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February 22, 2002/Adar 10, 5762, Vol. 54, No. 23
Inspirational program helps students become good people
JESSICA BARBER
Editorial Assistant
Sandra Zerner visits with students during her presentation at Pardes Jewish Day School. Back row, from left, Zara Howard, Ellyn Korn and Sandra Zerner. Front row, from left, Elena Zeidman, Ariana Nassan, David Campbell and Erica Morris.
Photo courtesy of Sandra Zerner
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Sandra Zerner wants to teach children to be more than good students - she wants to teach them to be good people.
For the last two years, Zerner has offered an inspirational program geared toward elementary and middle school students at Valley Jewish day schools.
"What I do is unique," says Zerner. "I feel like I'm filling a niche. There is nobody out there saying to kids, 'You should be a good person and there are benefits for being a good person.' "
The program, "What's So Bad About Being Good?" focuses on making the right choices and being a good person, even in the face of peer pressure. The program includes writing activities, songs, group work, games, stories, role-playing and a slide show to emphasize the importance of becoming a good person, even when the decision to be good is difficult.
Zerner has presented her program to students at Pardes Jewish Day School, Har Zion Religious School, Beth El Religious School and The King David School.
After experiencing the program, students should be able to explain the long-term benefits of being good, gain confidence in their ability to stand up for what's right, make good choices and be able to identify three techniques for dealing with peer pressure, Zerner explains. She also hopes that students will make a commitment to do one good thing to help others every day for at least one week.
To help children make that commitment, Zerner supplies students with a list of 35 actions - some large and some small - which may help fellow classmates, friends, teachers or family members.
"I've gotten some very, very powerful comments from kids that (helping others) had made a huge impact on them," says Zerner.
Some students were so moved by the inspirational program, they decided to go one step further.
"One or two kids ... cut their hair and then the hair was donated for wigs for children who, because of cancer or other medical diseases, had lost all their hair," recalls Tobee Waxenberg, middle school director at Pardes.
Students also give Zerner feedback on how to find new ways to help others and how to adapt the program for each new group of children.
"I learn from the kids," says Zerner. "I get feedback from them that helps make each subsequent presentation better ... the program is continually evolving."
Zerner hopes the program will help students avoid drugs, lying, cheating, defying authority, destroying property, cursing and violence. However, she tends to focus her program on positive actions and what students should do, not what they shouldn't do.
"Nobody does that," says Zerner. "Nobody advocates that today. They tell you what not to do, but they don't tell you why you should be good."
The presentation was originally designed for public school students, yet Zerner has had better luck with students in the Jewish day schools.
"When you take God out of the picture, it's very hard to convince people to be good," Zerner explains. "There is a direct connection there."
Incorporating Jewish principles has helped Zerner reach students on a more personal level.
"When I speak to Jewish students and I say that we're supposed to make the world a better place ... they all shout out 'tikkun olam,' " says Zerner. Children are aware that their religion expects them to exhibit good behaviors, she explains.
Waxenberg was impressed with Zerner's ability to relate to children in her two presentations at Pardes.
"Her program is very low-key, there are no bells and whistles at all," says Waxenberg. "(Students) were enthralled with the program and I got a lot of good messages back from the parents."
Zerner began the program in June 2000 after running the daily minion at Har Zion Congregation for two years.
"I just asked myself, 'What do I really want to do with my life?'" remembers Zerner. "This program is what came out of that."
Personal experiences fueled Zerner's desire to help children become better people. In fact, she based the inspirational program on stories of personal experiences and hardships.
"I suffered a lot when I was younger because I made the wrong decisions," she discloses. "I tell a story in the beginning to the kids because they can all relate to it."
Zerner attributes her positive attitude to her mentor, national radio talk show host Dennis Prager. When she was 18, Zerner attended a leadership conference directed by Prager and decided that exposing her good qualities would be beneficial to herself and those around her.
"(He taught me) that I could open up and let the good part of me out, that I didn't have to hide it anymore," remembers Zerner. "I am a good person and I will not and should not be ashamed or embarrassed about it."
Because the program has been so successful with Jewish youth, Zerner says, she has adapted the program for adults as well. She has given the presentation for education students at Ottawa University, teachers at the Bureau of Jewish Education's annual teacher conference, Solel Women and MOMs Club, Glendale Chapter.
Educator Debra Goodman-Herman, currently teaching in the Learning Resource Center of Desert Mountain High School and at the religious schools of Beth El Congregation and Temple Beth Israel, was able to appreciate Zerner's program as an adult.
"I think, unfortunately, we live in a society where parents tend to value and reward children for academic or athletic excellence, but they don't stress the value of being good," says Goodman-Herman. "It is nice to know that there are adults in the world ... to come to the kids and discuss this with them."
Goodman-Herman hopes Zerner will be able to expand the program to all aspects of education.
"I would like to see not just the Jewish community bring this into their educational programming, but I'd like to see this in the secular world as well," she says.
In addition, Zerner gave her presentation to seventh- and eighth-grade students at the Blessed Sacrament Church.
"I tie (the program) into their religion as well," Zerner explains. "I'm Jewish and it's very special because this is probably the first Jewish person that they've come across that they can relate to and hear that we have basically the same values."
Zerner has a master's degree in education from the University of Judaism and studied at Hebrew University in Jerusalem for one year. She has taken courses in learning disabilities, taught CPR and first aid classes for the Red Cross and is an educational therapist. Zerner also offers private tutoring for b'nai mitzvah students, including adults, and is a member of Beth El Congregation.
However, Zerner admits that she has found her true calling in spreading her message of goodness.
"I am so passionate about getting this message out that I'm doing it for free right now," she relates. "I become a better person every time I do my program; it helps me to constantly be aware of new opportunities to do good."
Details
What: "What's So Bad About Being Good?"
When: 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 26
Where: Tri-City Jewish Community Center, 1965 E. Hermosa Drive, Tempe
Call: 480-897-0588
When: noon Sunday, March 10
Where: Har Zion Congregation, 6140 E. Thunderbird Road, Scottsdale
Call: 480-991-0720
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