The common trait of all the teachers that have had a profound impact on my life (and there weren’t many) was their sensitivity and kindness. I remember with love my fifth grade teacher. His name was Rabbi Wolfson. Until then I really wasn’t interested in what my teachers were teaching me. It was he, with his personal touch and concern, who made me want to excel.
I recall as well the warmth and concern of my teacher in college, Rabbi Aaron Solevitchik, z”l. I was a freshman in Yeshiva University then, just returning from a year of study in Israel at Yeshivat Kerem B’Yavneh. He always impressed me with his brilliance and erudition. But it was his warm remarks and his sincere concern that made me want to please him.
Of course, my teacher par excellence, under whom I studied for three years, was Rabbi David Lipshitz, z”l. To me he resembled a prince. His dress was kingly, and his stature was regal. He was the epitome of brilliance and royalty. But his greatest asset was his warmth and concern for me as his student. Never a day would pass that he wouldn’t ask me how, as a newlywed, I was doing. With his hand placed upon my shoulder, his warmth penetrated my entire being. I can still feel the touch of his hand today.
Parents often are looking for guidance as to what defines a good school. Before registering a child, what should a parent look for in a school? What will determine the effectiveness of a school upon their child?
There are many determinants. But I believe the most important is the warmth and the nurturing environment that is prevalent in a school. Does the administration and staff really care about the students? Is there a true concern with the self-esteem of the child? Is there a friendly touch, a warmth that seems to permeate the very walls of the school? Does the school act as an extension of the family, giving love and attention to all of its students? Does the principal know the names of all the children in the school?
Let’s face it. We forget most of the classroom knowledge we have acquired by the end of our formal education. But those special times, the kind words, the warm touch, the nurturing feeling, stay with us and continually impact upon our lives.
A second measure of a good school is the validation of its excellence. Who says it’s a good school? If you enter its doors and you see a sign proclaiming “Excellence starts here,” who is proclaiming it? Schools that are self-proclaimers are very rarely what they say. Have they been evaluated by outside organizations? Have they won awards for excellence? Have they been accredited by a reputable accrediting organization? Are they tooting their own horn, or have other independent educators corroborated with their self evaluation? Are they truly striving for excellence?
A third benchmark of a good school is how much the school values parental concern and input. Can parents easily meet with the principal and teachers? Does the staff and administration of the school feel that parents are active partners in the educational process and are they given credibility when expressing their concerns? Is the principal a visible person and does he/she interact with the children? Do the children address him/her with warmth and affection, or is there a coldness and strangeness that prevails?
And finally, a good school has tangible and realistic goals and objectives that it attempts to achieve. Is the curriculum sequential, and must teachers reach certain levels and attain specific standards? Are the teachers encouraged to be creative in their teaching and do they constantly seek ways to be innovative and exciting?
As parents, certain signs act as hints indicating a school’s success. If you can substantiate these, then chances are good that the school your child is presently enrolled in, or will be attending, is on the road to achieving excellence.