By Rabbi Yair Hoffman
For the Moshav HaChinuch Convention recently held in the Nir Etzion Hotel, the Mayor of Modiin Illit, Yaakov Gutterman, presented a number of questions in writing from Torah educators to Rav Chaim Kanievsky. Below are 11 of the 12 questions presented.
Bear in mind that these questions were posed by educators in Eretz Yisroel for students in Eretz Yisroel, particularly the Bnei Brak community. Schools in the Five Towns and Far Rockaway communities may be slightly different. Consult with your own Rav as to whether the questions and responses apply to your own children and students as well. These questions were not part of the questions presented by Mr. Larry Gordon, owner of the Five Towns Jewish Times a month ago.
1. Should one involve parents in all that pertains to their child, or is there no need for this? IT IS WORTHWHILE.
2. Should an educator involve the principal in important educational issues or should he manage them himself? IN GENERAL ITS BETTER BY HIMSELF
3. A child that, at night hears shiurim in Daf Yomi or something else in the framework of adults – should this be discouraged? WHAT FOR? ITS VERY GOOD.
4. Should one try to encourage children to study other things – beyond what they learn in cheider? YES
5. Should the topic of honoring parents be brought up in Cheider? Or is this not the responsibility of the melamed? THE MELAMED SHOULD ALSO WORRY ABOUT THIS.
6. A child who does not have payos, because his family custom is not to do, should one encourage his parents to do so? YES
7. Is it the responsibility of the melamed to ascertain who of the student’s friends is not within the rubric of the Talmud Torah? YES.
8. Should one prevent children from attending various Masmidim programs because quite often it affects their sleep? NO NEED TO PREVENT THEM
9. Should one learn mussar with children in school? YES.
10. Is there an inyan to take children on the yartzeit of the Chazon Ish, the Steipler, Rav Shach and others to their gravesites to pray? YES THERE IS AN INYAN
11. Is there good advice in the education of one’s children and students? TEFILAH
The author can be reached at [email protected].
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Thanks for this.