Candy Kwiatak

Rhythms
Dayton, OH

Candy Kwiatak
Kwiatak Family from top row clockwise: husband Kim, Oren, Aliza, Keren and Candy

With a BS in psychology from Duke University, and a MEd specializing in Montessori education from Xavier University, Candy teaches her own two teenagers at home. Among her accomplishments are creating an award winning synagogue school, being an award winning writer for the "Jewish Daily Observer" and coordinating a community home school learning co-op.

Home schooling has been her primary task for 11 years - her youngest, a high school sophomore, has never been to school. The oldest child decided to spend her final six months of high school in Israel. Her son, who loves computers, decided to start his own business at 11, which led to his own registered trademark, multi-state contracts, and a fully-paid scholarship to business school. Candy's younger daughter began riding horses when she was 10 and working at the stables when she turned 12.

A lot of the coursework is addressed by a home school co-op, which Candy directed until just this past summer. One day a week during the school year, parents teach core and elective courses of varying lengths. For four hours on Tuesday mornings, she co-teaches with another home school parent. Candy teaches English, writing and art, while the other parent teaches history and literature.

"I never thought I'd like anything but preschoolers. In my professional training I specialized in Montessori primary education for preschoolers through third grade. As my kids have grown, my interest in older ages has grown along with them. I've taught for 22 years, with two years off living in Israel and returning to the States, but only one of those in a Montessori setting. I simply preferred to be in Jewish settings, by and large: day school, preschool and elementary classes, a JCC Mommy and Me program, Hebrew school, and Melton."

This is Candy's fourth year at the Mini-School. She first became involved when Rachel Komerofsky, a good friend of hers who brought the Mini- School to Dayton, asked her to consider teaching the Rhythms of Jewish Living course.

"I looked at the curriculum and saw how it was laid out with all the information I would need and thought I'd give it a shot," says Candy. "The first year I prepared 18 pages of notes, four pages of handouts, and about eight transparencies for each lesson. Talk about overkill! This year, due to the revision of the curriculum and the confidence I've gained over the years, I'm down to a one page outline and one page of handouts."

What Candy loves most about teaching in FMAMS is awakening her enthusiasm for Judaism in others. "I love exploring for more ideas to share, and learning more each time I teach," she says. "I'm energized when I hear new ideas from my students - and challenged to think on my feet." The greatest challenge she has in teaching in the Mini-School is sharing all the ideas in a lesson and deciding which ones to emphasize. That and remembering names.

In her spare time, Candy enjoys reading, particularly Jewish and American historical fiction, crafts, including cross stitching, rubber stamping, watercolor, photography, biking, traveling, leading and learning more about leading religious services in her synagogue.

"If I were to do it again, I'd go to rabbinical school - just to have all of that Jewish learning under my belt. Perhaps in my next lifetime..."

For more information, see Candy's personal website: http://www.bnaitzedek.com/whoweare/president/

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