[etni] Re: HOTS
- From: Michele Ben <mggben@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: drh16@xxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 28 Feb 2012 19:49:24 +0200
The chair of ETAI expressed her opinion as a private person, not as a
ministry mouthpeice and not as ETAI chair. ETAI does not represent the
ministry but is a grass-roots teachers' professional organization. All
members have the right to express their opinions and many members opinions
will be opposed to each other and that's fine. Both the current and
upcoming ETAI chairs work full-time as teachers under the same ridiculous
and untenable conditions as everyone else. There is absolutely nothing
wrong in our expressing our private opinions as private people on this
list.
Michele
On Mon, Feb 27, 2012 at 6:53 PM, David R. Herz <drh16@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
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> Why is this so hard to get? HOTS is apparently liked by many teachers.
> That makes it good . . . for them. However, when successful, veteran
> teachers of literature find that HOTS is taking the joy out of teaching,
> and
> making demands on them that limit their ability to continue or to continue
> to teach as effectively to the number of students they taught before, it is
> bad, not only for them, but for the whole system.
>
>
>
> The notion that teachers may be reading too much into the HOTS requirements
> is of no comfort either. These are English teachers, a truly rare and
> special breed. They make the extra effort out of their commitment to their
> students because they would feel awful if their students felt they missed
> something because they did not give their all. (I am certain this is not
> true of all English teachers, but of those who tend to share here, I have
> no
> doubt).
>
>
>
> If Rachelle Borenstein feels that she can not teach to as many students as
> she did before, that is a loss that no amount of HOTS apologetics will make
> up for. If Leah Harris can not provide the enrichment that so worked for
> her and her students, we all lose. I think her special units provide a
> perspective to her students that HOTS can never match. If HOTS has stolen
> the joy of Esther Revivo, who provides strength and stability to so many
> students in a troubled area, our inspectorate should be ashamed and
> worried.
>
>
>
> Is it so hard to think that teachers will be most effective when they teach
> according to what they believe? If the Ministry wants teachers to do
> something else, show them the value and provide the support and teachers
> will do it on their own. If instead, the ministry's stooges shrug off the
> concerns of these teachers who are brave enough to say something (how many
> others are there who suffer silently?), they should not be surprised when
> they are left with fewer and fewer truly inspired teachers to do their
> bidding.
>
>
>
> I remember a few years ago when Mitzi Geffen was promoting her production
> of
> plays as a means to have students achieve and feel a sense of
> accomplishment. I don't know if she is still doing this or not - although
> I
> would think it a shame she were not - but I ask her to imagine what results
> she would expect if the ministry forced every English teacher to direct a
> play. They might go through the motions, but few would be able to
> replicate
> the results that Ms. Geffen has.
>
>
>
> Moreover, I expect the head of our organization to take a more balanced
> view. Rather than come across as a mouthpiece for the ministry, she might
> consider that it is her role to represent to it all of the aspects of this
> program. I know we are not a union and that is not her job, but in this
> role neither should she be seen as the Ministry's cheerleader.
>
>
>
> David R. Herz
>
> drh16@xxxxxxxxxxx
>
> drherz69@xxxxxxxxx
>
> davidrherz@xxxxxxxxx
>
> Skype: drherz
>
> 972-52-579-1859
>
> 1-203-517-0518
>
>
>
>
>
>
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