Hi Shalom,
Thanks for starting this conversation. I'll add my $0.02 below.
Why teach Gemara?
Aliza Libman Baronofsky
I opened the October 2010 issue of a math educational journal today and found an article extolling the benefits of teaching students about Pi using a diagram of a square inscribed inside a circle. But that's old news. Ancient news, in fact, considering that three weeks ago, I taught my advanced math middle schoolers that exact concept using the Gemara in Sukkot 8 (which approximates square roots with startling accuracy.)
As a Tanach and math teacher, I value Talmud selections as a way of viewing the thinking of past generations. I think it is the job of our schools to help students see the relevance of Talmud to various areas of their lives. The very fact that rejected opinions are recorded for future study teaches us a lot about how Judaism thinks about discussion and dissent. The variety of texts available mean that something interesting should exist for virtually all kinds of learners with all backgrounds. In many cases, we could certainly stand to improve the quality of our Talmud instruction - but a few mediocre practitioners should not discount the value of the entire practice.
I'll never be a Talmud teacher myself - I don't have the background, since I went to a high school that didn't teach girls Gemara. Though I've studied the Talmud since, I definitely feel on occasion that I am cut off from some significant portion of my heritage. Artscroll, while a critical resource for an intermediate Talmud learner like myself, can't replace truly excellent teaching. We're not subjecting our students to the Talmud - we're allowing them access to all the materials that are their birthright. If we don't teach Talmud, we risk creating a society where only an elite few can access the highest levels of divine inspiration and understanding. Whatever happened to "Lo Bashamayim Hee?"
Aliza Libman Baronofsky
Maimonides School
Brookline, MA
