חינוך מחפש משמעות: על מוטיבציות האדם מול מוטיבציות החברה ועל פדגוגיה מתבוננת כדרך לתווך ביניהן

This paper proposes a theoretical model for educational thinking and practice based on two theories of motivation. Based on the model the paper analyzes how contemporary education – usually examined from a social perspective – caters to the needs of individual motivations. Based on the models, problems in contemporary education will be identified and possible pedagogical solutions will be presented. The first part of the paper opens with the Aristotelean distinction between mechanistic and teleological explanations. These will enable conceptualization of two motivational poles: Maslow׳s theory of needs on the one hand and Frankl ׳s understanding of our being pulled by meaning on the other. The second part of the paper will analyze contemporary Israeli education as rooted in the former, while making attempts to respond to the latter, by means of programs such as ״Israel moves up a grade ״, which will be presented as unsatisfactory. The third part of the paper will demonstrate how ״pedagogical islands of a search for meaning ״ can be introduced into the curriculum based on contemplative pedagogies including mindfulness. Such ״islands ״ paradoxically require the nullification of ״society ״ from the curriculum so that meaning will have meaning.