Join expert facilitators from the Shefa Center for a five-part webinar series designed to help educators better understand and support students with diverse learning needs.
The Shefa Center is a resource for educators and leaders in Jewish day schools who want to expand their school’s capacity to educate diverse learners. Through practical, research-based sessions, participants will gain strategies they can use immediately to strengthen instruction, support student success, and create more inclusive learning environments.
Teachers may register for the full series or choose individual workshops that match their interests.
- Date: Monthly sessions beginning September 17, 2026
- Time: 8:30 to 10:00 AM
- Location: Virtual on Zoom
- Cost: $18 per workshop or $54 for the full five-part series
Expand each session to view session descriptions and dates
Session 1: Unpacking Learning Differences: Understanding Diverse Learning Needs and Planning Instruction to Support Every Learner
September 17, 2026, 8:30-10:00 a.m.
Danielle Morris, Shefa Center Consultant and Assistant Director of Teaching and Learning at the Shefa School
Many educators receive limited formal training on learning disabilities despite teaching students with learning differences and challenges every day. This introductory session provides teachers with a foundational understanding of the most common learning disabilities, how they affect learning and behavior in the classroom, and evidence-based strategies that support student success. A special focus will be on addressing the needs of students who struggle with reading, the most prevalent learning disability that accounts for the majority of all specific learning disability diagnoses. Participants will leave with practical classroom approaches that can be implemented immediately across grade levels and content areas.
Session 2: Strengthening Your Practice: Using Explicit Instruction to Support All Learners
October 15, 2026, 8:30-10:00 a.m.
Jennifer Gensior, Shefa Center Consultant and Director of Middle School Curriculum at the Shefa School
Discover how Explicit Instruction can transform student learning and engagement. In this practical, research-based 90-minute workshop, educators will explore the core principles of explicit instruction and why it is one of the most effective approaches for teaching new and complex skills and knowledge. Participants will learn how to set clear learning goals, break content into manageable chunks, model thinking and processes, provide meaningful guided practice, and use effective checks for understanding to maximize student success. Through classroom examples and hands-on reflection, teachers will leave with actionable strategies they can immediately implement to improve learning outcomes for all students, including those who struggle academically or have learning differences.
Session 3: Engaging All Students: What is ADHD and How to Support Students With and Without It
November 12, 2026, 8:30-10:00 a.m.
Dr. Yoni Schwab, Assistant Head, Shefa School
Lately, it seems that there is a proliferation of children (and adults) who are struggling with attention, organization, time management, and self-regulation. Why do kids (and adults) with ADHD act the way they do, and what can we learn from them to help everyone succeed? This workshop will help you get into the head of someone with ADHD using a simple theory based on neuroscience that explains many of the challenges and strengths that come with ADHD and executive dysfunction. Using that understanding as a guide, we will explore practical approaches to managing the difficulties associated with ADHD in the classroom that can enable ALL students to succeed, not just those with ADHD.
Session 4: Building Independent Learners: Executive Functioning and Effective Study Skills
December 10, 2026, 8:30-10:00 a.m.
Rita Tobias, Speech Language Pathologist, Shefa Middle School
Join an experienced Speech-Language Pathologist for this engaging 90-minute webinar designed for K–12 educators. Participants will develop a deeper understanding of executive functioning skills, and the demands they place on everyday school tasks such as note-taking, writing, project completion, and test preparation. Through classroom-based examples and current research, attendees will explore how challenges with planning, organization, time management, working memory, self-monitoring, and attention can affect academic performance across grade levels. The session will highlight how executive functioning skills directly affect students’ ability to study for and take tests. Educators will leave with practical, actionable strategies to strengthen and build executive functioning skills and improve outcomes for all students, including those with learning disabilities, ADHD, and other learning challenges.
Session 5: Teaching Children in the Age of Anxiety: Recognizing Signs and Supporting Student Well-Being
January 14, 2027, 8:30-10:00 a.m.
Dr. Yoni Schwab, Assistant Head, Shefa School
Kids and adults seem more anxious, avoidant and stressed out than ever. How did we get here? (Spoiler alert: It’s not because our world is scarier than it used to be.) Starting with a basic scientific understanding of how anxiety develops and functions, we will explore how to foster our students’ tolerance for uncertainty and ability to face their fears so that they can thrive in school and live confident, happy lives.