The Midrashic Mind: Learning to Think Like Chazal

This course is designed to: 

(1) Help teachers arrive at an understanding of Midrash Aggada and its place on the Jewish bookshelf 

(2) Give teachers skills necessary for analyzing the three main genres of Midrash Aggada. 

(3) Encourage the use of Midrash Aggada in the classroom by providing teachers with pedagogical tools for the teaching of Midrash. 

Throughout, the course will be based on in-depth readings of texts; we will move from text to theory. The goal is to model a discovery approach, with implications for classroom practice. At the end of each unit, we will explore the pedagogical implications of what we have learned, including techniques for teaching Midrash, with a special focus on the process of study and the use of critical thinking skills. 

This course will comprise:

1. An optional 20 minute introductory meeting
2. A one-on-one Zoom meeting with Simi Peters that you will arrange at a mutually agreeable time
3. 10 asynchronous units and 2 Zoom lessons on Sundays at 8:00pm Israel time

Click here to download the course syllabus.