areas of my teaching career and therefore grow in an immeasurable way.
– Raizy Muller, Educator, Torah Day School of Dallas; Dallas, TX

Mentoring and training programs are hallmarks of the Jewish New Teacher Project’s (JNTP) efforts to support new and veteran day school teachers in Jewish and general studies. JNTP, a division of the internationally recognized New Teacher Center, has worked with more than 1,350 new educators across North America, helping close to 200 schools achieve teaching excellence by utilizing the New Teacher Center’s proven model of new teacher support to dramatically improve new teacher effectiveness, teacher retention and school culture. JNTP-trained mentors—574 in total—support new teachers through weekly meetings, classroom observations, and by using data to inform instruction. More than 20,000 students per year have a teacher trained by JNTP. And now more than ever, JNTP’s efforts reflect a holistic approach, with resources, webinars, and communities of support that focus both on teaching strategies and approaches and on teachers’ wellbeing and mental health.

As more teachers were trained, both as mentors and as beginning teachers…the schools themselves, as a whole, were lifted and transformed into more thoughtful, collaborative, purposeful, and ethical workplaces and learning institutions.
– Rabbi Dr. Steven Lorch, Head of School, Kadima Day School; Los Angeles, CA

JNTP shifted rapidly to meet the needs of this unprecedented moment—and is positioned for myriad scenarios moving forward. JNTP Virtual Mentors can support teachers in any day school across the country and JNTP’s program team has reworked its in-person content for digital platforms that include both synchronous and asynchronous work.

Regardless of the delivery method, JNTP’s resources and best practices are based on almost 20 years of experience and evidence-based insights. Its community and school partnerships have long-term, whole-school impact that build capacity and elevate the entire day school field. In the past five years, 86% of all new teachers supported by JNTP-trained mentors are still in the field of Jewish education. The demand for JNTP’s efforts remains high: JNTP is partnering with 63 schools in 13 states plus Washington, D.C. to train 94 veteran teacher mentors to support 121 beginning teachers through their first two years in the profession. In addition, we are coaching 31 early-career administrators in 25 schools as part of our Administrator Support Program Programs at this time.

JNTP’s model was adapted from the New Teacher Center in Santa Cruz, California, which trains veteran teachers to provide two years of intensive mentoring to support new teachers in public schools across the country. JNTP’s efforts elevate teaching and learning in the world of Jewish education and enable schools to have more effective educators and school leaders positioned to help every student meet their potential.

(bottom photo courtesy of Chana Tzirel Fox)

The Jim Joseph Foundation is a supporter of JNTP.