A young teacher described \u00a0this episode which occurred early in her teaching career:<\/p>\n
\u201cOne beautiful Spring morning when I arrived at school, I was surprised to see a youngster waiting at the door. \u00a0\u2018It\u2019s locked,\u2019 he said sadly. \u00a0His expression brightened as I began to fumble for my keys. \u00a0\u2018You\u2019re a teacher!’ he exclaimed in obvious delight.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs I \u00a0slipped the key into the lock and opened the door, I looked at him and smiled. \u00a0\u2018What makes you think that?\u2019 I asked him, amused and pleased in no small measure by his reaction.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe looked directly into my eyes and spoke softly but with respect. \u00a0\u2018You have the key.\u2019<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.ou.org\/life\/files\/Love-on-Chalkboard.jpg\" "\\"Chalkboard")
\u201cI was both humbled and overwhelmed at the magnitude of his simple observation, by the implication it carried, and the responsibility I bore simply by possessing \u2018key.\u2019 \u00a0Without question, this young student\u2019s comment to me was among the most significant of my entire teaching career. \u00a0\u00a0Not a day went by when, upon arriving at school, I did not recall it.”<\/p>\n
Rav Yosef Dov Soloveitchik taught that \u201cteaching involves more than the transmission of knowledge and understanding. It requires empathy between teacher and student, and a sharing of feelings, thought and motives. There is an interaction of personalities, an exchange of values and insights.\u201d To teach is to know how to unlock not only the mind, but the heart, feeling and interest of every student, as well. There is no master key. \u201cWhat we require is the warm embrace as much as the brilliant idea; sympathetic understanding, true befriending, and a human reaching out: a suggestion that we care; the teaching role is inadequate.\u201d<\/p>\n
We need the key.<\/p>\n
Is there a standardized lesson plan from which we can derive instruction as to how to transmit more than just the data, the uninspired information of our subject to our students?<\/p>\n
Listen to The Master Teacher Himself, G-d, teaching a lesson to his star pupil, Moshe. The lesson\u2019s goal was to convey the specifics of charity \u2013 terumah \u2013 needed for erecting G-d\u2019s sanctuary. \u00a0The lesson begins with general instructions. \u00a0\u201cSpeak to the children of Israel, that they may take unto Me an offering,\u201d and then moves on to details of implementation. The terumah, Moshe is told, may be offered from gold, silver, copper, skins, wood, oils and stones.\u201d<\/p>\n
Facts. \u00a0Knowledge. \u00a0Information. \u00a0These are, of course, necessary but not nearly sufficient for the Teacher who wants to not only teach but uplift and inspire. \u00a0G-d adds to these basic instructions feeling and emotion, Veasu li mikdash veshachanti betocham \u2013 and let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst.<\/p>\n
It is in these words that we are given insight into the true art of teaching.<\/p>\n
The Kotzker notes that G-d does not say that He will dwell in his midst, but rather \u201cin their midst.\u201d<\/p>\n
The real lesson is very clearly not about facts and figures but of charity. \u00a0As such, its greatest value and greatest lesson is in character development. \u00a0Each individual must have ample room and easy access within his being for G-d to enter and remain as a permanent resident, betocham mamash. \u00a0Ultimately, all good and effective teaching must arouse pleasant feelings and responses. \u00a0This is a lesson all teachers must remember when they teach. \u00a0It is the responsibility of the teacher to teach in a way that arouses positive feelings. \u00a0It is not, as too many teachers presume, the students responsibility to create within himself such feelings.<\/p>\n
By showing our students respect and love, as G-d showed Moshe, we invite our students into the wonder, awe and power of what we teach. \u00a0And even if our students do not always grasp the \u201cwhys and the wherefores,\u201d they should always come away from our lessons knowing that they are worthy and cherished.<\/p>\n
In his words to Moshe, G-d carefully instructs that the Mikdash be constructed li \u2013 for Me. But, of course! What other reason might there be in constructing a Mikdash if not in the sharing of G-d\u2019s spirit and knowledge? \u00a0Rashi comments: \u201cLet them make to the glory of My name a place of holiness.\u201d Success in imparting Torah knowledge can only be measured by the ultimate affect the learning has on the total being of the student. If a student\u2019s actions, thoughts and responses are Mikdash-like, the educational process is successful. \u00a0That is, the student must learn the stuff of the lesson – but unless he or she does so in a context of respect and honor, it is only half a lesson.<\/p>\n
The full lesson only happens when Mechanchim \u2013 the educational producers \u2013 understand that the for Me aspect of Mikdash requires that knowledge be delivered not only to the head, but also to the heart; that the lesson taught must ultimately touch the student\u2019s heart and emotion. \u00a0Such a lesson can only be taught by a living and caring teacher. \u00a0A creative curriculum is not enough.<\/p>\n
The rabbis taught: Anyone who teaches Torah in public and does not make the words as pleasant to those listening as honey and milk mixed together \u2013 it were better that he not teach the words at all (Shir Hashirim Rabba 4:11).<\/p>\n
The Kotzker once asked, \u201cWhere is the Mishkan of G-d?\u201d He promptly responded: \u201cWherever He will be let in.\u201d \u00a0G-d feels welcome wherever His attributes of kindness, benevolence, forgiveness, and tolerance are part of the daily routine and atmosphere. \u00a0If not? \u201cAn animal is better than a Sage without sensitivity to people\u2019s feelings\u201d \u00a0(Seder Eliahu Rabba 6:7).<\/p>\n
Producing the Mikdash as Hashem instructed required enormous efforts. The Avot D\u2019Rebi Natan teaches that G-d instilled His Shechina upon Israel only when He was assured of their willingness to work hard and invest maximum melacha. \u00a0How much more effort, devotion, imagination and creativity is required to produce a student just as G-d expects? \u00a0Those building the Mikdash benefited from Moshe\u2019s loving guiding hand and spirit, which eased their burden, pressure and anxiety.<\/p>\n
Teaching a Talmid, we are often left to our own devices, inadequacies, insecurities and prejudices, and with Moshe-less supervision. Yet, we know that G-d does not accept the task \u201cfor Me\u201d unless effort, devotion, and maximum melacha are ever present. \u00a0To succeed at our task in a way that honors G-d means that we must honor our students. \u00a0We must respect them where they are, not where we think they \u201cshould be.\u201d<\/p>\n
An example of the respect and consideration can be understood in ancient examples and in more modern ones. \u00a0The recent confrontations with extremists in Israel about the separation of men and women calls to mind the wisdom and grace of Rebbetzin Batsheva Kanievsky, of blessed memory, as reported on the Vos Iz Neias website.<\/p>\n
According to Israeli news site B\u2019chadrei Chareidim, R\u2019 Yitzchok Kolodetzky spoke about his mother in law today in Modiin Ilit, recalling a time that Rebbetzin Kanievsky returned home from the Lederman Shul with a group of women, one of whom was not dressed modestly.<\/p>\n
\u201cA man who was at the house began to scream at her and degrade her in front of everyone,\u201d reminisced R\u2019 Kolodetzky. \u201cThe Rabbanit would not tolerate such abusive behavior and retorted, \u2018We do not behave like this. Don\u2019t you dare set foot in my house because this is not our way. We influence people with ways that are pleasant, and not by embarrassing them.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
On another occasion, R\u2019 Kolodetsky reports, his father-in-law Hagaon R\u2019 Chaim Kanievsky was ready to go outside but a group of women waiting to see the Rebbetzin blocked his way, making it impossible for him to pass. \u00a0One of the men who had been in the house shouted at the women for them to clear the way. The Rabbanit promptly corrected him, \u201cHere we don\u2019t scream, but rather speak to everyone pleasantly.\u201d<\/p>\n
Imagine how much more our students might learn if we took Rebbetzin Kanievsky\u2019s loving advice in every instance of our teaching? \u00a0How much more firmly they would walk in the ways of knowledge and wisdom if we raised up their hearts and souls as well as their minds? It is common knowledge that Jews from all communities and backgrounds were attracted to Yiddishkeit because of Rebbetzin Kanievsky\u2019s sympathy, empathy, unconditional love and compassion.<\/p>\n
The Aron, considered the permanent abode of Torah knowledge and wisdom, is cited by the Chachomim as existing miraculously, without reliance on a measured and specified site (mekom aron eino min a\u2019mida, veomed b\u2019nes). \u00a0While it is true that we find students emerging unblemished from schools whose focus is almost solely on quantity of pages and chapters covered with almost no attention placed on love, sensitivity and sympathy, with no concern for feelings and emotions, why should we rely on miracles when it involves our children?<\/p>\n
Surely, when the key is lost, it is almost impossible to replace and each unopened door leaves a precious student outside. Love students \u2013 don\u2019t just teach them !<\/p>\n
Rabbi Dr. Eliyahu Safran serves as OU Kosher\u2019s vice president of communications & marketing.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Our students need more than chapters, pages and lessons.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":363,"featured_media":24224,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[12,17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-24222","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-education","category-relationships"],"yoast_head":"\n