I think there is a lot of truth to this statement - it also echoes the Maya Angelou oft-quoted sentiment: "I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." I think that the growth of experiential learning with yeshiva day schools is evidence of trying to create Jewish experiences, along with emotional connections which is viewed and invested in as a cornerstone of what our yeshivot offer. It is however, complimentary and not supplementary! The value of active learning has also made gains on the academic front. We all see significant growth of inquiry based learning, authentic assessments, student voice and choice all reflect a fuller value of student engagement rather than just a cerebral exchange of information and skills. These initiatives all highlight the need to find and encourage spaces for self reflection, person to text connections, and something more intangible than content and skill. I am curious however what it means to teach love - to model love I get - to create opportunities for bonding experiences (even in an academic setting) is not difficult to imagine. However, to teach love is more amorphous.
CB
