Shifting the Paradigm. Together. Again!
5th Annual Paradigm Project Conference, May 5-7, 2019
​Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning and Leadership, Chicago, IL 


Once again we will gather together to #shifttheparadigm in Jewish early childhood education. Are you ready to make a difference? Do you contribute your heart, your energy, and your time to #makingshifthappen? If so, we need you with us in 2019!

We have begun a 3-year conference arc in which we focus on the Educator (2018), the Family (2019), and the Child (2020). This year, as we explore the role of the family in our schools and communities, we will focus on the family system in all its modern varieties, and the role of schools and educators in relating deeply to families. As always we will hear from educators who can share exemplary documentation of their work, co-explore hands-on ways to engage and educate children and families, and this year we will hear from researchers and select practitioners outside the ECE space who can inspire and deepen our work and our communal resolve.
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​Some of the questions on our minds this year:
  • A Pedagogy of Listening to Families: Who are our families today? What are their needs, dreams, and challenges? How do we know? What is the role of our schools in supporting them?
  • Intergenerational Engagement/L'dor va'dor: How might we bring generations together through intentional, creative experiences for the mutual benefit of all generations?
  • The Jewish Lens: How do we use photographs to engage children in discussion? Documentation of a year's exploration. What are the possibilities for families?
  • Atelier: What does it mean and look like as an organizing principle for schools? What might this mean from a Jewish perspective? How does the family engage in these spaces?
As always:
  • How do we #MakeShiftHappen in our schools and communities?
  • What does excellence look like across the curriculum and across the country?
  • How do we express Jewish ideals in the everyday life of our schools?
  • How do we document and share our work?
  • YOUR registration (and your prior feedback) guides the organization of the conference. After you register, look for a feedback survey in your email so that we can focus on your burning questions, wonderings, and suggestions!

​We are incredibly excited to announce two of our speakers for this year's conference:

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​Wendy Mogel
The author of the preeminent modern parenting book The Blessing of a Skinned Knee will illuminate the challenges facing families today and offer practical advice that we can all offer to our families.
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Bruce Feiler
Having set out on a three-year journey to find the smartest ideas, cutting-edge research, and novel solutions for family life, the author delivers a fun, completely original look at how families can draw closer together. ​​
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We are excited to be in CHICAGO this year! We are offering single and double rooms at 2 hotels within walking distance of the Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning and Leadership.
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BW Grant Park Hotel: 1100 S Michigan Avenue, Chicago 
 (7-minute walk to Spertus)      
                               
Silversmith Hotel: 10 S Wabash Avenue, Chicago
​(13-minute walk to Spertus)

See and feel the energy of a Paradigm Project Conference:

This conference is all about multiplying the seeds of excellence in Jewish education and therefore it is no surprise that WE NEED YOU! We invite everyone to be a volunticipant.  Share your interests, passion, strengths, and hidden talents with us! After you register, you will receive a survey where you can indicate these.
​This is your conference...

​Sunday Experience Options
Arriving early (ie. before the conference's 1pm start time)? Join us for a school tour or city exploration.
  • Options will begin at 1pm.
  • These opportunities will be announced and emailed to registered participants on February 1, 2019.
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Pricing:
  • Pricing is per person and includes accommodations, food, and optional Sunday experience.
  • Early Bird Pricing is available through January 21, 2019.
 
Rooms:
  • This year we are offering a selection of 2 room types at 2 different hotels and have set prices to match the accommodations.
  • If you select a double room, you may request a particular roommate. There will be a field to enter this on the registration form. Your roommate will need to select the same accommodation type and location when she/he registers. Singles are available as well.

Other notes:
  • Kosher supervision at Spertus Institute is maintained by the Chicago Rabbinical Council. All dairy meals will be Cholov Yisroel.
  • You matter to us. There are endless questions that you may have, and we hope we can answer them for you in advance of your arrival. We want you to be comfortable! There is no one better equipped to handle your questions with kindness and integrity than our own Heather Siegal, whom you can contact at heather@jparadigm.org with any logistical, content, networking or other questions.​

FAQs

Registration
Q. I really wanted a single room, but they appear to be sold out.
A. We hear you! Go ahead and register for a double room ticket at the BW. Then email heather@jparadigm.org and we will look to see if we can make singles happen!

Content
Q. What will the schedule be like?
A. After you register, you will be emailed a registration survey. This survey offers us key information about the kind of conference you are needing at this moment. Our planning committee reads and considers all of this intake information before scheduling the conference. This helps us prioritize which presenters to invite and which aspects of Jewish learning would most effectively deepen the experience. Based on previous years, we know that you can expect sessions of varying sizes and formats, with overarching threads around leadership, Jewish big ideas, and social-constructivist early childhood education (think: relationships, the Reggio Emilia approach, exploring materials, and a growing focus on nature education). Some of the most important moments at a conference happen over a walk or during impromptu conversations on the couch, and the schedule allows for this as well, respecting however you choose to participate. To see last year's schedule, check out this link.
 
Q. I am panicking about choosing my Sunday experience!
A. We hear you! You can make a change to this enrollment until March 31, 2019. To do this, please email heather@jparadigm.org.

Q. When can I check in?
A. A #ParadigmGreeter will be at each hotel between 2-5pm on Sunday, May 5, 2019 to welcome you!

Q. What is the refund policy?
A. If you cancel by March 15, 2019, you will be issued a 50% refund. (No refunds will be issued after that date.) Because our room reservations are tied in with our registration, we are unfortunately not able to accommodate a more generous refund policy. Contact heather@jparadigm.org.
 
Travel
Q. Which airport should I fly into?
A. You have a couple of solid options: O’Hare (ORD), Midway (MDW).

Q. How should I get from the airport to the hotel?
A. We suggest taking the train, Uber/Lyft, or sharing a ride with a colleague. Check out this rideshare document to coordinate with other #shifters!  Parking at either hotel is very expensive. You can also use SpotHero to find alternative parking options. 

With gratitude to our conference sponsor:

And to our conference partner: