Special Day of Study at Davis Academy
Davis Academy students in grades five through eight were immersed in a unique half-day program last week. The frame of tikkun olam was applied to the experience of voice and choice as exercised in the recent presidential election process.
Students learned the importance of voting in the world and how that relates to building empathy and inspiring action through sessions on the concepts of campaigning; controversial issues; voting accessibility; the psychology of motivation; polling; the role of social media; and more.
As they explored the ideas that they are members of a larger world community – that equality and oppression are still at odds in the world today, and that informed choice (a Reform Jewish value) can help us be good secular citizens – students were asked to consider what issues they deemed important, where inequality exists in the world, and how being a Reform Jew informs everyday life.
As the morning progressed, student groups were encouraged to creatively summarize their learning in a special “jigsaw” newspaper/Talmud commentary format. Then, appropriately exercising their right to choose, they voted on the winning entries.
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