Experiential learning refers to hands-on experience you obtain by applying theoretical knowledge in a real-world setting. We call it learning outside the classroom! At King David, students have the opportunity to visit museums, as well as travel to Israel, Los Angeles, and Montreal to see historical sites and experience different cultures which make classroom learning come alive.
The support of the Jewish Federation’s Gesher Chai program is invaluable as we strive to nurture a love for the richness of our Jewish heritage and a strong connection to Israel within all of our students. Living Jewishly within the walls of our school and out in our community reinforces the Jewish values ingrained in all our learning and actions. However, the greatest impact has been through the students’ personal experiences with their Israeli peers on the school trips to Israel.
The trip to Los Angeles complements and deepens the knowledge acquired in the classroom. While living Jewishly within the walls of our school and out in our community reinforces the Jewish values ingrained in all our learning and actions, this trip provides students with the opportunity to explore life in a large, vibrant Jewish community. Amongst other activities, students visit the Museum of Tolerance and the Museum of the Holocaust as an extension of the Jewish Studies curriculum. The trip also offers students the experience of a traditional Shabbat with an observant family and to immerse themselves in a community where kosher restaurants are plentiful and many families are observant. The exposure to this vibrant Jewish community in Los Angeles not only extends and reinforces the students’ classroom learning, it allows them to build connections with other Jewish communities and to gather ideas of the type of community and programming that they can build locally.
King David generally kicks off the academic year with a school outdoor adventure retreat, for students and staff. The retreat has taken place at Keats Camp for the many years, and the array of activities – archery, hiking, high and low ropes, canoeing and orienteering – provide opportunities for students to bond with their peers, students in other grades and the staff, while taking risks and building resiliency and character.
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