[etni] Fwd: Re: immigrant teacher courses--opportunity for change??
- From: ETNI list <etni.list@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: Etni <etni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 31 Oct 2010 08:24:40 +0200
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From: laurie ornstein <laurenmadeline@xxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: immigrant teacher courses--opportunity for change??
Dear Hadassah and Etniers,
I want to address the ideas that Hadassah raised regarding the
"silver lining" in the elimination of the department for new immigrant
teachers.
I truly think, Hadassha, that you made some important points.
On the one hand I think the department for new immigrant teachers
should be reopened but as you suggested, with reorganization of its
licensing requirements. I embrace the idea of an "education ulpan".
Although we do teach English, I feel it is essential that we also know
the mother tongue of our pupils. How can we take part in faculty
meetings, converse and correspond with parents without basic language
skills? I remember struggling with these skills in my first years of
teaching till I reached fluency in Hebrew. Needless to say, knowing
Hebrew/Arabic allows us to better understand some of the difficulties
our pupils encounter in learning English.
I also think new immigrants should have a basic understanding of our
curriculum and methodologies. As part of the "education ulpan", they
should be assigned to a school and teacher mentor to ease their way
into the system. Every immigrant teacher should also have a mentor to
guide them through their first year and preferably, beyond that. I
will forever be grateful to Ruth Benziman in Jerusalem who took me
under her wing in my first years of teaching at Arlozorov Elementary
School. She was a godsend.
I'd also like to suggest that if we work in the Arab Sector, then at
least, a basic course in spoken Arabic should be considered. I know
this has helped me immensely.
I hope your initiative, Hadassah brings results! Good luck!
Laurie
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