Gesher Yehuda Preparing Our Children for a Lifetime of Success

The world of education has come a long way. Today, schools are more advanced than ever before, yet many parents find themselves struggling with questions such as which school is best for their children. We asked Mrs. Vivian Stok, the devoted principal of Gesher Yehuda, for close to 20 years, to answer some questions frequently asked by parents who must choose which school environment will best service their child.

We are very concerned about our child’s social and academic progress.  He is extremely unhappy and something is preventing him from learning the way he should.   What should we be considering at this point? Leaving him in the mainstream school or placing him/her in a more specialized setting?
Many parents struggle with this decision. The goal of a child’s school years is to make him/her into an educated and emotionally stable young adult who can function well in society. A healthy self-esteem is crucial to accomplishing this goal. Putting overwhelming pressure on a child who cannot perform can be very damaging to his growth. Parents who are concerned about their child’s progress whether socially, academically or both should consider having him evaluated by a competent professional who will pinpoint what is impeding his advancement. If something is preventing the child from reaching this goal, parents should strongly consider whether their child needs a different setting in which to learn, grow and develop his confidence.

Can you describe a self-contained class in Gesher Yehuda?
Each of our classes has approximately 10 students, a certified special education teacher and one or two full time assistant teachers plus additional staff for reading and math. Our classrooms provide a language rich environment and we focus on underlying foundation skills. Some examples of foundation skills planning, organizing, breaking down tasks, etc. Reading and math are carefully individualized to maximize each child’s mastery of these subjects. The key to the success of our self-contained classes is that students are taught in small groups where mainstream curriculum is modified to meet the learning styles of each student.

What is the difference between a small class and a self-contained class?
In a small class setting, the same curriculum is taught with fewer students as opposed to a self-contained class that modifies the curriculum based on the needs of each student.  Students that have difficulty learning in a large group setting because of specific deficits will not necessarily learn better in a small class setting. To clarify, the success of a self-contained class lies not so much in the size of the class but in the individualized curriculum designed for each student.

What subjects are taught in Gesher Yehuda?
We offer a wide array of subjects. Reading, math, writing, grammar, science, social studies, spelling and current events are taught in our secular studies department. Kriah, Chumash, Mishnayot, Gemara and Hebrew language, grammar and writing are taught in our Hebrew studies department. We teach the students to pray in the Sephardic tradition with minyan services twice a day. There is a top notch social skills training program as well as a physical education program. We use mainstream textbooks and supplement them with specialized programs when needed. We place great emphasis on comprehension, abstract thinking, problem solving, note taking and making inferences.  In short, Gesher’s students learn a whole lot!

If Gesher teaches the same subjects as a mainstream school, how is it different?
The difference lies in how our teachers teach. For instance, a second grade teacher in a regular second grade class teaches an established curriculum. A second grade teacher in Gesher Yehuda will modify the curriculum for each, individual child. A perfect illustration of this is, currently, our 2nd grade class has four small groups for reading, each group is learning on its own level.

What happens if my child progresses faster than the kids in his reading group?
Gesher employs three educational supervisors who work tirelessly to establish curriculum and monitor each child’s progress to insure that all the students progress as quickly as they are able.  Teachers are in daily contact with their supervisors. The supervisors themselves will observe, test and teach the students in order to keep a watchful eye on every student so that no one falls through the cracks.  No student is ever held back from achieving their potential because of other students in the class.

Why would I send  my child to a self-contained classroom when he might “make it” in a mainstream school?
The following story will probably give you a clear answer to this question. Mrs. Levi* came to us for an evaluation for her son, Joseph*, who at the time was going into kindergarten. Based on our evaluation, Joseph definitely needed to be in a special education setting and was immediately accepted into Gesher.  Mrs. Levi was optimistic that he would be fine going mainstream and of course, the decision was hers to make. Three years later, when Joseph was in 3rd grade, Mrs. Levi came back to us to seek our advice. Her son was doing very poorly in school and his self-esteem had taken a tremendous blow. Was there anything we could suggest? Unfortunately, after a re-evaluation, Joseph’s reading and language foundations were too poor for him to be eligible for acceptance to Gesher.

Children who are sent to us earlier, have the advantage of learning in a language rich and supportive environment which enables them to master basic skills and prepares them for the difficult demands of the older grades. So, your child may make it through kindergarten in a mainstream school  but if he doesn’t make it through 1st grade he will have lost out on a vital year.

If I send my child to kindergarten in a special education school, will he have to be in special education for the rest of his school years?
No, not necessarily. Many of our students have successfully transitioned to mainstream schools at different points of their elementary school experience. Our staff will notify parents if and when they feel a child is ready for a mainstream setting.

If I send my child to a self-contained elementary school, what happens when he is ready to join a regular class?
Our staff will notify the parents and a plan to ensure a smooth transition for the child will be carefully designed.  The child will usually be  mainstreamed the following year.

What types of children attend Gesher Yehuda?
Presently, Gesher has a fantastic, awesome group of community kids. We service children who need extra attention or experience difficulty learning in large groups. Some of our students are learning disabled, have difficulty learning how to read, have been diagnosed with ADD/ADHD, have weaknesses in executive functioning or have visual or auditory processing disorders. To clarify, our students struggle in mainstream school settings but attend regular summer camps. We service all of these children and attend to each one’s individual needs.

Is Gesher an affiliate of another school?
Gesher Yehuda is not affiliated with any other school. We are an independent institution and when mainstream is applicable, we will work together with the school of your choice to transition your child in the most efficient manner.

Does Gesher offer extracurricular activities?
Throughout the year we offer a variety of wonderful extra programs which serve to build our students’ confidence levels and abilities to an even greater degree. We have inter- and intra-school leagues, a girls club, school fairs, carnivals, field trips and school-wide midot and hesed programs. The students love to take part in these programs and gain a tremendous amount of satisfaction from these experiences.

How do you help students gain self-confidence?
We believe that self-confidence develops when a child feels successful, accomplished and comfortable with himself. Within the warm, nurturing environment that we provide, each of our students is encouraged to grow to his/her maximum potential based on individual strengths with the support of teachers and staff who demonstrate the belief in each student’s ability to succeed.

Can you offer personal accounts of how your students feel about their school?
One indication of the sense of connectedness and warmth our students feel toward Gesher is the amount of visits we get from post-graduates. We love when our former students come back to visit the teachers, therapists and staff who invested in their success, and to share what’s going on in their lives. We are proud that they are pursuing college degrees, learning in Israel and working in careers of their choice.

The stories from parents about their children who struggled and are now highly functioning, happy young adults warm our hearts. Recently, one mom told us that her child had been the weakest in his class and suffered terribly from poor self-esteem. He came to Gesher and the transformation he has undergone since is simply amazing.

Our students themselves say it best. To quote a 3rd grade Gesher student, “In my school, they teach me how to learn.” We are so fortunate to have so much positive feedback.

At Gesher Yehuda, children are prepared for a lifetime of success. Thank G-d, we are able to offer our students the tools and skills they need to develop and grow into the best people they can be. It is we who are so grateful for the opportunity to assist children in becoming successful, happy young adults. It is important to remember that placing a child into an educational setting where he can thrive will ultimately lead to producing a well rounded individual with healthy self esteem. There is no greater satisfaction than seeing children succeed.