Rabbi Aryeh Ben David, a world-renowned educator, 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. 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 far too long, Jewish learning has been an intellectual affair with study itself as the main goal. David is convinced that there needs to be a paradigm shift, a re-shaping of pedagogic goals: "We must move from the '"knowledge for survival" emphasis to "know to grow."
What is involved in this transformational method of education? David presents "The Six Essential Steps of Soulful Education." Here are two of them.
1. "Transitioning into the class" gives the author a chance to vent his negative feelings about multi-tasking which he sees as the most troubling phenomena of the modern era. One of the greatest gifts a soulful teacher can give is helping students move from the scatteredness of multi-tasking to "a universe of full engagement, focus, and commitment."
2. "Heartful engagement" builds on the fact that the heart learns differently than the mind. It accentuates the art of imagining a better self and the yearning for learning to have an impact after class. Soulful education works wonders when students achieve sharing experiences that deepen trust and mutual excellence.
Becoming a Soulful Educator is designed for students, whether children, adolescents, or adults who want to "discover their better selves through learning."
