Richard D. Solomon's Blog on Mentoring Jewish Students and Teachers: How the online thinking skills tool, Seeing Reason, can be used to promote learning in the Judaic Studies classroom and to mentor and train Jewish educators

Monday, May 20, 2013

How the online thinking skills tool, Seeing Reason, can be used to promote learning in the Judaic Studies classroom and to mentor and train Jewish educators

When mentoring our pre-service and in-service teachers we need to describe and model both research-based and clinically tested best practices, and demonstrate how these best practices can be applied in the real (i.e. physical) and virtual (i.e. online) classroom for both teaching and teacher training. The combination of face to face instruction in a physical setting and online learning is called blended learning. In this section of the blog we will describe how the internet can serve as a supplemental resource for instruction and the mentoring of pre-service and in-service Jewish educators. In this post we will discuss of how the online cognitive tool, Seeing Reason, can be used to promote Judaic instruction and to mentor/train pre-service and in-service Jewish educators.

Assumption: The teacher or mentor teacher has an interactive white board (i.e. SMART Board, Promethean, etc.), a Tablet PC (also called a Slate or Blade), a computer presenter or computer with internet access attached to an LCD projector in the classroom. It would be ideal if students or mentees had access to their own laptop computers or Ipads. Given parental and school approval, and the development of specific guidelines, smartphones can be used to enhance instruction as well.

Note: Although the Seeing Reason cognitive tool can be applied in the Judaic Studies blended learning classroom, it can be also be used for training pre-service and in-service Jewish educators for professional or staff development. It is our hope that Jewish educators around the globe will form an online community of practice, a CoP, a group of people who share an interest, a craft, and/or a profession, to enhance the delivery of instruction and training of Jewish educators. For example, here is a CoP you might want to join.

Note: The Seeing Reason cognitive tool can be used in a face to face and virtual classroom.

In previous blog posts we have defined thinking skills and processes, creative thinking, critical thinking and Benjamin Blooms taxonomy of educational objectives. We have also shared creative and critical thinking tools developed by Dr. Donald J. Treffinger.

What is the Seeing Reason online thinking tool?

According to the Intel website, the Seeing Reason thinking skills tool is one that empowers students to “create visual maps of the factors and relationships in a cause-and-effect investigation. These maps make thinking visible and promote collaboration as students work together to refine their understanding. “

How does Seeing Reason empower students to investigate the causal relationship among ideas being investigated?

Kindly click on the two links below to learn how the Seeing Reason thinking web tool enables students to see cause and effect relationships among ideas:

For additional resources on Seeing Reason refer to the sources listed below:

Below please find an example of the web-based Seeing Reason tool on the topic of what causes traffic accidents[1]

[1] Taken from this website: http://educate.intel.com/workspace/tryit/SRTryIt.aspx?LID=en

How the online thinking skills tool, Seeing Reason, can be used to promote learning in the Judaic Studies classroom and to mentor and train Jewish educators

The Seeing Reason online thinking skills tool can be used to investigate the factors related to the justification for any middah (Jewish virtue of value) . For example, why should one pursue peace (i.e. shalom), act with civility (i.e. derech eretz), or repair the world (i.e. tikkun olam).

Below is a listing of middot taken from Solomon, R.D. & Solomon, E.C. (2009), Toolbox for Teachers and Mentors: Moving Madrichim to Mentor Teachers and Beyond. Tucson, AZ: Wheatmark.

Select List of Middot*

Hebrew Transliteration	Definition
Ahavah	Love
Ahavat Yisrael	Love of all the Jewish people
Ahuv*	Being loved or beloved
Anavah*	Modesty
Areyvut	Mutual responsibility
Arichat Sefatayim*	Orderly speech
Aymah*	Fear as in honor or panic
B’tzelem Elohim	In the image of HaShem
Bal Taschit	Preservation of environment
Binat HaLev*	An understanding of the heart
Cherut	Freedom
Chesed	Kindness
Chochmah	Wisdom
Daat	Knowledge
Dan L’Chaf Zechut	Give the benefit of the doubt
Derech Eretz	Respect for others, civility
Dibuk Chaverim*	Cleaving to friends
Din V’Rachamim	Justice and mercy
Eino Machazik Tova L’Atzmo*	Refraining from taking personal credit for what is good
Hebrew Transliteration	Definition
Eino Samayach BeHora’ah*	Not delighting in rendering decisions
Emet	Truthfulness
Emunah	Faith
Emunat Chachamim*	Trust in the sages
Erech Apayim*	Slowness to anger
Hachnasat Orchim	Hospitality
Hakarat Hatov	Recognizing the good in others
Kabbalat HaYisurin*	Acceptance of suffering
Kavod	Respect
Kedusha	Holiness
Kehillah	Community
Kibbud Av Va’em	Respect for parents
Klal Yisrael	Community of Israel
Lev Tov*	Good heart
Lo Levayesh	Not embarrassing
Lo Maygis Libo B’Talmudo*	Not being arrogant with one’s learning
Lomed al Manat Lelamed*	Studying in order to teach
Lomed al Manat La’asot *	Studying in order to perform mitzvot
Lo Tachmod	Not coveting
Ma’asim Tovim	Doing good deeds
Ma’amido al HaEmet*	Setting others on the path of truth
Ma’amido al HaShalom*	Setting others on the path of peace
Machkim et Rabo*	Sharpening the wisdom of one’s teacher

Hebrew Transliteration	Definition
Machrio L’Chaf Zechut	Influencing one’s fellow to virtue
Makir et Mekomo*	Knowing one’s place
Malachah	Work or industriousness
Mechavayn et Sh’muato*	Determine exactly what one hears
Machrio L’Chaf Zechuf*	Judging others favorably
Michshol Lifnei Iver	Not placing a stumbling block in front of the blind
Mishnah*	Learn by repetition; Study the Oral Law
Mishpacha	Family
Middah Shoayl U’Mayshiv*	Asking and answering
Mitrachayk Min HaKavod*	Distance yourself from honor
Mityashev Libo Be’Talmudo*	Concentrating on one’s studies
Miyut Derech Eretz*	Limiting one’s involvement in worldly concerns
Miyut Sechok*	A minimum of frivolity
Miyut Sechorah*	Moderation in business
Miyut Shaynah*	A minimum of sleep
Miyut Sichah*	A minimum of small talk
Miyut Ta’anug*	A minimum of worldly pleasure
Nedivut	Generosity
Nosay B’ol Im Chavayro*	Share the burden with one’s friend
Ohev et HaMakom*	Loving HaShem
Ohev et HaBriyot*	Loving all creatures
Ohev et HaTz’dakot	Loving charitable deeds
Ohev et HaMaysharim*	Love of being straightforward
Hebrew Transliteration	Definition
Ohev et HaTochachot*	Loving reproof
Ohev et HaTzadakot*	Loving righteous ways
Ohev Zeh et Zeh/ Mechabayd Zeh et Zeh	Loving and honoring others
Omer Davar BeShem Omro*	Quoting one’s sources
Omez Lev	Courage
Pilpul HaTalmidim*	Sharp discussion with students
Rachamin	Compassion
Refuah	Healing
Samayach B’Chelko*	Contentment with one’s lot
Sayver Panim Yafot	A pleasant demeanor
Seyag LiD’varav*	Guarding one’s speech
Shalom Bayit	Peace in the home/Peace in the family
Shalom	Peace
Shimush Chachamim*	Attend to the sages
Sh’miat Ha-Ozen*	Attentiveness/Being a good listener/Paying attention
Shmirat HaGuf	Taking care of your body
Shoal U’Mayshiv	Asking and answering questions
Shomer Achi	Being one’s brother’s keeper
Sichlut HaLev*	A perceptive heart
Simchah*	Happiness or joy
Shomaya U’Mosif*	Absorbing knowledge and adding to it

Hebrew Transliteration	Definition
Somaych Noflim V’Rofay Cholim	Supporting and healing
Talmud*	Study of Torah
Tikkun Olam	Repairing the world
Tochechah	Rebuking
Tzarchei Tzibbur	Shomer Achi
Tzedek	Justice
Yirah	Awe and reverence
Yishuv BeMikra*	Calmness in study
Yirah*	Fear, dread, or reverence

On the next post we will begin our discussion of another web-based thinking skills tool, Showing Evidence.

* The middot followed by an asterisk (*) are taken with permission from the website of the Union of Reform Judaism: http://urj.org/shabbat/middot/ . Retrieved January 30, 2009. This list of middot is taken from Solomon, R.D., Solomon, E.C. (2009). Toolbox for Teachers and Mentors: Moving Madrichim to Mentot Teachers and Beyond. Tucson, AZ: Wheatmark.