lesschumras:
In contrast to a school, where discipline is imposed and made into a huge part of the curriculum (for another thread), and even the courtroom where there are rules that are enforced by court officers, the shul is a free for all. The expectation is that the person entering the shul is doing so with a level of self discipline that is appropriate for the ongoing conduct of the shul and its tefiloh activities. Unfortunately, the expected level of maturity for this is much less than we might hope for, and we get disappointed by many who use the shul as a social meeting place (which it should be, except before or after davening).
You also noted correctly that too many do not understand tefilos. It is still quite exceptional for a yeshiva to offer a regular class on tefiloh. For the most part, we count on the command of Lashon Hakodesh that was gained during yeshiva years to understand the translation of much of what we recite. But that does a poor job in helping us understand just what we are saying, and it completely misses our need to be emotionally involved with a heartfelt tefiloh experience when we have zero understanding. Teaching tefiloh is a challenge, as it is not academic or rote. It should be unnecessary to provide worksheets, homework, and tests. Rather we should be sharing the beauty of each tefiloh, how it expresses our praises to HKB”H, how it spells out our needs, and how to include the core of kavanah in each part of the davening. As long as we are preoccupied with the decorum of how and where to stand, etc., we are stuck in the chitzoniyus of the davening. It may be a valuable part of it, but distracts many from the core of it. And when this nucleus of the tefiloh is missing, engaging in davening is a chore that we seek to fulfill to check it off from our task list. In reality, it is nothing of the sort. We should be seeking the chance to daven all day, anticipating the opportunity. Yeshivos cannot do this using their tried and true methods of education. It requires a form of teaching that is emotional, not rote, and is experiential. I can note that I have begun to encounter yeshivos that have allowed academic time for teaching tefiloh, and I laud that baby step of progress. I hope it continues and accelerates into a pattern of frenzy in tefiloh that spreads everywhere. Our children need it desperately.