More Than a Lesson: Giving Students Tools for Life

A third-grade student is upset with a friend. Another is nervous about an upcoming presentation. A student is feeling overwhelmed and doesn’t know how to explain why. These are ordinary

A third-grade student is upset with a friend. Another is nervous about an upcoming presentation. A student is feeling overwhelmed and doesn’t know how to explain why.

These are ordinary moments in any classroom. But what if children could walk away from those moments knowing how to understand what they’re feeling, how to respond, and where to turn for guidance?

That is the idea behind Project TOMiM, a comprehensive social-emotional learning curriculum created by the Menachem Education Foundation.

Targeted toward students in grades 3-6, Project TOMiM helps children understand their emotions, manage their reactions, build healthy relationships and develop a stronger sense of self- all through the lens of Torah and Chassidus.

The curriculum consists of four units, designed to be completed over the course of two to four years. Unit 1 introduces students to their identity as a Neshama, while Unit 2 explores the power of thought to guide our emotions. Unit 3, newly published, gives students specific tools for emotional regulation and explores how to channel common emotions as a Yid. Unit 4, currently in production, will focus on Hamaaseh Hu Haikar, bringing the curriculum to its conclusion by helping students translate what they have learned into action.

Rather than simply teaching children to “calm down” or “make better choices,” Project TOMiM gives them practical tools they can actually use.

Students learn to recognize and understand their emotions, apply Moach Shalit Al Halev to manage their reactions, and reframe challenging emotions such as anger, fear and worry. They also develop positive qualities including Ahavas Hashem, Ahavas HaTorah, Ahavas Yisroel, gratitude, Simcha and Derech Eretz.

And the tools are making their way beyond the actual lessons.

“I taught Project TOMiM for two years and I found it organized, relevant and practical! I loved the discussions it generated in our middle school class. My students were engaged and I saw how they really thought about what they were learning; I actually saw a change in their attitude and behavior.”

Mrs. Chanie Nemes, Slater Torah Academy, Metairie, IL

That is exactly what Project TOMiM hopes to accomplish: giving students tools they can remember and reach for when they need them most.

The curriculum was created with today’s kids and classrooms in mind. Teachers receive ready-to-use lessons, vibrant slideshow presentations, stories, games and practical activities, so teachers need minimal preparation and students look forward to each lesson. The curriculum was designed and produced by Creative Chinuch, incorporating animations, stickers, card games, videos and other engaging elements to make the lessons come alive.

At the same time, Project TOMiM is deeply rooted in Torah and Chassidus. The curriculum is reviewed by Rabbanim, Mashpi’im and mental health professionals, ensuring that the concepts and tools are both developmentally appropriate and aligned with Torah and Chassidus. The author and creative director, Mrs. Henny Bartfield, a veteran educator and teacher trainer, worked alongside a team of classroom reviewers, a Rabbinical Advisory Board, a team of Mashpi’im and frum psychologists to ensure that the curriculum is both practical for teachers and appropriate for the students using it. As Rabbi Shmuel Lew of Lubavitch Senior Girls’ School in London writes in the curriculum’s introduction,

“I can attest that every effort was made that Project TOMiM should be 100% consistent with the guidance of the Rebbe.”

Now in its third year, Project TOMiM is being implemented in 18 schools around the globe, reaching schools from Crown Heights to Cape Town, from Montreal to Miami, and beyond. The curriculum is being used in both boys’ and girls’ schools, including both day schools and Anash.

For a child, learning how to manage anger can become a lesson in Moach Shalit Al Halev. Learning how to navigate a friendship can become an opportunity to develop Ahavas Yisroel. Learning about their own strengths and emotions can help them recognize their unique role as a Yid.

Project TOMiM is about giving children the tools to navigate life- emotionally, socially and spiritually.

With the new school year underway, schools and teachers of grades 3-6 can bring Project TOMiM into their classrooms.

To learn more, view a sample lesson or order the curriculum, visit mymef.org/projecttomim.

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