2008 Woodie Awards
Direction For Tomorrow's Educators
Aryeh Schneider
Issue date: 12/27/04 Section: Features
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For current students aspiring to educate younger and older minds, Yeshiva has recently made the path clearer and easier with the creation of pre-education advisement.
Prior to the service, Yeshiva had offered no assistance for such students. Although actual classes in education have yet to be offered, Yeshiva has demonstrated its concern by making an advisor, Rabbi Yitzchak S. Handel, Ph.D., available to make students aware of their options.
Early last year, Yeshiva College Dean Norman Adler approached Rabbi Dr. Handel, Adjunct Associate Professor at the Azrieli School of Jewish Education, to discuss where his talents might be best served on the undergraduate level. Both agreed that Rabbi Handel's ample experience perfectly suited a role in education-advisement. In addition to this position, which he describes as "very important," Rabbi Handel teaches classes at both Stern College (SCW) and the Azrieli Graduate School and gives a morning shiur at The Marsha Stern Talmudical Academy, Yeshiva's high school. When asked if this current advisement position is expected to be long term, the Rabbi Handel laughed and replied, "Who knows?"
The primary goal, he explains, is to have students recognize there is someone they can talk with about their future, something they didn't have before.
As for those relatively few students interested in pursuing a secular path in education, Rabbi Handel notes two pieces of information. First, despite the fact that Yeshiva offers no education major, or so much as a single pre-education course, Yeshiva does provide "content." The first step in becoming a teacher, he points out, is learning the material as a student. Only then can you hope to teach it. Second, Rabbi Handel reports that Yeshiva is presently experimenting with a BA-MS-like program for its seniors with Teacher's College, of Columbia University.
Together with Dean Adler, Rabbi Handel has been in contact with several Deans and department heads in Teacher's College, hoping to arrange for Yeshiva seniors to earn graduate credits, and perhaps get a foot in the door for after they graduate. Although Teacher's College has agreed to the possibility, the plan has yet to be realized. One senior, however, is currently in the midst of the application process. Together with Rabbi Handel, Eliot Glasser is hoping to be the first of Yeshiva University to initiate this program.
Prior to the service, Yeshiva had offered no assistance for such students. Although actual classes in education have yet to be offered, Yeshiva has demonstrated its concern by making an advisor, Rabbi Yitzchak S. Handel, Ph.D., available to make students aware of their options.
Early last year, Yeshiva College Dean Norman Adler approached Rabbi Dr. Handel, Adjunct Associate Professor at the Azrieli School of Jewish Education, to discuss where his talents might be best served on the undergraduate level. Both agreed that Rabbi Handel's ample experience perfectly suited a role in education-advisement. In addition to this position, which he describes as "very important," Rabbi Handel teaches classes at both Stern College (SCW) and the Azrieli Graduate School and gives a morning shiur at The Marsha Stern Talmudical Academy, Yeshiva's high school. When asked if this current advisement position is expected to be long term, the Rabbi Handel laughed and replied, "Who knows?"
The primary goal, he explains, is to have students recognize there is someone they can talk with about their future, something they didn't have before.
As for those relatively few students interested in pursuing a secular path in education, Rabbi Handel notes two pieces of information. First, despite the fact that Yeshiva offers no education major, or so much as a single pre-education course, Yeshiva does provide "content." The first step in becoming a teacher, he points out, is learning the material as a student. Only then can you hope to teach it. Second, Rabbi Handel reports that Yeshiva is presently experimenting with a BA-MS-like program for its seniors with Teacher's College, of Columbia University.
Together with Dean Adler, Rabbi Handel has been in contact with several Deans and department heads in Teacher's College, hoping to arrange for Yeshiva seniors to earn graduate credits, and perhaps get a foot in the door for after they graduate. Although Teacher's College has agreed to the possibility, the plan has yet to be realized. One senior, however, is currently in the midst of the application process. Together with Rabbi Handel, Eliot Glasser is hoping to be the first of Yeshiva University to initiate this program.