I*Express Innovation Initiative

The I*Express innovation Initiative, was formed in 2014. I*Express is designed to propel congregations forward in their practice of engaging children and their families in meaningful Jewish learning. Congregations are provided with full access to the blueprints of a variety of new learning models, along with the process to generate change, online resources, consultation and peer group support. I*Express is designed for congregations who are interested in and have demonstrated a readiness to experiment—within a matter of months—with a high impact, non-classroom-only model of Jewish learning. I*Express educators continue to learn and work together as part of the I*Express Peer Network.

The I*Express Innovation Initiative offers two roadmaps for implementation and additional guides and tools for model selection:

• Identifying Your Priority Goal: This exercise will help identify your congregation’s priority goal(s) which will in turn pave the road towards selecting the model that best suits your congregation.

• Priority Goal Setting and Appreciative Inquiry Protocol: These questions enable your team to:

  • Identify your congregation’s learning priorities

  • Describe when learning has been most successful

• Questions To Consider in Selecting a New Learning Model: Here are some guiding questions for you and your team to consider as you choose your model,

• “How Do We Decide?” Worksheet: After narrowing your choices to 2-3 models, use these questions to help you in your final choice.

• Prototype to Pilot to Model Chart: This chart illustrates the qualities of and defines a prototype, a pilot, and a model.

• Moving from Prototype to Pilot to Model: This resource will help you continue to move from prototype to pilot to model.

• Developing Whole Person Learner Outcomes for your Pilots: This work page will help your team agree on outcomes for your learners during the pilot period.

• The Pilot Design Template: This template serves a place for you to identify your learner outcomes, what you are testing, and how you are assessing your pilot.

• The Team Building Resource: This resource can help you assess who you have on your team and who you might want to join your team and why. It also includes team building activities to help you continue to strengthen your team.