Educating Education

While the news from abroad about upper education might be depressing, it is wonderful to see that there are people here who are trying to improve the system we currently have in place. R' Yakov Horowitz's recent piece was published in Mishpacha magazine, and bravely discusses some of the pressing issues of today. As usual, it is a must-read for parents and educators. Excerpt:

Over the past ten years, many positive developments have occurred as a result of the attention devoted to this critical issue. Many wonderful organizations and tailored educational programs have been created to help children who are not making it in mainstream schools. Parenting classes and in-service training for rebbeim/moros have become accepted in our circles. There is a far greater degree of sensitivity to ‘children at-risk.’

But I am deeply, deeply concerned that conditions are ripe for a huge, exponential increase in the number and percentages of our children who will r’l abandon Yiddishkeit in the coming years – like nothing we have ever seen in our lifetimes – if we don’t dramatically transform the way we parent and educate our children. I have been feeling this way for a few years now, but this uneasy sentiment is growing as time goes on.

On a somewhat related note, watch this amazing short video at SaraK.