How do we hear things?
How do we figure out what and how our students hear?
How has hearing changed?
How does that change what and how we teach?
(טו) אַרְבַּע מִדּוֹת בְּיוֹשְׁבִים לְפְנֵי חֲכָמִים. סְפוֹג, וּמַשְׁפֵּךְ, מְשַׁמֶּרֶת, וְנָפָה. סְפוֹג, שֶׁהוּא סוֹפֵג אֶת הַכֹּל. מַשְׁפֵּךְ, שֶׁמַּכְנִיס בָּזוֹ וּמוֹצִיא בָזוֹ. מְשַׁמֶּרֶת, שֶׁמּוֹצִיאָה אֶת הַיַּיִן וְקוֹלֶטֶת אֶת הַשְּׁמָרִים. וְנָפָה, שֶׁמּוֹצִיאָה אֶת הַקֶּמַח וְקוֹלֶטֶת אֶת הַסֹּלֶת:
(15) There are four types [of students] who sit before the sages: the sponge, the funnel, the strainer, and the sieve. The sponge - because it absorbs everything; the funnel - because it lets in at one end and out the other; the strainer - because it lets the wine out and retains the [undesirable] sediment; the sieve - because it lets out the bran and retains the fine flour.
How would you rewrite this text using 21st century imagery and concepts?
How would you build a learning environment based on both versions of this teaching?