Dr. Wolowelsky points out the lack of logic behind questioning one’s ability to supervise general studies due to a rabbinic degree. I agree fully, my thought is that it is fueled by a bias which may not even be fully conscious and is certainly not logical. In terms of his question about the structure of the average Modern Orthodox high school, a quick perusal of websites shows that the model of two principals (one general studies and one Judaic) under a head of school is not uncommon. There are many models within schools depending on the size and structure of a school and if there is a head of school, a headmaster, an executive director, a principal or some amalgamation of these positions. Although the model he suggests certainly exists, I have not found it to be more compelling than some of the other models. We could have a separate (and interesting) conversation about the changes in role of HOS and principal in the last 15 years in light of the increase in parent communication, teacher supervision and curriculum development which has taken place in many schools.
Rabbi Bieler laments the lack of direct engagement by day schools in the work of reconciling the two sides of our education for our students. Additionally, he comments that “just because a single individual happens to participate on ‘both sides of the curriculum,’ at best is a subtle indicator that an individual should strive to be well-rounded.†My own experience as a student and educator do not match this statement. Probably not coincidentally, my own high school calculus teacher was a rabbi. It was the first time that I had a rabbi teaching a general studies subject and it certainly made an impression on me. In my own time as a teacher I have found that Judaics will leak into the math classroom and vica versa but that this is not the aspect of greatest impact. High school students tend to take more out of having a relationship with a person who can be a personal example (dugma ishit) than from any direct discussions about how the two worlds coexist. If students are growing up in a community where they see many successful adults who also remain steadfast in their commitment to grow in Torah knowledge by being koveah itim, then this might not be as necessary. However, in many modern orthodox communities (perhaps especially “out of town†where I have been an administrator) these examples can be hard to come by, making the rabbi teaching math an uncommon, and important, model. One vignette which comes to mind is a student who penned a poem about the uniqueness of having a day school education for his high school years. One of the lines of the poem referenced the fact that his “rabbi taught calculus.†This student was reflecting the sentiment which I have heard from a number of students over the years, that having a rabbi teach Judaics and Math challenges certain stereotypes and provides a positive model for our students.
Rabbi Maury Grebenau
Principal
Yavneh Academy of Dallas
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/24/2016 07:15AM by mlb.
