The Pesach Seder: The Natural Approach to Chinuch

& Why the School system doesn’t work…

There is growing evidence that challenges many children face in schools in general and the yeshiva and day schools in particular are endemic to the educational approach employed. HaRav Matisyahu Solomon, Z”L described the environment that negatively impacts many students as an artificial environment. He stated that anything artificial has the potential to produce side effects. Medication is a prime example. So, too, our educational system has many side effects, children who are unhappy, misbehaved, socially and emotionally challenged, bored, unmotivated to learn, turned off to yiddeshkite and essentially unsuccessful. Even students who don’t seem to exhibit these symptoms, and we think are thriving in our schools, are they really? How many have our students are reaching their potential? How many are becoming challenged later in life from an unfulfilled chinuch experience? How many are leaving the Derech HaTorah, R”L?

What is it about the system of education that so many schools practice which is considered artificial? In short, it’s filling a room with a bunch of children all the same age, providing one instructional lesson for the entire class, and the teacher spoon feeding information and skills.

We can prove that these are the practices causing so much havoc in our schools and lives by identifying what is considered the natural approach to education. Without a doubt, and I am sure all agree, natural chinuch would be the approach prescribed by the eternal words of the Torah. The Pesach Seder, the highest profile chinuch event in the life of a Jewish family, is the vehicle to convey this powerful philosophy and practice.

For starters, we see that the Torah and therefore the Haggadah emphasize a question answer format. Three times when the laws of Pesach are mentioned in the Torah, there is a reference to children asking questions. As a result, Chazal took direction from this recurring structure and incorporated the Mah Nishtana as a central component of the Seder. What is even more telling, they insisted that question answer is so important that even if there are no children available and capable to ask questions the format needs to be maintained even if the wife asks her husband or the father asks himself. Even two Torah Sages, who are sharing a Seder, should ask each other questions.

The format of children asking questions indicates that they are being guided to learn, to search for understanding and answers, and to seek help by asking questions when they can’t find meaning on their own.  This approach is in distinct contrast to the more common classroom structure where the Rebbe or teacher instructs and then asks questions on what was taught. It appears that the more teacher-centered classroom is the artificial approach, and the more student-centered classroom is the more natural way.

This chinuch prescription is actually embedded in the words that the Torah uses to command educating children, Vishinantam l’vanecha-you shall teach them (the words of Torah) thoroughly to your children. The choice of word for teaching derives from the term shinun that means to sharpen and review.  When applied to the process of teaching and learning, sharpen and review are both terms that indicate a high level of student involvement in the learning process.  You can imagine a classroom where the children are guided to learn, to search for understanding, to ask questions and receive answers, review the learning with the newfound understanding only to begin the cycle again with further questions.  This learning process greatly benefits the learners in their acquisition of content and skills, in the sense of feeling successful and coming to truly enjoy the learning.

Another major emphasis of the Hagada for Passover is the four sons. This is based upon the Torah’s four references of children either asking questions or receiving answers regarding the exodus from Egypt. Further, we see from the content of the intergenerational give and take, each son reflects a different cognitive capacity or intellectual connection to the event.

The reason the Torah structured the narrative of the exodus around four children with varying profiles is because of the great necessity that its transmission endures thousands of years until Moshiach. It’s based upon the educational philosophy of King Solomon, educate a child according to his way, then when he grows older, he won’t leave it.  The Torah and therefore the Hagada is promoting the most effective educational approach, educating according to each child’s profile to ensure the message will be internalized and then passed on to the next generation.

Finally, the common practice of singular-age classrooms is not in line with the Pesach seder’s family orientation, as we see from the Torah’s description- a sheep for the paternal house, a sheep per home.  The connotation is multi-age intergenerational groupings. 

What are the benefits of multi-age groupings? For starters, it reduces the possibility of implementing a poor practice previously mentioned, one size fits all. Rather it promotes the Torah principle of …according to his way… It allows for each age and ability to receive the instruction and guidance required.

A second benefit is the social and emotional growth and developmental maturity resulting from the classroom dynamics. Younger children benefit by following the lead of older children and even asking them for help. Older children develop leadership skills, responsibility for others, and are more inclined to master information and skills.

Finally, children in a multi-age learning environment develop greater self-esteem, are more independent and are happier in school.

We understand that society depends on things that are artificial even with the side effects because it’s the best we have. This has been the response given to the chinuch challenge, it’s the best we can do.  Ask yourself the question, with so much at stake in the chinuch of our children is it ok to answer that’s the best we can do? Or do we need to contemplate the eternal messages of the Torah and continually search for ways to bring our artificial system more in line with the natural Torah way?  

In recent times, chinuch has been moving slowly towards the “natural system.”  Teachers and parents owe it to their children, the next link in our glorious chain, to practice in the home and advocate in the schools for a preferred system.

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Pesach, Emunah and the Chinuch Opportunity of a Lifetime