Friends who are vacationing in Florida sent me a postcard. They wrote that they were having “lots of chair time just looking at the sea.”
“Chair Time” – I like that phrase. “Chair Time” suggests a relaxed contemplation of natural surroundings, a chance for unhurried observation, quiet thought, and measured response.
Chair Time is not a time to escape from reality, but a time to appreciate it.
I believe that Chair Time can be applied metaphorically to Jewish Education. Students need a chance to sit back and process the information presented in Religious School and Hebrew School, whether it concerns Hebrew language, the weekly Torah Portion, Holiday studies, Jewish History, or any other Judaic Studies topic.
The concept of Chair Time is a valuable addition to our repertoire of teaching strategies. This idea with its pleasing image of a sunlit beach chair at the ocean’s edge, reminds us to give students ample opportunity to understand, integrate, and apply what they’re learning; ample time to think about a question before volunteering an answer.
In a classroom setting, Chair Time means creating a warm, comfortable, cheerful atmosphere for gaining knowledge, developing skills, and progressing along the path of life long Jewish learning.
Even though our teaching time with our students is limited to a few activity filled hours a week, let’s plan for some Chair Time so that students can truly appreciate what they are studying and why.
In Pirkei Avot (The Ethics of the Fathers), Ben Zoma teaches: “Who is wise? One who learns from every person.” (4:1)
I thank my insightful friends (who are also family members) for giving me “Chair Time” to share.
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