My Educational Philosophy

The most useful assignment I had in graduate school was to write a one-page summary of my educational philosophy. The original version was written in the third person, but I rewrote it in the second person - addressed to my students - because this helps remind me that this isn't some abstract theoretical formulation, but an actual framework which ought to guide my day-to-day teaching.

At least once a year I revisit this educational philosophy statement, both in order to remind myself of my personal mission as a teacher, an to assess whether I still agree with my own educational philosophy, or whether I need to modify it. Here is the current incarnation. 

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Artwork: Talisman of Curiosity, by Lindesy Look

My Educational Philosophy

My role as a teacher is to facilitate bechirah ba'Tov – the capacity to make free-will decisions to live as a human being, in accordance with the will and wisdom of the Creator. [1] My goal is to guide you on our mutual journey towards yiras Hashem (self-governance by wisdom [2]) and ahavas Hashem (the yearning to know Hashem – the One Source of all wisdom and reality [3]). This journey will proceed in four stages, which are sequential by nature, but tend to overlap: 

(1) Reishis Daas (The Beginning of Knowledge): My first task as your teacher is to awaken you from the mindless slumber of the unexamined life and to bring you to a state of mindfulness, self-awareness, and the recognition that we live in a world governed by rational lawfulness. This is the reishis daas (beginning of knowledge [4]) – the foundation of real learning.  

(2) Chochmah (Wisdom): After you have been awakened, the true development of your tzelem Elokim (truth-seeking intellect) can commence. I will train you in the art of precise, logical, analytical thinking; I will help you to acquire intellectual virtues and beneficial habits of mind; I will do everything in my ability to encourage your curiosity, creativity, and independent thinking; and I will strive to impart to you a clear knowledge and understanding of Torah, firmly grounded in the yesodei ha'Torah.  

(3) Mussar (Self-Governance): Since chochmah is only valuable insofar as it is real to our minds and emotions, and affects the way we live, I will do what I can to help you align and harmonize your emotions, your personality, and your decision-making with your chochmah.  

(4) Bechirah (Free Will): Lastly, I will do my best to provide you with the knowledge, resources, and support you need for a life of bechirah. However, I will leave that bechirah entirely up to you. I will never attempt to force you to feel, think, or live in any particular way. Instead, I will do what I can to help you to recognize and understand the choices that lie before you. I will do what I can to serve as role model of bechirah and I will try to provide you with the opportunity to learn from my own struggles to be bocher ba'Tov (to choose good). 

This is the current incarnation of my continually evolving educational philosophy. If I am shown that any element of my approach is not in the best interests of my students, I will retract and change my ways – for, as a teacher, I am bound by the physician's rule of primum non nocere: “first do no harm.” 

These are my terms and my values. I do not care to teach on any others. 

[1] This approach follows directly from the derech Hashem: "Behold, I have placed before you today the life and the Good, and the death and the bad ... Choose life, that you and your offspring may live" (Devarim 30:15,19). 

[2] Sefer Mishlei 15:33, as explained by Saadia Gaon 

[3] Rambam: Mishneh Torah, Sefer ha'Mada, Hilchos Yesodei ha'Torah 2:2 

[4] Sefer Mishlei 1:7