[etni] Re: A response to Sharon Tsur

From: "Ask Etni" <ask@xxxxxxxx>
To: "Etni" <etni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Mon, 2 Feb 2009 08:04:59 +0200
I would like to wholeheartedly endorse what Sharon Tsur so eloquently 
penned! Having recently begun the HOTS course, the antiquated core program 
has now entered my consciousness. With respect, not only are the chosen 
texts unsuitable for a great many  Israeli students, but we "veterans" have 
been teaching them for the last thirty years! My colleagues and I veritably 
puke from indigestion at the very notion of having to reread AMS for the 
fiftiest time (I exaggerate not!). There are so many other "good" examples 
of literary pieces to which pupils could relate to with far greater interest 
and appreciation. If the Ministry wants to implement such a novel 
perspective, it should first do some homework.

What's more worrying to me is the fact that the average reading ability 
throughout the country has dropped to an unprecedented low! Reading skills 
are fundamental to comprehension on the lowest (Bloom) level, Years ago, my 
students in a good 5 pt class were able to reach great heights of analysis 
and HOTS even though they were not called by such acronyms then. A rose is 
the same fragrant flower, even when called by a sexy acronym (apologies to 
Mr. Shakespeare for this distortion of his famous line!).

No amount of eloquent writing can truly do justice to the frustration we all 
feel in the wake of this HOT imposition. Such a program should be 
implemented only in A + classes or Native Speaker ones, if at all. To impose 
it on average D and F studentsis is both futile and idiotic.
And as for the real reason WHY it is being done, GUESS!

Anonymous


Sharon wrote:
> F and D
> Today, our we had a meeting with our recezet about the new Lit module, and
> if I might borrow an expression from one of my favorite short stores, I
> feel "saturated in depression. Literature has always been my favorite part 
> of
> teaching. In Hebrew, there is a lovely expression, "tzipor nefesh" - the
> bird within my soul, and I honestly feel that the bird within my soul is
> about to be strangled. Still, I'll try to put my personal feeling aside
> and  present what I see are major problems and suggestions for
> adjustments.

(To read the original letter, go to
http://www.freelists.org/post/etni/Fw-F-and-D )


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[etni] Re: A response to Sharon Tsur

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