Message Board

2002 - 2003 school year

Dear REEDers

At our recent Hishtalmut some of you had the opportunity to hear the presentation given by Susan Weil from Mosenson - Youth Village  "PROJECT NIGHT" (based on Eli Wiesel's book "Night").

Lochemei Ha-geteot are opening another course for teachers interested. The course is for 56 hours with gmul and will cater for English Teaching in line with the Curriculum. Some teachers from the Minhal schools have already registered. There is still place for more candidates. Any teacher who is interested should make immediate contact with the coordinator of the course:
Tzipi Tal  058-834024

The first 3 sessions are July 1; 2; 3.  More information can be obtained from Tzipi.

Enjoy your summer vac.

Avi

24.06.03

Dear REEDers

Today we had a lovely get together at Nir Ha-emek with a turn out of 168 teachers. :)  We sincerely hope that those who attended enjoyed the mixture of listening, learning, and socializing. A big thank you to ECB for the files and the ice-cream.

A special thanks to the school for embracing us. To Yossi Goshen (the general director), Avraham (the coordinating link), to Rachel (food and sleep-over) and a very special thanks to Vladimir who made sure that all the equipment was in order, not so easy a task with 3 computer rooms + 2 rooms with Barko, etc. Lital - the 10th grader who set the tune for the day singing to us in English (if you weren't there, you missed something very special). To the English staff of the school, always ready to take upon themselves the responsibility of making sure all is in order. To you the teachers who travelled long distances and to those of you who in the spirit
of the minhal brought and shared your projects - kol hakavod!! And last but not least, Tzevet Ha-hadracha, our madrichim, always supportive and always with a smile. I felt so good standing on the side, looking on to how much your teachers, your schools appreciate your hard work, how they love you.

And now to all you REEDers. On behalf of Tzevet Hahadracha and myself - enjoy your well earned vacation, relax and spend some quality time with your families!!!

Taking Time
Janusz Korczak

Take time to work
It is the price of your success

Take time to think
It is the source of your strength

Take time to play
It is the secret of your youth

Take time to read
It is the foundation of your knowledge

Take time to relax
It will help wash the dust from your eyes

Take time for friendship
It is the spring of your happiness

Take time for brotherly love
It is the promise of mutual companionship

Take time to dream
It will draw your soul to the stars

Take time to laugh
It will lighten your burdens of life

Take time to plan
As then you can work out the rest of your life


Hoping to see you at ETAI Jerusalem.  Take care

Avi

23.06.03

Please note that new immigrants (3 and 4 points) can answer in their mother tongue instead of in Hebrew. MOED BET    This information can be found in the Ministry's site (ETNI)

Avi Tsur

21.06.03

The following teachers have requested to sleep over at Nir Ha-emek, MONDAY night 23.6.03

Patricia Ralph
Mirta Mogilner
Krissie Bear
Aviva Shatsberg
Ram Peri
Ruth Shachar

You will be met at the entrance to the dining room by Rachel Gourno 055-480941 who will show you to your rooms and see to all your needs. The price of the stay over is 60 shekel and includes dinner and breakfast.

Anyone else wishing to stay over is still welcome to do so. The school has made place to accomodate us and there is still plenty of place.

To get to the school I suggest you take a taxi from the taxi stand outside the central bus-station. The price from Afula to the school is 15 shekel.

We look forward to seeing you all at the conference.

Shavua Tov

Avi

15/06/03

The Program for the Summer Day has been posted on REED and can be downloaded as a word document.

Avi & Tzevet Ha-anglit

13/06/03

Dear REEDers Shalom

Please note that the participation list is closed and no late-comers will be
accepted. We have a great list of 200 teachers.

One of the classrooms will be set up in such a way as to enable teachers to display STUDENT PROJECTS
Please bring projects that your students (ALL LEVELS - proficiency,
intermediate, foundation) to share with other teachers. Make sure that your projects/s have the name of the school and an email contact address so that you can be contacted for more information. The Minhal is notorious for sharing ideas, etc and I once again trust that you will cooperate. The room will be manned (womanned) to safeguard the materials.

We have made some minor changes to the program in order to cater for the larger group of participants. The final program will be emailed by this coming Monday.

Please note: We will try to have a shuttle service from Afula to Nir Haemek.
At the central bus-station (across the road from the public phones) there is a taxi company called Yizreal (04-6595625 / 6523111) They charge 15 shekel for the trip to the school. If anyone is interested in taking a taxi to Hadera after the hishtalmut (to get to the nearest railway station) it costs 130 shekel. This should/could be split by all the passengers.

Those sleeping over will be met at the entrance to the dining-room at 17:30.
I will ask for a contact phone-number to make it a little easier if you come late, etc.

Wishing you all SHABBAT SHALOM

Tzevet Ha-anglit

13/06/03

Please read the following message sent out by Dr. Judy Steiner, Chief
English Inspector.
Avi

Dear Teachers,

The Answer Guides have been sent out to ALL schools today, so
they should be arriving at your schools in the next couple of days.  The reason that they were not sent out sooner is because there is a process they go through before they are finalized.  The grades of the oral LD exam have to be in by
June 29th, so you still have plenty of time.

All the best,
Judy

13/06/03

This is the updated list of participants for the summer day: 
REGISTRATION IS CLOSED.

Take Care
Tzevet Anglit - Avi, Terry, Jaye, Lynn, Miriam, Roz, Gail, Pircha

07/06/03

Dear REEDers Shalom

The following schools have registered as participants to our Hishtalmut.
Please note that if you have NOT registered and still decide to come, we may have to turn you away.

1 teacher has signed up to sleep over. This arrangement has specially been organized for the teachers who have long distances to travel.

There is a 10 shekel registration fee. The booklet with all the handouts +
extra relevant materials will be handed out at registration. The program
directions of how to get to the school will be sent out on REED this coming week.

Wednesday the 11th of June is the final date for registering!!! You can
register by sending a fax to Avi 03-6898793  OR  email:  
tsuravi@hotmail.com

Looking forward to seeing you all

Avi and Tzevet Anglit

Schools that have registered + number of participants:
Please share this document with the school principal. This list will be
shared with the School General Inspector who will be asked to contact the school.

Ma'ayan Shachar (7)
Nofei Golan (6)
Ben Shemen (1)
Neveh Channah (1)
Bikat Kinerot (1)
Manor / Cabri (4)
Yeshivat Shaalavim (1)
Gvanim (5)
Manof (1)
Shaked / Sde Eliyahu (5)
Anne Frank (3)
Amit Kfar Batia / Yeshiva (3)
Dror (4)
Mevuot Yam (3)
Kfar Hanoar Hadati (3)
Neve Hadassa (4)
Habsor (2)
Har Vagai (1)
Lehava (7)
Yarden (4)
Hispin (8)
Yemin Orde (6)
Mevuot Iron (5)
Kannot (3)
Gfanim (1)
Neve D'kalim (1)
Neve Shmuel (3)
Meron (3)
Nir HaEmek (10)
Megiddo (6)
Emek Harod (6)
Hof  Hasharon (6)
Neve Eitan (1)

Yavne have apologised, their teachers will not be able to join us.   :)

Madrichim: 
Jaye Shlayer, Miriam Greif, Lynn Timna, Roz Shneid, Gail Mann
Inspector:  Avi Tsur

05/06/03

Dear Reeders,

Below is a copy of a letter that I received from a coordinator of one of our schools which I am sure will be of interest to many of you who will no doubt also be faced with this issue in the coming year.

Dear Avi,

My school has announced that they have decided that ALL students will be tested in the winter test.  Last year, they convinced us to do it as an
experiment, to see how it went. (Partially, upon your recommendation, when you visited us).  Some of us were happy with it- others weren't. Mostly it is great for strong kids to get a test out of the way with.  For borderline kids, we feel that they are being shortchanged. The administrators want to have English finished with in the schedule in order to allow for scheduling of other subjects that the kids would learn, instead, which is why they will not let us have  some classes (or parts of classes)  test in the winter, and continue with the weaker kids who
need the additional time.  I tried to explain that English was built to be
taught until the end of the 12th grade, and forcing kids to test in winter
is shortchanging them.

Additionally, with the modularity coming up, this means that we will NOT be able to take advantage of it with our borderline kids (having a weak 5
pointer take the 4 point modules in the end of the 11th and middle of the
12th; then making up the  5 point module at the end of the 12th grade).

What can I do?  Do we have any right to object to this policy?  Can we be forced to comply with these guidelines?  What about our students' rights? It can't even be claimed to be a cut back, because the school intends to have us doing one-on-one tutoring with the hours that free up after the winter exam.

> > > > >

REPLY:

First of all the decision that all students be tested in the winter bagrut
(or any other decision of that nature) is a decision made by the school
administration and not the Ministry of Education.  It is within
the autonomy of the school to decide these matters.  The question is what
can you as English teachers do about this.  In a discussion with the
madrichim we came up with the following suggestions, which we would like to share with you.

1. The English staff of each school should first of all meet and decide
amongst themselves which policy is the most beneficial to their particular
school.

2. Once the staff has reached a consensus on the matter and has listed
reasons for their decision, should you approach your administration. It is
hoped that the administration will listen to your suggestions and reasoning and reach a decision, which is appropriate, both for pupils and teachers.

3. It is important that you explain your feelings on the subject in
professional terms taking into account the time needed to prepare pupils
adequately for the exam, as well as the issue of course requirements that
must be completed before taking the last module.  Furthermore it should be stressed that English is a subject that each and every pupil will need and use in later life and reducing their exposure time in school by six months or in some cases a year is not conducive to long term learning.

I hope you will find these suggestions useful.  I will be happy to hear from other schools how they have solved this issue if it had come up already.

Finally let me say that a good working relationship between administration, coordinator and English staff is the best way to reach decisions that will benefit your pupils the most.

Yours sincerely

Tzevet Ha-hadracha

CHAG SAMEACH!!

02/06/03

Dear REEDers Shavua tov

We are waiting for your REGI