New Beginnings

Posted September 3, 2019

Dr. Tamar Andrews

Director of Early Childhood Education

Dr. Tamar Andrews has been working in the field of early childhood education for over 30 years. She began her career as a classroom teacher and then moved into early childhood administration working in schools that were affiliated with Reform, Conservative, and Orthodox philosophies, and has served as the early childhood education director at Temple Isaiah in Los Angeles since 2003. As a university professor, Dr. Andrews has taught courses ranging from the theoretical foundations of growth and development to how social policies affect children and their education. As a consultant and trainer, Dr. Andrews has spoken at over 400 conferences and symposia where she has presented on curriculum models, theory and administration issues. A California Mentor Director and international consultant and trainer, she has worked both extensively in California, the United States as well as in countries as far away as Azerbaijan and China. Dr. Andrews was born in Israel and raised in Los Angeles and educated in our Jewish schools. She is married to Edward Andrews and has four grown children and one granddaughter.

In the Talmud, R. Chanina remarked, “I have learned much from my teachers, more from my colleagues, and the most from my students”

I started the BA and MA program in ECE here at AJU thinking that I would help to educate a new generation of early childhood educators. I had high aspirations of what I would be lecturing on, activities, etc. However, as all things go that are planned out meticulously, my students had other plans for me. They have opened my eyes to a whole world of early childhood education that my laser focus had failed to see out there in the periphery.

I have had to re-imagine what I teach, how I teach, and what the landscape of Jewish early childhood could and should be. Together, they have taught me more about what it really means to be inclusive, to embrace all who embrace Judaism in their own way, and to envision a field wherein all children and families, all teachers and administrators feel supported and recognized.

While I have attempted to make every moment intentionally planned to impart wisdom on my students, my students have taught me about the many facets of Jewish observance that eluded me. From our most observant students to the ones that are of a different faith but live within the Jewish community and schools, I have also learned about the myriad special needs that both children and adults present with, to speak slower, delve deeper, and to be curious collaboratively.

Finally, we have yet to explore the many more questions that we have posed in comparison to the few answers we have arrived at.

Our MA cohort has bonded and become cohesive in ways that I have never seen in early childhood let alone Jewish ECE. Our BA cohort is just starting to form together but I know already that it will be magical.

As an ECE professional, I gained my strong foundation from the many professors I had, I learned my craft in the field with my colleagues. Yet, I never felt the magic and passion until I saw it in the eyes of my students and wondered alongside them, "I am still learning! " (Michaelangelo at age 87).

by Dr. Tamar Andrews

Dr. Tamar Andrews

Director of Early Childhood Education

Dr. Tamar Andrews has been working in the field of early childhood education for over 30 years. She began her career as a classroom teacher and then moved into early childhood administration working in schools that were affiliated with Reform, Conservative, and Orthodox philosophies, and has served as the early childhood education director at Temple Isaiah in Los Angeles since 2003. As a university professor, Dr. Andrews has taught courses ranging from the theoretical foundations of growth and development to how social policies affect children and their education. As a consultant and trainer, Dr. Andrews has spoken at over 400 conferences and symposia where she has presented on curriculum models, theory and administration issues. A California Mentor Director and international consultant and trainer, she has worked both extensively in California, the United States as well as in countries as far away as Azerbaijan and China. Dr. Andrews was born in Israel and raised in Los Angeles and educated in our Jewish schools. She is married to Edward Andrews and has four grown children and one granddaughter.

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