With a little creativity, it is relatively easy to incorporate MI into the Jewish Studies classroom. But how can you use MI when teaching text (Tanakh, Mishna, Gemara, etc.)? The trick is to use the MI formula.

TEXT + THEME + CREATIVITY = MI PROJECT

Here are the steps you should take:

  1. Section off the text (chapters and verses if Tanakh).
  2. Review the text and pick the themes (lessons, morals) you want to highlight in class.
  3. Match a theme to the section of the text.
  4. Once you have a text and a theme, think about ways different students can approach the topic. Again, the various intelligences are:
    1. Verbal-Linguistic— aptitude for words and language
    2. Logical-Mathematical—aptitude with numbers and patterns, along with a capacity for inductive and deductive reasoning, and, abstract thinking
    3. Visual-Spatial—ability to visualize objects and imagine shapes and pictures
    4. Bodily-Kinesthetic–self-knowledge of the body and its abilities
    5. Musical—ability to identify vocal and musical patterns and sounds, with a sensitivity to rhythms and beats
    6. Interpersonal—ability to relate and communicate on a person-to-person level
    7. Intrapersonal—capacity for self-reflection and awareness
    8. Natural –ability to identify and categorize environmental elements
  5. Create projects that will highlight the intelligences.
  6. Write out guidelines for MI projects. Outline various tasks for group members (older students can decide this themselves) i.e. group leader, pasuk writer, interviewer, builder, sketcher, etc. Describe what you want students to do. Some ideas are: copying out the pesukim (verses) related to the project (this ensures careful reading of the text and commentary); analysis of different themes; classroom presentations/exhibits.
  7. Have groups choose a project.
  8. Research is done during class. Depending on the subject, projects can be prepared in 1-3 classes; a presentation always follows. The more in-depth you’d like the students’ projects to be, the more time you must allow them to work. Allowing sufficient preparation time empowers the student with full knowledge of the subject, and provides confidence for his presentation.
  9. Assist during class time with research, delineating responsibility, and clarifying assignments. You are the Group Leader, Advisor and Resource. Encourage the students to turn to you for help in finding more information, touching up projects, and solving group conflicts.
  10. Where can you find useful resources? Google Images (http://www.google.com/images) is a must. Narrow keywords to your subject and provide artwork, sculptures, and archaeological artifacts when relevant. Wikipedia (http://www.wikipedia.org/) is also valuable – but double check resources – because of the opensource nature of Wikipedia, you cannot rely on it without doing some fact checking. Mechon Mamre (http://www.mechon-mamre.org/) has an English-Hebrew Tanakh.