Becoming a Soulful Educator: How to Bring Jewish Learning from Our Minds, to Our Hearts, to Our Souls-and Into Our Lives

by Rabbi Aryeh Ben David, Dr. Erica Brown (Foreword by)

Overview

Wake up, educators! Move beyond conveying information, beyond the classroom, to transforming the soul. 

The time has come for a new GPS in education. The goal is no longer to teach a good class, to convey information or even to have the students enjoy the learning. Soulful education is about enabling another—child, adolescent, adult—to discover how to become his or her best self through learning. In this bold revisioning of effective education, renowned educator Rabbi Aryeh Ben David recalibrates the focus of teaching from the acquisition of knowledge to the transformation of the soul. He presents six steps to help educators of all kinds teach to the heart, engage students in knowledge gathering without preaching or controlling, and enable students to authentically and personally integrate Jewish wisdom into their lives. He offers guidance for how teachers can share their own vulnerabilities and yearnings to become a better force of harmony to help students gain new clarity on their own infinite potential for positive change. This is the essential guidebook for everyone from educators and rabbis to parents and grandparents—anyone working in formal or informal education, whether for children, teens, emerging adults, adults or seniors.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781580238731
Publisher:	TURNER PUB CO
Publication date:	06/20/2016
Pages:	144
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.40(d)

About the Author

Rabbi Aryeh Ben David, a world-renowned educator, is committed to plucking the soul strings of teachers and students alike in order to transform how we learn and grow. He is the founder of Ayeka: Center for Soulful Jewish Education, which trains educators of all denominations, campus professionals, and staff of middle and high schools how to teach Jewish subjects with more soulfulness, personal meaning and impact on life. Formerly he was a senior faculty member and director of spiritual education at the Pardes Institute in Jerusalem. He has been the keynote speaker for national conferences of Reform, Conservative and Orthodox rabbis, and has served as the educational consultant for Hillel International for three years.

Dr. Erica Brown is an educator and author who consults for non-profits and currently serves as the community scholar for The Jewish Center in Manhattan. The recipient of a Covenant Award for her work in education, she is author of Inspired Jewish Leadership: Practical Approaches to Building Strong Communities, among other books.

Table of Contents

Foreword
Who Is This Book For?
Acknowledgments
Introduction
My Crisis as a Teacher
The Old GPS of Jewish Education: Knowledge and Continuity
The New GPS of Jewish Learning: "Becoming"—A Call to My Future Self
Asking the New Questions

Part 1: Laying the Foundation for Soulful Education 1
What Does It Mean to Be a Soulful Person?
What Does It Mean to Be a Soulful Teacher?
Creating Soulful Space
The Soulful Education Approach: Loving Our Students

Part 2: The Six Essential Steps of Soulful Education: Bringing Soulfulness into Everything You Teach
Step 1: Transitioning into the Class
Step 2: Introducing the Learning
Step 3: Mindful Engagement
Step 4: Heartful Engagement
Step 5: Summarizing the Learning
Step 6: Transitioning Out of the Class

Conclusion
Appendix: Ayeka-cizing Classes
Chumash
Talmud
Tefilah
Hanukkah
Halachah
Notes
About the Author

Editorial Reviews

Gives teachers the keys to opening their students’ inner lives in ways that can animate their active lives, fostering a Jewish life of authenticity, passion and life-giving impact on the world.”—Parker J. Palmer, author, The Courage to Teach, A Hidden Wholeness and Let Your Life Speak

“A trusted guide … gently opens our eyes to the deepest truth about education: without the heart, the head may think but it can neither understand the inner life nor transform the learner.”—Rabbi Rachel Cowan, co-author, Wise Aging: Living with Joy, Resilience and Spirit

“A soulful guide to shaping an inspirational and meaningful Jewish learning experience. A must read for every Jewish teacher!”—Dr. Ron Wolfson, Fingerhut Professor of Education, American Jewish University; author, Relational Judaism: Using the Power of Relationships to Transform the Jewish Community

“Through his personal journey, and the methodology and authentic questions he has developed, Aryeh Ben David offers us a path to unleash the creative force in our students, our sacred texts and, perhaps most importantly, ourselves.”—Rabbi Marc Baker, Head of School, Gann Academy

“Zeroes in on the most pressing issue within the field of Jewish education today: How can we get young people to truly connect with Torah in a deep, genuine and transformative way?... An essential text for anyone seeking to become ‘soulful’ and impactful educators.”—Rabbi Ari Segal, Head of School, Shalhevet High School

From the Publisher