The ambience which permeates the Torah School is one of warmth and caring. Our outstanding staff members serve as role models for our students. Their objective is to provide the intellectual challenges and emotional nurturing that are best for each individual child. They understand that, as Haim Ginott wrote,
"Concerning a teacher's influence: I have come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element in the clasrooom...As a teacher, I possess a tremendous power to make a child's life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or deescalated, and a child humanized or dehumanized."
However, the job of the Jewish educator goes beyond this. HaRav Eliyahu Dessler, ZT'L wrote that one who teaches Torah:
"must transmit the sanctity and the love of Torah because these are the elements which develop fear and love of G-d."
Because we believe that learning is a life-long process, we must motivate our students to retain their youthful enthusiasm for the acquisition of knowledge. How can we do this? Here are some of the strategies we employ:
1. Show students the relevance of their studies to their lives. Just about anything can be applied to a real-life situation. When it is, it becomes easier to understand and far more meaningful to students.
2. Get students involved in activities that go beyond typical paper and pencil tasks. Use hands-on activities as much as possible.
3. Provide opportunities for students to talk to each other about what they are thinking and allow them to share their ideas about solving problems.
4. Let students work with partners in small groups so the pressure of having to find the correct answers on their own is greatly reduced.
5. Present students with situations or problems that could have a number of solutions - not just one right or wrong answer.
6. Build on what students already know, while presenting a problem that's interesting enough to pursue.
7. Give students a variety of learning experiences so they don't do the same types of tasks every day.
8. Make learning fun. Just about any subject that's interesting to kids (e.g. music, food, sports) makes applying what they have studied challenging and fun.
9. Ensure that all students enjoy success at some level.
10. Make sure that all students have the opportunity to participate in enriching activities.
Our commitment to individualized learning and our low student/teacher ratio mean that at the Torah School of Greater Washington, each child is guided to personal excellence in both general studies and in Limud HaTorah. Working together, our parents, teachers and students are building a community of B'nai/B'nos Torah who will bring credit to themselves, to their families, and to Klal Yisrael.
HaRav Moshe Feinstein, ZT'L said that it is our responsibility to clearly and consciously instruct in a manner that will enable our Talmidim to understand both intellectually and emotionally the centrality of Torah to our lives. We must impart to our boys and girls the vibrancy, beauty, and meaning of a life based upon these values. The Bible, with all its details about the conduct of our Patriarchs and Matriachs, must be presented as a handbook for practical living. Furthermore, the concept of Derech Eretz Kadmah LaTorah, that proper interpersonal relationships take precedence over everything, is stressed in all areas of our curriculum and conduct. Thus, our students learn that a Ben/Bas Torah must strive for self-improvement in his/her relationship with both G-d and man.
Our definition of excellence is a personalized one. We emphasize to our youngsters that their jobs are to maximize their individual potential through total effort in all they do. We, as their teachers, must recognize this in order to, as King Solomon instructed, "teach the child in his own way." The children, in turn, must internalize this in order to develop confidence and a positive self-image.
Finally, the "school" and the "home" must view themselves as partners in this most important venture. Only in this way will our boys and girls get the maximum benefit from their educational experience. We encourage on-going open communication between our parents and educators in order to best achieve those goals for which we strive.
