teaching moments Archives - Values & Ethics

LEARNING FROM EVERYONE…

Posted by TTT | Jan 24, 2019 | communication, teaching moments |

YITRO — Intelligence may be in our genes, but wisdom is certainly not. A person becomes wise when he or she realizes that everything in his or her life is an opportunity to learn something. Everything that happens to us and everyone we know (yes, everyone) can teach us something. In our portion we find Moses listening carefully to, and implementing, the suggestion of Jethro. Moses was the greatest of all prophets. He communicated directly with G-d and was given the Torah. Not only was Jethro not a prophet, he was Moses’s father-in-law! Yet Moses had the humility and...

SIMCHAT TORAH—Opportunities for Joy

Posted by TTT | Sep 30, 2018 | blessings, gratitude, holidays, rituals, teaching moments |

SIMCHAT TORAH — Unbridled joy is the gift that children often experience as they go through their daily lives. They are capable of so much feeling, of happiness and sadness, and with such intensity. We celebrate with them when they are happy, and we are sad when they grieve. At times it’s important not to get too caught up with our children’s emotions and to maintain a calm front in the face of their ups and downs. At other times, it’s important to get right in there and rejoice or grieve right along with them. As a parent it...

SHAVUOT—Study for Its Own Sake

Posted by TTT | Sep 1, 2018 | holidays, teaching moments |

SHAVUOT — Parents naturally want their children to do well in school. We are concerned when they, for one reason or another, are not flourishing in school, and this gives us anxiety regarding their futures. We do all we can to address whatever problems or obstacles seem to be in their way. There are times when children feel a great deal of pressure from parents and teachers to do well in school and often this pressure can be counterproductive. The Jewish holiday of Shavuot sheds a different light on the meaning of study. This holiday, marking the receiving of the Torah by Moses on Mount Sinai, is...

PASSOVER—Asking Questions

Posted by TTT | Aug 15, 2018 | communication, holidays, sharing, teaching moments |

PASSOVER — Asking questions is essential to childhood. Doing one’s best to answer these questions is part of being a parent. Sometimes we are delighted by these questions, and at other times we are discomfited, at a loss as to how to answer them. Whichever it is, we know how important it is for our children to keep on asking questions. This coming week is time for the yearly Passover seders. The Torah and the rabbis who shaped the seders placed children’s questions at the heart of the seder. Not only are the “Four Questions” designed to specifically engage...

Category: teaching moments

LEARNING FROM EVERYONE…

SIMCHAT TORAH—Opportunities for Joy

SHAVUOT—Study for Its Own Sake

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