----- Original Message ----- From: Sharon Tzur - sharontzu5@xxxxxxx Subject: vetek for former experience I don't agree that people with work experience in fields unrelated to English teaching should be given vetek in recognition for their former work experience (as Eleanor Z suggests). It makes sense if someone is coming in from a field related to English teaching - such as teaching in other subjects, work in informal education, or work related to English, such as editing. However, why should a person who comes from high tech get any "credit". How does work in high tech relate to teaching English? If the Ministry wants to encourage people to teach English, then every new English teacher should be given "kidum vetek"- both those who have "retrained" and those who have earned a teaching degree - with the latter getting more kidum vetek than the former! If I were to retrain as a nurse, I would have to invest 2 1/2 years of full time study, and then I would go in with the salary of a novice, and it makes sense. After all, we are paid for vetek because theoretically, we become more effective teachers with time. Certainly, teachers in their first few years are generally just acquiring the skills they need to teach well - (although in my opinion, the misrah of teachers in their first 2 years should be only half the number of hours of a veteran teacher!) ----------------------------------------------- ** Etni homepage - http://www.etni.org or - http://www.etni.org.il ** ** for help - ask@xxxxxxxx ** ** to post to this list - etni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ** -----------------------------------------------