Join Gateways during Jewish Disability Awareness, Acceptance and Inclusion Month (JDAIM) for a thoughtful panel conversation on how to engage elementary-aged children in meaningful, age-appropriate discussions about disability and difference.
How we talk about disability in the elementary years shapes how children understand difference, inclusion, and respect. Because these conversations can feel uncomfortable or high-stakes, adults often gloss over or avoid them altogether, which leaves children without guidance. This session will focus on practical, values-aligned ways to encourage curiosity and help children make sense of what they notice in the world around them.
The panel will be facilitated by Tali Cohen Carrus, creator of the Shiluv: More Than Just Disability Awareness program. Panelists who bring both lived experience of disability and professional experience teaching about disability will discuss how to introduce these topics to young learners, the questions children ask, and how adults can respond with clarity and confidence. The conversation will address both visible and invisible disabilities, exploring how to help children navigate everyday peer dynamics from curiosity to teasing, social differences, and belonging.
Participants will learn:
- Developmentally appropriate ways to talk about disability with elementary-aged students
- How to respond to children’s questions openly and respectfully without reinforcing stigma
- Strategies for navigating tricky social dynamics and fostering safe, inclusive spaces
- Language and practices that support a culture of belonging
- Ideas for follow-up and continuing the conversations at school and at home
Designed for Jewish educators, educational leaders, and parents, this virtual panel offers practical tools and shared frameworks to support ongoing, meaningful conversations about disability that promote understanding, respect, and belonging across classroom and family life.
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