Curriculum Review! Chumash

        My mother has a innate gift for finding wholesome and inspiring new books. Last year my mother introduced me to a beautiful and masterful find, "The Guide to Loshon Hakodesh - Mastering the Basics" by Nachman Marcuson. As a student,  I often felt as if the rules and methods by which to understand and translate the Chumash seemed to be forever changing and never ending. I have never felt as though all teachers throughout every grade were teaching in a uniform and systematic fashion, or if such a concept was even at all possible.

       I am excited to say that this is exactly what I am now using for my 3rd, 6th and 7th graders! Nachman Marcuson has truly created a masterpiece for all ages! The first book (the brown one), is broken down into 16 lessons. Each lesson has a small list of vocabulary words to master and a few new rules to learn about how Lashon Hakodesh functions. At the end of each lesson there is a review based on the new vocabulary and rules provided in that lesson. Nachman Marcuson based his writings on the teachings of Rabbi Freilich, who discovered that by learning 230 key words, you will understand 93% of the words that appear in the Chumash! He heavily encourages complete mastery of the new words listed at the beginning of each lesson before moving onto the next lesson. Because it is definitely possible to use the same books for every child, especially since the author discourages writing in the books, I have found that when the children each have their own copy, it encourages them to truly "own" their learning.

Matana B