By Rochi Schtroks
R’ Alexander Ben-Nun, the national supervisor for the Reshet Oholei Yosef Yitzchak schools in Israel, once showed the Rebbe a list of 10 chinuch rules that he had formulated and asked for the Rebbe’s approval. The Rebbe looked over the list. “You are missing another rule,” the Rebbe commented. “The rule in chinuch that there are no rules.”
The goal of chinuch is to instill Yiras Shomayim, a love for Yiddishkeit and Chassidishkeit in the students, to connect the students to Hashem and to the Rebbe. The goal is to teach Torah in a way that should have an everlasting effect on their lives, that it should become a real part of them.
When it comes to the details of how to execute anything within chinuch, including to give tests or not to give tests, how to test, how to get the students to review the material, how to know how a student is doing in their learning, it really depends on the situation. Chanoch Lanaar Al Pi Darko, what works for one class may not work for another class, what works for one student may not work for another student, what works today may not work tomorrow.
But if we keep an eye on the bigger picture, if we know what is the Ikar and what is the Tofel, if we view our students as the holy, pure neshamos that they are, if we realize what a precious Zechus we have to be Mechanech Jewish children, if we have true Ahava and are non-judgmental, kind and understanding, then we can work out the details with an eye on the bigger picture and what is truly the priority.
The Rebbe writes, “Every Mitzvah has a limit, but when it comes to Chinuch the Hashpoah is Ad Sof Kol Hadoros, you affect the child, the child’s family and all his future generations” (Mikdash Melech p. 427).
More than the marks they receive and more than the knowledge we impart, students will remember the times we showed them kindness, the times we complimented them, the times we helped them shine, the personal example we showed, the sincerity and Emeskeit we give off and the lessons that really spoke to them, that had a practical application to their lives.
May we merit the coming of Moshiach now!
Some people dont make it in school but have so much quality and values. Others have the highest marks and top in school but no quality. Main point? Bring out of your child and encourage HIS potential/HIMSELF. That’s the best you can do for HIM!
Please don’t go into chinuch
I’m teaching in chinuch and I’ve great students, each in their own way.
it doesn’t take a genius to understand that she was saying:
there are others who have high marks but have no quality.
There’s no such thing as a child “without quality “. If the teacher can’t find positive qualities in the children they teach, it is their responsibility to search until they find. Or don’t teach
“It is the teachers responsibility to search until they find.” Wow. I dont know which world you live in but no teacher does that today. Be lucky as my own personal experience my teachers put me down for being “too much of a good girl” and was jealous of me and had to fight to stay ME!
Clearly SOMEONE’S teachers didn’t take the responsibility to teach them manners…..
Stop teaching gemarah and hard subjects at the age when they start to question themselves and there beliefs for those who want teach but for the rest who don’t even k ow how to say brachos at 13 14 15 need to know the basics I know personally some bachurim in yeshiva who don’t even know the parsha teach the basics Torah halacha chassidus and we should teach Tanya better because the problem with teens is that they are very self conscious anxious depressed etc… And they feel cold to Torah and mitzvos we also need to teach sefer ha… Read more »
….to atop learning gemarah. True, u brjng up a good point on what maybe needs more emphasis. But I dont think that has to negate other VERY important things being learnt. (Like gemarah actually makes one smarter. Besides the fact that its Hashems torah)
Very true point, but gemara and other subjects like that should be taught, because they are very important. in addition to that, schools should be focusing on having hashkafah, tanya, etc more often than once or twice a week. personally, tanya and hashkafah has helped me understand a lot of things that were happening around me.
Your article is 100% True.
Each Jewish child is a real Gem.
And it’s our duty to lead them to serve the eibershter with love and happiness.
(NOT WITH ANXIETIES AND WORRIES)
I would start my children’s school day asking them if they would like to stay home? I still have an aversion to the color navy, my uniform color and fluorescent lights. School didn’t represent a safe or loving place. But I would tell my children that between all the teachers they would find a few that resonate with them .. that would really hear them , talk to them not at them and change their lives … just tune out the rest as long as they were not emotionally abusive. Then I would step in and champion for my child.… Read more »
Rochi Schtroks an amazing mechaneches!
Keep posting your incredible chinuch insights.