Teaching Children to Daven with Kavannah

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southernbubby

Sun, Jun 10 2007, 4:55 pm

When subbing this morning, I committed a big boo boo. I let the kids daven on their own. Some of them really said every word and others mumbled, talked when they were not supposed to, and skipped portions. Another teacher spoke to them and emphasized the importance of our tefillos. These are older kids. Of course kids, being kids, need to be taught that these holy words do important things for them in their lives and even if it is not fun, it is for their welfare. Any thoughts or feedback on getting children to daven with kavanah?

gryp

Sun, Jun 10 2007, 6:57 pm

Only by being an example.

It helps to explain not just the literal meaning of the words, but the deeper explanation, the "Chassidus" of the Tefilos. The deeper meaning is absolutely fascinating, and believe me, helps a lot with kavanah!

Motek

Sun, Jun 10 2007, 9:20 pm

southernbubby wrote:

I let the kids daven on their own.

what age?

Quote:

Any thoughts or feedback on getting children to daven with kavanah?

What is meant by "kavana"? Having your finger on the place and saying every word clearly does not equal kavana.

TzenaRena

Sun, Jun 10 2007, 9:45 pm

There IS an overall, general kavanah that one is davening to Hashem, being aware of His presence and that we are addressing Him, and that is effective whether we do or don't understand the words we are reciting. But we are concentrating on the fact that we are davening to Hashem.

the simplest, but purest level of kavanah "ani mispalel l'daas zeh hatinok", kavanah on the level of a child. Meaning that:

Whereas certain great or holy people had special kavanos with having in mind with the utterance of each Name (in the tefillah) to connect certain heavenly sephiros, attributes and manisfestations of Hashem, creating combinations of sephiros, unity in Divine Revelation,with yichudim,

the best way for us to daven is with the simple purity of the child addressing Hashem - in His Essence - Atzmus U'mehus Ein Sof B"H, not as He is revealed in sephiros.

greenfire

Sun, Jun 10 2007, 10:25 pm

I think if one is taught to say the words properly at a young age ... this makes them realize how important davening is ... and thus leads to proper kavana ... also say brochos out loud so that one can answe "Amen" ... again teaching them the importance ...

southernbubby

Sun, Jun 10 2007, 10:30 pm

10 years old. I didn't expect the finger on the place but to at least try to say all the words.

Ruchel

Mon, Jun 11 2007, 12:57 am

Example + learning to say it properly + explaining the importance, imho

gryp

Mon, Jun 11 2007, 9:04 am

Southernbubby, I'm curious what you did when you saw them davening that way?

It seems that kids nowadays are only ready to daven on their own when they've been trained to daven alone properly. I wonder how this class usually davens with their regular teacher.

southernbubby

Mon, Jun 11 2007, 2:01 pm

I told them that nobody could be finished in that short amount of time. The regular teacher makes them daven "tzu zamin", but they feel that it is babyish. I have that class again Wednesday afternoon and I plan to daven my own minchah with them (the teacher told me to do this.) I could not have done that with shacharis and I did it before going to teach.

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