Three women teachers of Talmud and Rabbinics in Jewish non-Orthodox day high schools: Their stories and experiences

It is critical to have a window into the thoughts, perceptions, beliefs and experiences of women teachers of Talmud and Rabbinics to better understand how they view their work. Only with a deeper awareness of their experiences are we able to foster curricular change, develop school reform, or deepen professional development. Only with a better understanding of their beliefs and thoughts are we able to begin to grasp the experiences of women teaching a text that has traditionally silenced women's voices and experiences.; In this study, I set out to capture the stories and experiences of women teachers of Talmud and Rabbinics, all ordained rabbis, in their own voices. I was guided by four general research questions: How do women teachers of Talmud and Rabbinics in Jewish non-Orthodox day high schools report their experiences of teaching their students? How do they report their experiences of teaching in a Talmud classroom? How do they report their experiences working in their school communities? How do they perceive their roles as Jewish educators in the wider field of Jewish education?; Qualitative interviews provide us with the opportunities to develop sensitivity to teachers' thinking and questioning, all the while engaging in a method that preserves their voices. Through their own voices, we are able to begin to see how teachers view their classroom experiences. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)...