New Course Will Teach “The Art of Kriah”

A new course by Hamesorah Academy will train teachers and tutors in effective strategies for achieving successful Kriah with students of all ages.

Kriah. The cornerstone of Jewish education. The key to entering the world of Torah from a possuk of Chumash to its deepest secrets.

Being the foundation of Yiddishkeit, the importance of it being done right can’t be understated.

Every educator involved in younger grades will grapple with this concern: Will I succeed in giving all my students a fluent reading, or will they struggle with Kriah through their years of Elementary and beyond?

It is likewise a concern of every parent: Will my child be able to pick up a sefer and read? Will they be able to learn and daven without struggling to decipher the words?

Of added concern is the realization that some children with good Kriah skills at the end of Pre-1-A, struggle with reading Chumash years later. Is there a solution for this?

“HaMesorah” was created with this in mind. An academy for educators, HaMesorah trains teachers in the art of Kriah using tried-and-tested tools to effectively teach a generation of accurate and fluent readers.

Director of HaMesorah, Rabbi Avrohom Schtroks, who has taught successful Kriah to hundreds of students, and whose methods are used by many successful Kriah teachers, shared what motivated him to start this:

“There are sadly many students who go through school with unresolved Kriah issues. Most often, this is a result of poor learning and upkeep. With the right approach, these issues can be resolved.”

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HaMesorah is now running a course for newcomers to the profession of teaching Kriah, to provide them with the tools and confidence to teach strong readers.

Besides communicating the underlying theory and core concepts of teaching Kriah, the course will focus on the specific methodology, how to set up the class for optimum success, and how to ensure every child reaches their full potential.

The course is comprised of two parts:

1 – An all-day intensive from 10 am–5 pm.

Men – Sunday Parshas Eikev – Yud Zayin Av

Women – Sunday Parshas Reay Chof Daled Av

The course is available in person in Crown Heights and remotely via Zoom.

2 – A monthly Zoom class throughout the year with practical applications and tips.

For more details and registration visit HaMesorah.org/academy.

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HaMesorah also provides workshops for educators in older grades seeking to help their students retain and grow in their reading.

This workshop is also valuable for parents who wish to help their children improve their reading.

For bookings, visit HaMesorah.org/workshop.

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The Rebbe writes in a letter (Igros Kodesh, Vol. 26, p. 234)

“When we think into Chazal’s statement that ‘Hashem consulted the Torah and created the world,’ and ‘Its ways are pleasant ways,’ it becomes clear that if only the method of teaching Alef-Beis according to Torah’s instructions was used properly there’d be success not only in matters of holiness which are related to that approach, but simply in the very learning and progress of the child.

“We’ve seen from experience, that the teachers who became adept in the knowledge of the means and the methods of teaching beginners Kria realized that only teaching by this approach is the most successful… Of course, there needs to be training on how to use this approach.”

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HaMesorah is in the process of creating an extensive resource center, where educators and parents can find various Kriah curriculums along with Kriah crafts and activities.

For more information, visit Hamesorah.org.