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 1 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 2
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