[etni] Fw: My findings about teaching HOTS

From: "Ask_Etni" <ask@xxxxxxxx>
To: "ETNI" <etni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Tue, 25 Aug 2009 06:37:26 +0300
----- Original Message ----- 
From: Esther Revivo - estherrv@xxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: My findings about teaching HOTS

I want to thank all those who not only answered my e-mail, but trusted me 
enough to sign  their names! ( I received about 20 replies) I also want to 
thank those who WILL refrain from teaching HOTS for answering me in a 
respective manner even though I may end up being a  "scab" (strike breaker) 
in the end. (I am still leaning in that direction for the reasons I had 
earlier mentioned.)

It's great that we can agree to disagree. (Maybe we should have Bibi give us 
a chance at trying to make peace with our neighbors! For that we might not 
only get paid; we might even get a Nobel Prize :)

From the e-mails I received, this is what I gather: (Yes, sure, I too did 
statistics in university, and 20 private e-mails plus another 5 on the forum 
are not enough to base research on, but heh, aren't you curious??? :)

1- A great many teachers WILL NOT be teaching HOTS until the Irgun says to 
go ahead and do so. They feel that doing the course should not be done 
either until then.EVERYONE is fed up with being, well, FRIARIM. We are 
already very overworked, exceedingly underpaid and highly frustrated as it 
is over the project issue and (accumulated mental abuse) from being taken 
advantage of!

2- However, some of those who have refrained from doing anything against the 
Irgun's directives are somewhat "uptight" now, as their 12th graders will be 
facing an oral exam this year sans project and may flunk unless they get 
themselves a project and know how to answer oral questions on it. (The first 
part is easier than the last! BTW, are teachers allowed to prep pupils who 
copied/ downloaded a project by themselves for the oral exam according to 
the Irgun?THIS I HAVE TO KNOW! )

3- EVERYONE who did the HOTS course agreed with every word I wrote. HOTS are 
important
skills to impart but NOT in 10th grade and NOT on our backs!  A few teachers 
who are rakazot (Histadrut folks or whatever) are going to prep their junior 
high teachers with the terminology so that the HOTS can be started little by 
little before grade 10. Another freebie.

4- NOBODY believes that the program should begin this year without a pilot 
for the 4 pointers. People said that if  (as it seems) this program will 
become a fact whether we like it or not, at least it should be done 
gradually. WHAT'S THE RUSH? WHERE'S THE FIRE? LD issues haven't even been 
figured out yet!

5- EVERYONE not teaching 10th grade this year is rejoicing, while I am not 
alone in feeling very torn over the issue. One teacher said he/ she will be 
teaching HOTS as they're afraid NOT to; some will teach HOTS because they 
feel as I do: that in their development town areas, even if an agreement is 
reached next year, their 10th graders from this year (the weak ones) will 
have already missed the boat, (will be unable to make up all the lost 
material in 11th and 12th grade) and these teachers haven't the heart to 
cause their pupils' failure.

Well, I don't know if I feel any better now than before I posted. One thing 
is definite: There are large numbers of highly aggravated and upset EFL 
teachers here in Israel! If I do feel a bit better it is only because I know 
I am not the only one agitated over this issue. "Tzarot Rabim, Chetzi 
Nechama!"

Esther Revivo
Ulpanat Tzvia
Sedot Negev



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[etni] Fw: My findings about teaching HOTS

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