The Talmud as a Teacher of Teachers

 

The Talmudic scholars always employed cognitive psychology for disseminating new laws and uncovering new information.

The student in our classroom is an active builder of his/her knowledge. To produce any change in knowledge, the "mental engine needs to be ignited", and during the lesson, the "cognitive drive wheel" needs to be in constant motion. We believe that the Talmudic scholars of 1,500–2,000 years ago gave us the cognitive conflict model to achieve new knowledge.    

Most of the models proposed to explain conceptual change emphasize the role of cognitive conflict as a central condition for conceptual change. Describing the processes of equilibration, Piaget (1975) considered cognitive conflict a step in this process. The model of Posner et al. (1982) deemed the phase of conflict, generated by dissatisfaction with existing concepts, a first step in the achievement of conceptual change. During this phase of dissatisfaction, students realize they need to "reorganize" their existing conceptions or change them to some extent.

During our session, we shall describe the various Talmudic conflicts whose resolution would initiate the modification of the new Halacha. This school of thought will be of particular assistance to Talmud teachers in comprehending the logic of the Gemarah, and will facilitate classroom pedagogy and instruction of all subjects taught in schools.       

 

 

Dr. Tzvika Kanarek, Adjunct Professor of Jewish Education

Dr. Tzvi Kanarek was born in New York and studied at "Yeshivah Torah V' da-as". At the age of 18 he made "Aliya" to Israel and served in the Israel Defense Forces as a paratrooper reaching the rank of major in the reserves. After the "Yom Kippur war", Tzvi studied at Lifshitz College (Then known as "Shvadron" College) and graduated as a senior educator. After receiving his teacher's license, he taught Talmud for 28 years at "Zion Ezri", a religious public school and junior High School. From 1975 until 1992 Tzvi taught Talmud in English at Yeshivat Chafetz Chaim located in Jerusalem.

From 1987, Tzvi studied at Bar Ilan University. His subjects were Education and Management. After graduating from Bar Ilan, he continued his studies at Touro College and received his Masters degree in Jewish Education. After this he went on to study at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and received an additional Master's degree in Jewish Education and a PhD degree in Jewish Education. His dissertation was on teaching Talmud through Cognitive Maps.

After graduating from the Hebrew University, Dr. Kanarek taught Jewish studies and the "Implementation of Computers for the Advancement of Jewish Studies" at teachers colleges such as Lifshitz College in Jerusalem and Givat Washington College, near Ashdod. He has taught online courses at Gratz College such as "Solving Moral Issues while teaching Jewish studies".

He wrote over about 20 articles dealing with teaching Talmud, as well as books on "Teaching the Talmudic chapters "Elu Me' tzi' ot", "Ha' mafkid" with cognitive Maps.

Dr Kanarek is also actively involved in the following: (1) Teaching children suffering from learning disabilities. He uses therapeutic horse–back riding to advance their abilities to learn. He has written academic articles on this subject. (2) Since the year 2001 Dr. Kanarek traveled on his Sabbatical to South East Asia where he has spent 6 months, he has returned to Laos on five further expeditions.

He has written a travelers’ guide in Hebrew called "Traveling Laos – The Jewel of the Mekong" and wrote several articles in Israeli Nature magazines about the Hill tribes of Laos. Dr. Tzvi Kanarek currently lives in Jerusalem, is married and has four children.