It is easy to get depressed by the education provided in Israeli schools. There is a never-ending progression of Education Ministers who do not desire the job and are not interested in solving the long-term challenges. There is, for example, a severe lack of teachers; those that have remained in the system are burnt out and recovering from post-COVID distress. The classes are overcrowded, and educators, harshly underpaid and undervalued, suffer. Everyone complains about the academic level, the quality of instruction, the violence, and the lack of motivation at all levels.
In the college, it is easy to focus on those pre-service teachers who are absent too often, who do not complete assignments, or whose work is repeatedly below the expected standard. Frequently we are discouraged by the multiple errors in an email from a student who should have made more effort. Often we shake our heads and wonder how some of the students before us will make it in classrooms. We are deeply disappointed by the handful of students who want to achieve their BA but don’t want to continue with their teacher education. Too often, we concentrate on our weaknesses.
But…
Today was different, the sun made it through the thick grey clouds, and optimism pushed all those doubts and complaints aside. Today I saw my college and our students through someone else’s eyes – objective and uninvested in what happens here on campus.
This morning, four inspectors and two senior counsellors from the Ministry of Education met with our third-year and retraining students on campus. There were two inspectors from the Jewish sector, from two separate geographical areas in the north, one inspector from the Arabic sector, and one from the Druze sector. It was encouraging to see their cooperation and mutual respect. The guests gave a seventy-minute presentation about the intern year and entry into the Ministry of Education. The students listened intently and asked excellent questions.
After the session, each student was interviewed by one or more of the inspectors, telling about themselves, their studies and practice teaching experience, their aspirations and intentions. They took the meetings very seriously, some proudly saying they had dressed up for the occasion. I saw students taking an interest in others, listening to their post-interview impressions, and expressing excitement about what the future holds for them.
What was my role? I was responsible for the smooth running of the event, looking after parking, the microphone, room allocation, and generally hosting our guests. Beyond those practical tasks, I spent an enjoyable morning listening and learning from the inspectors, but more importantly, enjoying observing the students. The atmosphere was warm and friendly; everyone waited patiently or swapped appointment times with others. Additionally, numerous students called me into an adjacent classroom wanting to update me on their practice teaching, ask for advice about frustrating situations in their practicum, or share what had occurred in the interview. It was a gift to have a whole morning to chat with them, hear their stories, cheer their triumphs and think through problems together. Although I did not complete any end-of-semester tasks waiting for me, I strengthened my relationships with my students. I granted them a feeling that their entry into the field is a significant event for us too. I heard and saved many snippets of information about the education they are receiving at Oranim, noting points that can and should be improved.
The morning’s highlights were saying goodbye to the representatives of the Ministry of Education. They left smiling, joyously optimistic about our graduates’ prospects of successful absorption into their schools. They were stunned at the students’ English language skills, their enthusiasm, the reasons they gave for choosing to study English and teaching, and their positive mindset. What a pleasure to hear! I felt like a proud mother hearing compliments about her children.
The problems in the Israeli education system and our college have not disappeared, but today I am consciously revelling in the glow I saw reflected in the eyes of our guests. Our hard work was recognised today. Our insistence on maintaining a high academic level in a fully immersive program teaching all studies in English is paying off. Our emphasis on building relationships with our learners, modelling passionate teaching, and believing in education for social change is working. Days like today rekindle my belief that education here can be different.
