Call for Courses 2012
Call for Course Proposals for NHC Summer Institute 2012
As the co-chairs of the National Havurah Committee Summer Institute 2012 Course Committee, we are delighted to invite you to submit a course proposal for the 2012 Summer Institute. Next summer may seem far away, but Institute planning is already underway. The NHC Institute will be returning to Franklin Pierce University in Rindge, New Hampshire, August 6-12, 2012.
We welcome proposals on all topics relevant to our community, including proposals for all levels of students from newcomers to intermediate- and advanced-text study, as well as artistic or experiential courses. The theme of the 2012 Summer Institute is V'samtem et d'varai eileh al l'vavchem-- And You Shall Set These Words of Mine Upon Your Heart.(Deut. 11:18). It is from Parshat Eikev, the parsha for the 2012 Institute week. Course proposals may wish to speak to or draw upon this theme.
What are NHC Institute courses like?
Teaching and learning at the NHC Institute are participatory and collaborative. In a given course, students may range from Jewish novices to Jewish professionals -- every teacher is also a student in another course. Our classrooms model the values of inclusivity and egalitarianism that shape the havurah world. We encourage text study, especially in hevruta (study partnerships). We welcome courses that use non-traditional and creative modes of learning, and discourage teachers from using exclusively frontal methods of teaching. Courses usually meet for four 90-minute sessions.
What kinds of courses do we look for?
The Course Committee balances many considerations in its selection process. We seek teachers with years of havurah teaching experience, as well as experienced teachers who are relatively new to the NHC or the havurah world. We want our teachers to represent the diversity of our Havurah Institute community. In addition to courses that reflect the Institute theme, Institute courses usually fall into one or more of the following categories:
- arts and literature
- spirituality and religious life
- text study for everyone
- intermediate text study
- advanced text study
- suited for families
Distribution of course topics is only one selection criterion, although participants generally expect most of these categories to be represented. All courses at the NHC Summer Institute are open to both men and women, and to people espousing any ideology. Teachers should expect a diverse group of students with differing viewpoints, and should be open to lively discussion in an environment that promotes openness and mutual respect. Entrance to particular courses can only be limited by skill level or preparation – for example, a course description can require Hebrew reading skills, previous experience studying Jewish texts, or the ability to read music.
We encourage you to propose topics that you have found to be of special interest in your local havurot, minyanim, or other learning contexts. Proposals to teach specific skills (i.e., reading from the Torah) are generally offered as workshops, not Institute courses. As a guide, you may wish to view the courses offered at last year's Institute. You can also request to have a conversation with a member of the course committee by emailing courses@havurah.org.
How long are Institute courses?
While most courses will meet for four 90-minute sessions, the Course Committee will consider proposals for courses that will meet in an extended format of four 2½-hour sessions, occupying the adjacent morning or afternoon workshop time. This more intensive format may be appropriate for courses that seek to build skills in a short period of time, courses that could benefit from more extended hevruta study, or courses culminating in a community performance. If you wish your proposal(s) to be considered for this format, please indicate this and explain this when you complete the course submission form; we also need to know whether and how you would teach the course in the regular format.
How do I submit a course proposal? When is it due?
Please download the course proposal form. Rename the file to include your last name and first initial, i.e. NHC2012CourseProposal_LEVIN_Y.docx if your name is Yael Levin). Click the shaded areas to fill out the form. Email your completed form to courses@havurah.org. Please put NHC Course Proposal 2012 in the subject line.
We (a human, not an automated message) will send you a confirmation message when we receive your form. So give us a day. If you don't hear from us with in a day or two, please email us as a reminder. If you still don't hear from us, contact the NHC office.
Proposals are due by Sunday, November 13, 2011 at 11:59 P.M. EST. This deadline is firm and will not be extended. Proposals received after this date will not be considered.
If you don’t have Internet access, request a paper form from the NHC office, and return or fax it with ample time so the office staff can enter it online for you.
You may submit up to two course proposals for consideration. If you've taught at three consecutive Institutes, we ask that you take a year off before submitting a proposal again.
Please contact us by email at courses@havurah.org if you would like to discuss a specific course idea or have questions about submitting your proposal online. Thanks for submitting your course proposal as soon as you can.
When will I be notified if my course was accepted?
The Course Committee will notify you of the status of your proposal by December 15, 2011. Teachers of accepted courses will be asked at that time to confirm their participation in the Summer 2012 Institute. Should your class not fit into this year's mix, we may suggest that you resubmit the course for a future Institute, or offer a scaled-down version as a workshop. We welcome your suggestions and appreciate your understanding that not all proposed courses can fit into a given year's program. In recent years, we have received nearly two proposals for every one course we can accept.
If my course is accepted, do I have to pay to come to the Institute?
The NHC offers the teacher for each accepted course a credit for free tuition, room, and board and program admissions to the Institute. (This credit is shared among all presenters of a course if it is team-taught.) NHC membership dues are required of all registrants, including teachers. Single-room supplements, extra fees for special services, and travel costs to and from Franklin Pierce University are the responsibility of the registrant.
If you and another person are proposing to co-teach a course, please submit a single online course proposal with the information for both teachers. Co-teachers are each compensated for half of Institute fees. If you are submitting more than one course proposal, please complete the online form for each course you are submitting.
At the NHC Summer Institute, every student is a teacher and every teacher is a student. As a teacher, you can plan to participate fully in Institute activities when you're not teaching, including taking another course as a student, and you can expect to learn valuable insights from your students.
We look forward to reading your proposals!
Sincerely,
Laura Bellows and Mark Frydenberg
Course Committee Co-Chairs
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