Courtney Conner carries her love for teaching young children to the Reform synagogue she grew up attending.
A lifelong member of Congregation Or Chadash, Conner teaches Judaics to preschool and kindergarten students in the temple’s religious school.
On weekdays she also teaches, as an art specialist at Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School. Conner leads JDS’ 368 Lower School students in meaningful art projects. The Germantown resident is also nationally certified to teach dance.
Tell me about your Jewish upbringing and background.
I grew up at Congregation Or Chadash in Damascus. I went through their religious school, I was there when we got the building, when we got our new rabbi, [Rabbi Alison Kobey]. I went to Torah study; I was super involved with youth groups growing up and now I teach religious school on Sundays. It’s fun to see the synagogue grow and change over time.
I grew up in Germantown [and stayed in the area because] I’m really close with my family. I also teach at my mom’s dance studio, so that keeps my roots in Germantown.
Was it important to you to pursue a career in Jewish education specifically?
I actually started with a degree in art history and tried to pursue that for a while, and because I’ve been teaching dance my whole life, I kept falling into teaching-related positions in art history. Then, after the pandemic, [my husband], Sam, got a job at JDS to be a proctor and he said I would really love it here. I started as an assistant’s assistant and I just love this community. Then I became a long-term [substitute], then a kindergarten assistant for a couple of years, and now I get to be an art teacher.
What do you enjoy about working in Jewish education?
It’s really nice. I don’t always get to do Jewish projects because I try to [bring] diversity of different artists and cultures. But, our curriculum is very integrated. For the fourth grade Havdalah project, they make art in here with me, and I just really like enriching their Jewish experience. They have pieces from their childhood now that they can keep forever, tied to specific holidays. It’s nice to stay connected myself, like [I] participate in Kabbalat Shabbat with them. It’s nice to work here because everyone understands what it’s like to be an American Jew.
What has teaching taught you about yourself?
I always like to be busy, and being a teacher solidifies that. I can manage more time than I ever thought I could with the pressure of teaching all day long, all these different classes and grades, so I’m more capable than I thought I was, and I get better at teaching along the way.
Tell me about teaching Judaics at Or Chadash.
Right now, I’m teaching the kindergarten and pre-K class. We’re going through the alphabet and the holidays, working our way through the Torah and all the main figures, lots of art projects, getting them accustomed to understanding that [Hebrew] is our special language and the Torah is our special book and that’s what brings us together.
Because they’re so little, everything’s an art project because they can’t really read or write yet, so we’ll sometimes do coloring sheets or paint or use Play-Doh to form the [Hebrew] letters. We sing songs and recently made little suncatchers. I have plans to make Judaica they can keep in the house. I think it’s hilarious whenever it’s Shabbat and my mom brings out my 1996 challah cover. As [my students] grow up, they can remember, “I made that in kindergarten,” and their mom or dad or grandma will keep it forever. It’s a fun way to give meaning to the lessons.
What’s been your proudest achievement so far?
I think it was a really big transition going from a kindergarten assistant teacher to a full independent art teacher in charge of seven grades and seeing every kid in the building. I take it very seriously that I come in contact with every kid at the Lower School by the end of the week. I’m pretty proud of myself for knowing all their names. I’m proud of myself for transitioning from being an assistant to full time and everything that comes with planning and parents and events.
What are your upcoming goals?
I always try to work smarter, not harder. I have been trying to take a step back and look at the art room and the art routine initiative for all of the grades that come in here, trying to make art a more intuitive process for the 45 minutes I have them.
