Over the years, Barkai Yeshivah has established itself as a school with a learning environment that simply bursts with excitement, creativity, warmth and happiness. Recently, the Barkai PTA packed all this energy into the annual Literacy Day event. Opening its doors to the community, the PTA transformed nearly every classroom into an action-packed learning zone. Children were encouraged to read, write and explore the possibilities of storytelling and narrative, across all fields of study.
On the first floor, parent and teacher volunteers read carefully selected books aloud to scores of children. After listening to the stories, each child solidified his/her reading experience by translating it into hands-on projects. From making edible books to creating drums, crowns, puppets and jam, students had plenty of opportunities to express themselves and play with tools of creativity. Racing from room to room, trying to pack in as many activities as possible, most of the children didnt even realize that they were learning!
But read-a-louds and projects were only the beginning. One large room was dedicated to a live animal show where handlers allowed children to touch and learn about creatures from around the world. Sing-a-louds and professional storytellers were also on hand to engage and inspire the children. There was even a childrens book author who dropped by to visit! After reading his book to the children, he encouraged students to create their own unique narratives!
Raising creative awareness was another goal of the workshops open to older children. An ongoing origami workshop, led by Ezra Dweck, allowed groups of children to participate in creative project making throughout the day. Dance workshops, led by Barkai mothers, Shirley Catton, Dina Kraiem and Lynda Levy, inspired the girls to express themselves through music and movement. A professional illustrator was on hand to lead children in cartoon making workshops and Mad Science allowed kids to explore the power of air pressure!
Professional musician Danny Shatskes led a music making workshop, and actress/humorist Gail Cohen helped students tap into their inner divas! The cupcake decorating workshops with Margalit Dweck and Melissa Soffer were so popular we had to turn people away at the door! The final workshop of the day drew such a large crowd we had to clear a space in the main lobby to accommodate all those who wanted to learn about catching and filleting a fish from Abie Mizrachi! It was a real sight to see!
Since all the workshops were run by experts in their respective fields, children were encouraged to dream big and think of ways they would like to express themselves. Before the event, Barkai students were encouraged to participate in a poetry contest based on the days theme of once upon a time, and dozens of children voluntarily took pen to paper to create unique narratives. Congratulations to all the poetry contest winners!
To top off the day, there were raffle prizes, a book fair for newly inspired readers, lunch and snacks, and a reading hunt that kept even the youngest children running from floor to floor hoping to solve their reading clues.
The day was such a great success that the committee has already begun thinking of ways to expand the next Literacy Day. Its sure to be even more spectacular!
