Preparing our students for the real world of Torah study: תורה לשמה

 As a teacher of Torah, I often ask myself: How am I preparing my students to lead a life committed to learning Torah? My job is to help my students find an intrinsic desire to learn Torah: תורה לשמה. Students may need to learn the necessary skills to become independent learners but what is even more important than skills? A desire to learn! If our students' only interaction with Torah study is when  sticks and carrots are waved at them (grades, raffle tickets, prizes) then when will the students be able to discover their intrinsic desire to learn.

I often take my students outside to the playground for a picnic lunch. Instead of sitting in the lunchroom, we sit outside on the grass, we converse in Hebrew and we then play a game of  soccer in Hebrew. Today it was very cold outside so I gave my student a choice: Watch a Hebrew dubbed Movie in the classroom or join me for a  voluntary In-depth Parsha Shiur. Many students choose the Torah class. I told the students in advance there will be no special prizes or treats for this class. Having the opportunity to learn  in an environment which was 100% לשמה  was so special for them. 

Today's Parsha Class

We discussed the fears of Yaakov וירא יעקב מאוד ויצר לו we applied lessons to our own lives and we explored the רמב"ן and the כלי יקר. The boys shared their own questions and we explored many פרשנים. 

I wish lunch was longer! the students didn't want to stop learning. We had to stop learning because lunch was over and class was starting again!