[etni] Fwd: Re: immigrant teacher courses--opportunity for change??
- From: ETNI list <etni.list@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: Etni <etni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 31 Oct 2010 18:33:16 +0200
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Leah Urso <morahleah@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: immigrant teacher courses--opportunity for change??
I would also like to address Hadassah's ideas regarding certifying new
immigrant English teachers. Considering the great need for qualified
English teachers, I believe certification should be given
automatically to English teachers already teaching in the Israeli
school system who hold degrees and certification in their former
countries.
When I made aliyah, I enjoyed the course for New Olim given in English
at David Yellen. Lois and Lorraine were the facilitators. It gave me
an opportunity to learn about Israeli culture and to bond and receive
support from others in the same situation. The Hebrew courses,
although interesting, were time consuming and not valuable as far as
teaching English.
What would really have been valuable would have been an evening Hebrew
ulpan (maybe 2-3 evenings a week) geared to English teachers, and free
to those already teaching in the system. A course like this could be
offered as in-service choice with gmul.
Leah
Laurie wrote:
> 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!
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