{"id":2433,"date":"2022-12-22T15:42:14","date_gmt":"2022-12-22T20:42:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thevoiceoflakewood.com\/?p=2433"},"modified":"2022-12-22T15:42:14","modified_gmt":"2022-12-22T20:42:14","slug":"reach-teach-and-inspire","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thevoiceoflakewood.com\/reach-teach-and-inspire\/","title":{"rendered":"Reach, Teach, and Inspire"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Don\u2019t Love<\/em> Your Students\u2014Care<\/em> About Them<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Conversation with Rabbi Moshe Young<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Photos by Jacob Elbogen<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mordechai Resnick<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to UK chinuch<\/em> in general and chinuch habanos<\/em> in particular, one of the first contemporary names that come to mind is Rabbi Moshe Young. Rabbi Young\u2019s career spans decades in the UK as well as in the US and continues to this day. He has served in the roles of rebbi<\/em>, principal, founder, lecturer, mentor, role model, and teacher for many boys and many thousands of girls. He graciously invited me to his home to share some of his insight and experiences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rabbi Young began his career in chinuch<\/em> by teaching boys for seven years in the London Hasmonean Grammar School. Later, he was principal of the Bais Yaakov high school in Manchester for 20 years. He moved to the US in 1996 and lived in New York for five years, after which he moved to Lakewood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, he continues his legacy of girls\u2019 chinuch<\/em> in Bais Yaakov Seminar L\u2019Moros in Brooklyn and the Lakewood Seminary. He has authored four popular books, including Apples from the Tree<\/em>, Whose Love Is Greater<\/em>, and Partners in Growth<\/em>, all on chinuch<\/em>; and Behind the Curtain<\/em>, on general Torah hashkafah<\/em>. He also writes a biweekly column for the Jewish Tribune<\/em>, a British paper. In addition, couples come to Rabbi Young for eitzos<\/em> and shalom bayis<\/em>, and he is happy to help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Educating every child<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rabbi Young relates that in the high school in Manchester, students were always split up by ability. Although this isn\u2019t done in American schools, it is something he feels very strongly about. The common rationale for mixed-ability classes is that placing students in a \u201cclass B\u201d stigmatizes them and labels them as the weaker students, but Rabbi Young dismisses this concern and points to the significant benefits of a differentiated system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI have had students thanking me for placing them in the C class and even crediting me for all their future success,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not all students can learn at the same pace. If weaker students are taught at a slower pace and in a more gradual manner, they can walk away with a feeling of accomplishment rather than feeling lost and frustrated. When there are only parallel classes, teaching is often too slow for some and too advanced for others. The brighter students aren\u2019t able to reach their full potential, while the weakest students struggle to keep up and often fall through the cracks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some mosdos<\/em> are worried about the extra costs of hiring more rebbe\u2019im<\/em> and teachers in order to split classes up. Rabbi Young finds this unacceptable. If a school is not teaching the weaker students, their parents may be compelled to spend thousands of dollars for tutors on top of their yeshivah tuition. The school is thus shirking its basic responsibility of educating every child.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although many American parents object to their child being placed in a B or C class, Rabbi Young believes that if the mosdos <\/em>would get together and implement this system, the parent bodies would accept it as the best for their children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rabbi Young believes that having a student skip ahead a grade is very not ideal; he asserts that only four girls were moved up in the 20 years that he led the high school. In order to skip a student, academic excellence is not enough; the student needs the maturity necessary to mingle with older children. When asked how that decision is made, he underscores the need for a mechanech<\/em> to know all of his or her students very well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI was in charge of both kodesh<\/em> and chol<\/em>, so I knew the full picture of every student.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similar deliberations went into the decision of whether to hold a girl back another year in a grade, and this was also done very rarely. \u201cI needed the parents\u2019 agreement that leaving back was necessary due to lack of academic advancement, but there were several other considerations as well. How close to the cut-off date was the girl\u2019s birthday? How well would she succeed if she repeated the grade? Would she face further frustration, or, on the opposite extreme, would she know too much and become stuck up or bossy toward her younger peers?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another topic in chinuch<\/em> that Rabbi Young feels strongly about is the importance of versatility in rebbe\u2019im<\/em>. A rebbi <\/em>should be able to move from grade to grade and from an A class to a B or C class. This not only broadens their horizons, it helps prevent burnout. Rebbe\u2019im<\/em> who teach the same perek<\/em> of Gemara or mishnayos<\/em>\u2014on the same level year after year will quickly burn out from the repetition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Higher education for girls<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For a period of three years, Rabbi Young taught classes in the Gateshead seminary. He also founded and led Yad L\u2019Chinuch, an organization that provided advice to parents and educators in areas of chinuch<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rabbi Young was very close with the Manchester rosh yeshivah<\/em> Rav Yehudah Zev Segal, who supported his idea of opening a girls\u2019 seminary in Manchester while he was still the principal of the Bais Yaakov. A chassidishe<\/em> seminary already existed, but there was a need for a seminary that catered to the growing litvishe<\/em> crowd. In 1988, Rabbi Young, together with a group of askanim<\/em>, founded BSS (Beis Sarah Schenirer) Seminary in Manchester. He appointed Rabbi Yehuda Marmorstein as its principal, a position Rabbi Marmorstein holds to this day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rabbi Young gives over very deep ideas in his shiurim<\/em>, culled from the Michtav M\u2019Eliyahu<\/em>, Maharal<\/em>, the writings of Rav Tzadok HaCohen, and Rav Yitzchak Hutner\u2019s sefarim<\/em>. He often delves into well-known medrashim<\/em> or concepts in Chumash and Nach<\/em> and interprets them on a much higher level. He believes that students must be well stimulated, and they must advance from the simple and childish understanding of the midrashim<\/em> that they were taught in playgroup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFor example, take the midrash<\/em> about Yaakov Avinu\u2019s experience with the stones around his head. A child is taught that each of the stones complained that the tzaddik\u2019s head should rest on it, so Hashem made them all into one stone. The lesson? We must share with each other. Unfortunately, even seminary girls can still carry this childish perception of the midrash<\/em>, but the midrash<\/em> carries a much deeper meaning, as explained by the Maharal.\u201d Rabbi Young goes on to explain this midrash<\/em>, based on Yaakov\u2019s shleimus<\/em> in the middah<\/em> of emes<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another example is the idea of kefitzas haderech<\/em>. \u201cWhen we have no traffic on the highway and get to New York in under an hour, we commonly call that kefitzas haderech<\/em>,\u201d says Rabbi Young. But the kefitzas haderech<\/em> that Yaakov experienced was very different. For most people, the body is in charge and carries around the neshamah<\/em> like a passenger in a taxi. Since the body is governed by the physical constraints of the natural world, it takes some time to get from one place to the other. However, when a person is complete, their neshamah<\/em> drives their body. The neshamah<\/em> is l\u2019malah min hazman<\/em>, above time constraints, and can reach a destination in an instant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When asked why teaching girls on a higher level is so important, Rabbi Young quotes a letter written by the Chafetz Chaim about the Sarah Schenirer movement: \u201cToday [when girls are more educated and can read and write in the general language], it certainly is a great mitzvah to teach girls\u2026in order that they should internalize the truth of our holy beliefs. Failing this, they will turn away completely from the way of Hashem\u2026chas v\u2019shalom<\/em>.\u201d Rabbi Young adds that it is important to keep students stimulated and to give them a grounding in basic Yahadus<\/em> concepts such as schar v\u2019onesh<\/em>, yedias<\/em> Hashem<\/em>, suffering in this world, and love and fear of Hashem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is true for both boys and girls. \u201cImagine you\u2019re a Jewish teenager, and you\u2019re seated on a plane next to a secular teen. It turns out that your neighbor is also Jewish, although not frum<\/em>, and is a highly intelligent and inquisitive college student. A conversation quickly gets started, and the young lad or girl has lots of questions, most of which you answer easily. Then your neighbor asks, \u2018Where was G-d in Auschwitz?\u2019 If you were never taught Yahadus<\/em> in school, how will you be able to reply to their pointed question? Chazal say, \u2018Know what to respond to a non-believer.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another important benefit of delving deeper into core ideas is that you show the girls that there is so much depth to the Torah, which adds to the girls\u2019 appreciation of the chashivus<\/em> of Torah.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Teachers often use stories as a way to inspire students, but Rabbi Young believes that those must come together with well-built lessons that also educate rather than relying solely on the inspiration of a nice story. \u201cI prefer perspiration to inspiration,\u201d he says. \u201cThe emotional response alone is often short-lived and has no lasting effect. Stories can be sprinkled in to add to the effect of the lesson, but the main objective must be helping students understand the core ideas and why they are true.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The educator-student bond<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rabbi Young points to the bond between rebbi<\/em> and talmid<\/em> or teacher and student as an essential component of chinuch<\/em>. \u201cIn order for a student to truly succeed, both sides must share trust and love. This relationship can face common challenges that inhibit progress, and they often boil down to a characteristic that makes it harder for the two to connect with one another, such as a child\u2019s shyness or a teacher\u2019s impatience.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Educators often say that they \u201clove\u201d a certain student. Rabbi Young quotes Rabbi Mordechai Miller of Gateshead, who would say that \u201clove\u201d is the wrong word. \u201cYou love your top student like you love ice cream. It is ahavah hateluyah b\u2019davar<\/em>, a love that is dependent on selfish considerations. You like the student because they are well-behaved and easy to teach, but the moment they start making trouble, you don\u2019t like them anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, the right word is \u201ccare.\u201d You should care for your students, regardless of their achievements, not unlike physicians who care about the health of their patients. \u201cDon\u2019t just show<\/em> an interest in them,\u201d says Rabbi Young. \u201cBe<\/em> interested and concerned about them.\u201d If you meet them on the street, ask them where they\u2019re going or how they are doing. Stop them in the school hallways. Take an interest in their well-being and academic progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A word to mechanchim<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When asked for advice for mechanchim<\/em>, Rabbi Young responds that a rebbi<\/em> or morah<\/em> should have a sense of humor. They should be firm with their rules, but limit the number of rules they have, if possible. They should carry respect, but with a smile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, prizes should be kept to a minimum, and positive reinforcement should be used instead to encourage students and motivate them to succeed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA study was performed about a century ago in which teachers were told to divide their class into three groups. A third would be constantly rewarded regardless of achievement, a third would be constantly rebuked, and a third would be completely ignored. The progress of these students was tracked. All three groups quickly stopped progressing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first group soon learned that their achievements did not affect their rewards, and they lost the motivation to continue. Similarly, the second group learned that their successes were not recognized, and their progress soon flattened as well. But the quickest to tank were the members of the third group, who felt invisible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rabbi Young explains that the best way to motivate a student is by praising their success. Students should be challenged to their limits, but not beyond their limits. \u201cI have a refrain I like to use: \u2018Intermittent failure is the key to success.\u2019 Children are most motivated by the feeling of accomplishment that comes from overcoming challenges. A great example is when a child learns how to ride a bike. They first fall a few times, but then they proudly show their parents how they can ride without falling.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another important rule Rabbi Young shares is not to try to be a friend or equal with your students. \u201cIn the \u201960s, the ideology of permissive society began to spread in the UK,\u201d he says. \u201cTeachers were taught that they were \u2018facilitators\u2019 rather than authoritative figures. They were to make suggestions to students rather than make demands.\u201d For example, if a child in playgroup was emptying all the sand out of a sandbox, they were not to be told, \u201cDon\u2019t throw out the sand.\u201d Instead, teachers were instructed to say, \u201cIf you throw out all the sand, you won\u2019t have any sand to play with.\u201d This attitude turns the child into the ba\u2019al habayis<\/em> and undermines the teacher\u2019s ability to educate properly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Chanukah message<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The conversation moves to the upcoming Yom Tov of Chanukah. Rabbi Young shares, \u201cWe think Greek culture has been eradicated for centuries, but the truth is that Hellenism is far from dead in our times.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An example can be found in the field of psychology. When it comes to most areas of science and technological advances, people are aware of the intersection between Torah and science and are careful to apply Halachah to each innovation. Our kitchens are governed by the halachos of Shabbos and kashrus<\/em>. Business, finance, and professions are dictated by Choshen Mishpat<\/em>. The meat and farming industries are shaped by the Shulchan Aruch<\/em>. However, there is one area of expertise in which the intersection with Halachah isn\u2019t obvious, and that is psychology. Although the Torah has much to say about the workings of the human mind and behavior, it is not as explicit in halachic sources, and people are unaware of the implications of these Torah ideas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because of this lack of awareness, even the frummest<\/em> of psychologists often borrow ideas from non-Jewish sources without realizing that they run contrary to Torah ideas and values. These sources do not recognize bechirah<\/em>, scorn authority, and preach permissibility, and they often infiltrate the systems we have built to support the struggling child. We must recognize these foreign ideas for what they truly are and work to root them out from our midst. Only the Torah is emes<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rabbi Young hands me a copy of Behind the Curtain<\/em> and firmly brushes aside my objections while he walks me to the door. The care he still carries for his thousands of past students is evident in his voice and his smile, a heartwarming image which remains with me all the way to my car. His ideas are insightful and empowering, and his belief in the ability of every child to succeed is refreshing and invigorating.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Don\u2019t Love Your Students\u2014Care About Them A Conversation with Rabbi Moshe Young Photos by Jacob Elbogen Mordechai Resnick When it comes to UK chinuch in general and chinuch habanos in particular, one of the first contemporary names that come to mind is Rabbi Moshe Young. Rabbi Young\u2019s career spans decades in the UK as well […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2434,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[20],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thevoiceoflakewood.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2433"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thevoiceoflakewood.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thevoiceoflakewood.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thevoiceoflakewood.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thevoiceoflakewood.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2433"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/thevoiceoflakewood.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2433\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2435,"href":"https:\/\/thevoiceoflakewood.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2433\/revisions\/2435"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thevoiceoflakewood.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2434"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thevoiceoflakewood.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2433"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thevoiceoflakewood.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2433"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thevoiceoflakewood.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2433"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}