Connection is the Key

Every time I attend a sleepover, I quietly leave before anyone wakes up to volunteer as an assistant Hebrew school teacher. My friends always ask, “Do you have to go?” The truth is, I don’t—but I wouldn’t want to miss it. Teaching has become one of the most rewarding experiences in my life and I find deep fulfillment in working with my students. Unlike a typical job, I was never formally trained on how to support the children in my class or how to handle different situations. However, the TAP program has equipped me with valuable skills that allow me to identify and assist students who need extra help, transforming how I approach my role.

Last year, I worked with older students, including those with learning and physical disabilities, and I often felt unsure about how to best support them. This year, I teach much younger students, who are often more intense than my fifth graders. Thanks to TAP, I have developed a deeper understanding of how to manage different challenges in the classroom. I frequently take walks with my students or sit with them on a bench, listening to their concerns. These small moments of connection have helped students open up to me, allowing me to offer encouragement and support. One powerful experience involved a sensitive student who was in tears after another classmate was unkind to him. Instead of assuming why he was upset, I applied what I learned in TAP—that all behavior is communication. I took him outside to talk, and he confided in me that his real frustration stemmed from his brother spending more time with their aunt than he would. This experience reinforced the importance of understanding the emotions beneath a child’s behavior.

Beyond learning how to recognize behavioral communication, TAP has also taught me how to identify disabilities, understand blindness and visual impairments, and recognize how supporting disabilities is an important Jewish practice. These lessons have shaped the way I interact with my students, helping me create a space where they feel heard and valued. The impact of my training was clear when I arrived late to class one day—my third graders immediately ran to hug me, even the boys who usually pretend to dislike me. Their excitement reinforced how much my presence matters to them and showed me that the time I spend listening, guiding, and supporting them has helped build trust.

The TAP program has shaped not only my role as a classroom assistant but also my interactions beyond the classroom, especially in my unified gym class, where I work with children with special needs. The skills I’ve gained will stay with me far beyond this program, helping me develop deeper relationships with students and ensuring that I create environments where they feel understood and supported. Whether I continue working in a classroom, a gym, or another space, I know that the lessons I’ve learned will continue to make a meaningful difference in how I support and uplift the students I work with.