by Michael Eisman, Tiferet Bet Israel Something that I have learned about people with disabilities is…that patience is very important. In listening to the different speakers that we have had the opportunity to learn from this year, is that people with disabilities do not always realize they might be doing something that is not appropriate in the view of today’s society. Trying to explain the difference of what may be socially acceptable and ask the child to stop doing something often takes time. Patience is key to ensure a positive relationship, as a caregiver, often you may need to repeat [...]

by Evie Eisenstein, Old York Road Temple-Beth Am For the past year, I have been studying and learning how to help kids with special needs both physically, intellectually, and behaviorally through the TAP program. This encompasses class room management, how to keep kids engaged, how to better their learning experience, and so much more. I then took what I was learning and translated it into my classroom, where I was a Madricha at my synagogue on Sunday mornings. In doing this, I was able to adopt some of the strategies I was learning and implement them into my classroom. Along [...]

by Lucas Bennett, Beth Israel of Media Over the last year, I have learned incredibly valuable skills through my experience with the TAP Program. Through various exposures and learning opportunities with this fun and educational group, I have learned so much about how to work with children--in classroom and real world settings--who may have physical, intellectual, or behavioral challenges in their lives. My understanding on various issues and styles of learning has increased dramatically, as I was able to leave with ideas and a new mindset about how to increase the educational experience of the children who I work with. [...]