The explanation sheet: in your own words

In his words

The explanation sheet is the last stage of each step. we write it over in our own words. We don't translate, we did that already. 48:58 The test is the outsider: It has to be so clear that they can understand it. 49:17

In the Westwood classes you can hear him dictating explanation-sheet text: numbered statements, with the possible reasons as A and B, read back by students and then reviewed.

Worked example from a class

Step 18, a question (18:22): "1. Rabbi Yitzchak said that if a person finds one kav of wheat spread out over four amos on the threshing floor, he may keep it. 2. This could be due to one of two reasons: A, a kav is not an important amount; B, a kav in four amos is too much bother to gather. 3. Rabbi Yirmiyah teaches that based on the true reason… he now presents the following question…" Then 4A and 4B project each reason onto sesame seeds (29:45).

Hear him teach it

324 moments found so far in 313 transcribed classes; more appear as transcription continues. Tap one to play from that moment.

1. Westwood · Beginner class, Nov 16, 2011 · 15:42“So now what we want to try and do is let's write down the explanation sheet and fill that in”Dictates the explanation sheet for the sesame-seed step as numbered statements with A/B reasons.
2. Westwood · Beginner class, Nov 21, 2011 · 6:15“So let's begin as follows. Let's take out the explanation sheet.”The class dictates the step in clear English sentences and then reads it back.
3. Westwood · Beginner class, Nov 28, 2011 · 26:25“So let's take out the explanation sheet, page number 1213, and let's write down this step that we just did.”Dictates a full own-words summary of the step on the explanation sheet, then has a student read it back.
4. Westwood · Beginner class, Nov 30, 2011 · 45:08“The Gemara concludes that the case in which Abaye slash Rava are”The explanation sheet is written with numbered, circled positions for Abaye and Rava, each with its reason.
5. Westwood · Beginner class, Dec 5, 2011 · 44:00“Okay, now again, this is multi-step, it's just easier to break it up into steps. So let's write one circle.”Writes the answer as numbered circled statements in plain English.
6. Westwood · Beginner class, Dec 7, 2011 · 37:46“One circle in the margin to the left. That means step number one of explaining this step.”Dictates numbered, circled statements explaining the step in plain English.
7. Westwood · Beginner class, Dec 12, 2011 · 24:29“We're going to just break it into steps, just makes it a little easier. So this will be step number 1, circle.”Dictates numbered, circled statements so the step is clear in plain English.
8. Westwood · Beginner class, Dec 14, 2011 · 33:39“Okay, so let's write down this step. This will be page number 18 in the explanation.”Writes the step as numbered statements in plain English on the explanation sheet.
9. Westwood · Beginner class, Dec 19, 2011 · 6:52“Okay, we're going to do it in a step form like we've done until now. So let's put a one with a circle around it.”Dictates step 11 as numbered, circled statements in plain English.
10. Westwood · Beginner class, Dec 21, 2011 · 30:19“All right, let's go to the explanation sheet, and let's write down step number 13.”Dictates numbered circled statements summarizing Rabbi Yitzchak's answer in plain English.