The Spirituality and Practice of Teaching
Rabbi Laura Duhan Kaplan and Rabbi Steven Silvern
ALEPH Smicha Week 2015, June 28-July 5
Afternoon Class. Credit area: Practical Rabbinics
Description
Successful teaching requires understanding of one's own inner life, the developmental
needs of one's students, and a set of tools for interaction. In this course, we will grow our
knowledge of all three, guided by Jewish texts, educational texts, and engaging classroom
activities. Explore your own authenticity and doubts as a teacher, child and adult spiritual
development, and techniques for creating successful learning experiences.
The course is relevant no matter what age group you teach, as both instructors draw on
their own areas of specialization. Reb Steve is Professor Emeritus of Early Childhood
Education, and has written extensively on children's moral and spiritual development.
Reb Laura holds a master's degree in Adult Education, a Ph.D. in Philosophy and
Education and an honorary degree of Doctor of Pedagogy.
Course requirements include: pre-reading, active participation in in-class
reading/discussion, an in-class small group presentation, and a final project. For the inclass presentation, students will be assigned randomly to groups to prepare a 20-minute
presentation on a short text from Parshat Hashavua, Pirkei Avot or the Siddur. The final
project, prepared individually and due August 1, will be a proposal for
teaching/facilitating the development of spirituality, targeted at a specific audience, and
describing both the content used to engage the audience and the experiences that be used
in the constructive process.
Tentative Course Schedule
Monday
What is spirituality?
Pre-reading: Excerpt from Primary Speech, Ulanov & Ulanov
In-class reading: Chapter 5 Likkutei Amarim—Tanya, Schneur Zalman
Tuesday
What is Development?
Pre-reading: “Development as the Aim of Education,” Kohlberg & Mayer
In-class reading: Degel Machneh Ephraim on Parshat Ki Tissa
Wednesday
What are Knowledge, Knowing and Learning?
Pre-reading: “Questioning,” Kasulis (in The Art and Craft of Teaching)
In-class reading: Ahavah Rabbah
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Thursday
Applications
Group presentations and debriefing I
In-class reading: Excerpt fromChovat Ha’Talmidim, Shapira (Piacetzner)
Friday
Applications
Group presentations and debriefing II
In-class reading: Excerpt from “Vayikra,” Degel Machneh Ephraim
Articles and Chapters in PDF form for pre-reading
Available after April 15 at: http://www.auburn.edu/~silvesb/smicha/
Please bring your own copies to Smicha Week – especially important for in-class
readings.
Bibliography of Texts for Pre-reading
Thomas P. Kasulis, “Questioning.” In The Art and Craft of Teaching. Ed. Margaret
Morganroth Gullette (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press), 1984.
Lawrence Kohlberg and Rochelle Mayer, “Development as the Aim of Education,”
Harvard Educational Review 42:4 (1972).
Ann Ulanov and Barry Ulanov, Primary Speech: A Psychology of Prayer. (Louisville,
KY: Westminster John Knox Press), 1983.
List of Texts for In-Class Reading
Degel Machneh Ephraim, commentary on Parshat Ki Tissa (excerpt)
Degel Machneh Ephraim, commentary on Parshat Vayikra (excerpt)
Piacetzner Rebbe, Chovat Hatalmidim, Chapter One (excerpt)
Alter Rebbe, Likutei Amarim Tanya, Chapter Five (excerpt)
Ahavah Rabbah, from morning prayers in the Siddur
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