[etni] Re: My take on the lit program
- From: Avi Tsur <tsuravi@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <rlewen@xxxxxxxxx>, bus-etni <etni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, had-Judie <eyeorestail@xxxxxxxxx>, had-ADELERAEMER <araemer@xxxxxxxxx>, hadracha-DianeHERZOG <dianevs21@xxxxxxxxx>, had-avivaShapira <shapiroaviva@xxxxxxxxx>, had-Pircha <evan@xxxxxxxxxx>, Avi Tsur <tsuravi@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 16 May 2010 06:51:09 +0300
Rivka Shalom
On my very own behalf I want to thank you for your stand on this issue. I FULLY
agree with you and I too feel that the Ministry (who I represent) needs to wake
up and realize that English teachers deserve more. In regards to the coursebook
in 11th grade, it is compulsory to have a coursebook. I understand and accept
your point but be careful in how you express this. Schools can have a (one)
coursebook that is good for 11th and 12th grade.
Shavua TOV, Take care and all the best,
Avi
The Minhal L'chinuch Hityashvuti is having its annual In-service program on
June 22nd at Mevuot Yam (near M Haderech, Netaya area) Please inform me if you
would like to have a stand for your publications. There is no cost and the
teachers are from the entire country. For more details you can contact me or
Judie Siegal.
> Date: Sat, 15 May 2010 15:00:39 -0700
> From: rlewen@xxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [etni] My take on the lit program
> To: etni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
> Reading Batya's anti-HOTS post on the one hand, and Aviva's pro-HOTS post on
> the other, I felt that I had to respond.
> Over the last two years, I've done a lot of thinking about the new literature
> program and what it meant for me as both a teacher and publisher (and in this
> case, textbook writer as well). I took the course last year, then spent the
> next 12 months or so working on our upcoming literature book, That included
> finding good pieces that met the program's criteria (yes, it's a book for the
> log option), then putting together the units that turned the pieces into a
> book. It's been a long journey - one that's not yet complete, especially
> since the book still has to undergo Ministry approval. But so far it's been a
> though-provoking and enjoyable journey, and the main conclusion I've reached
> about the program is as follows:
>
> It's just that - a program. It's up to you to decide how to implement it. You
> have the power to turn it into your dream program, but you also have the
> power to turn it into your worst teaching nightmare. Let me explain.
>
> There are several issues - OK, more than several - that have teachers
> concerned about the program. I'm not going to say that none of the issues are
> valid - I'll get to those in a minute - but a lot really are a question of
> attitude.
>
> 1. Teaching literature altogether - OK, everyone is supposed to have taught
> literature all along. (Bayta, I know that you have done so, as have the
> majority of the teachers in Jerusalem. I don't want to speak for other parts
> of the country, but I know that not all schools have done so...) If you
> haven't, then yes, beginning to teach literature now may seem intimidating.
> But that's not the program's fault. That has always been a requirement.
>
> 2. The pieces of literature - I feel very strongly that teachers MUST love
> the pieces of literature that they teach their students. Therefore, it was
> clear to me that I would choose the log option so I could choose pieces that
> I like. I really hope that teachers who have chosen the exam like the pieces
> that have been chosen for the exam. For the log, yes, I had to give up one or
> two stories that I'd been teaching because they didn't fit the criteria for
> choosing pieces. But I found some other great pieces instead. In writing my
> book, I tried to give as much choice of pieces as possible so that teachers
> could choose pieces that they liked best. But of course, your taste might
> differ totally from mine. Then, I would urge you to just do things on your
> own, but of course that means a lot more work. (More about that later on.)
>
> 3. The rigidity of the program - Personally, I like structure, so this was
> not a problem for me. I can understand that some would find it annoying to
> make sure that every key component is covered for every piece they teach. But
> honestly, I find that this has very much enhanced the way I teach literature.
> Take Bridging Text and Context, for example. I've always taught some
> background information with each piece of literature that I've brought to my
> students, and I'm sure that all of you have done the same. But since Bridging
> Text and Context is now one of the seven key components, so I dug even deeper
> to find more background information that would enhance students'
> understanding of each piece. The results have been incredible! I myself have
> been amazed by some of what I've uncovered, and it's just made teaching the
> pieces so much better. The only component that I'm really not thrilled about
> is the reflection - although I understand its purpose,
> I think that it gets boring after the first 2 or 3. But then again, this
> program is being done over three years, so getting 2 or 3 reflections out of
> my students every year is not that big a deal, I think. Plus, there is
> nothing to stop you from doing things that are NOT required by the program.
> Many of the units in my book include a section where students give their
> opinions about issues that appear in the text. This is besides the seven key
> components, but it makes the text so much richer, so why not? And it gives
> students a lot to discuss / write about in English... So don't feel that you
> are restricted to the seven key components outlined in the program.
>
> 4. The HOTS - yes, that acronym which makes everyone either cringe or cheer.
> I was also skeptical about explicitly teaching the HOTS. But again, I think
> that a lot has to do with teaching the HOTS in a way that suits your teaching
> style. I'm more of an analytical person. So I will go with a slightly more
> analytic approach that doesn't preclude teaching the HOTS memorably. You have
> to choose the style that suits you best. Moreover, I've come to the
> conclusion that even if you think that there is no point whatsoever to
> explicitly teaching the HOTS, it still doesn't have to be viewed as a total
> waste of classroom time. In the HOTS handbook / photocopiable CD that will be
> accompanying my book, there are lots of ideas for teaching / practicing the
> HOTS that require the use of English - yes, that language that we're meant to
> teach. So you can have the students sharpen their English skills while
> working on HOTS, and just look at it as a "shiur lo min haminyan"
> (because yes, it can be fun, and in English, yet!) instead of as a waste of
> time...
>
> 5. The work for teachers - OK, this is definitely a biggie. Of course,
> beginning any new program requires a lot of preparation, and I honestly think
> that English teachers are the most overworked teachers in Israel. If you're
> not using one of the new literature books coming out, then it's especially
> difficult. With my book (OK, this is a plug for that, I admit), I have worked
> very hard to reduce the work for teachers to a bare minimum. The seven key
> components, ideas and worksheets for HOTS, ideas for extensive bridging text
> and context, and even vocabualry quizzes are all provided. But you may not
> use my book, and even if you do, you will still have to check a lot of
> papers, regardless of whether you are preparing for the log or the exam. And
> that is a big deal. Yes, if you're doing the log you might be paid a small
> amount for checking it, but it's really a pittance compared to the work being
> put in. And yes, you might be checking these
> instead of checking Module D / F practice unseens and compositions, but it's
> still a lot of work. No argument from me there.
>
> 6. Class time spent - again, I do think that you will spend more time on
> literature than you did in the past, even if you taught all the literature
> you were required to teach until now, if only because of the HOTS and the
> fact that you must do seven key components which you may not always have done
> with each piece in the past. (I certainly didn't.) Again, this is not a
> problem I can solve (I wish!) But I do think that the main solution is to
> reduce work spent on other areas. For example, we will probably not use a
> coursebook in 11th grade at all this coming year. Instead, the students will
> spend the year studying literature, doing a project, and doing some Bagrut
> practice. I don't think that they'll lose out at all since a well-planned
> literature program should have everything a coursebook contains (except
> perhaps grammar) and more. If you do want to continue doing everything you've
> done till now plus the lit program, then yes, you will have a
> problem.
>
> I honestly think that if an extra hour of class time was added to our
> teaching schedule for each 10th-12th grade 4- and 5-point class, and teachers
> got paid for 2 extra teaching hours for each such class, the Ministry will
> have solved 85% of the issues teachers are facing with the program. (The
> other issues include LD kids - which I know they are working on - and some
> which I honestly don't think can be solved, such as the lack of
> standardization with the log - because if the log is taken away, I and many
> other teachers will be quite miserable!). But I don't hold out great hopes
> for that. So yes, I certainly do understand teachers that want to continue
> fighting for changes in the program - especially for additional class hours
> and additional pay. But after spending so much time working with the new
> program, I strongly feel that just bashing the whole program is wrong. No,
> it's not perfect, but then again, what program is? And yes, I do hold a
> vested interest, since I have put a lot of blood, sweat, and tears into
> producing this book, but I'd like to think that I am intellectually honest
> enough to see things as they are. And I really do see this program, at least
> the way I've interpreted it, as being a boon to my teaching. I hope that
> after a year of implementing the program, you will be able to say the same.
>
> All the best,
> Rivka
>
> P.S. Another shameless plug for my book: If you're interested in seeing what
> it's all about, there will hopefully be some sample pages / units up on our
> site (www.aelpublications.com) by the end of this week. And I will be talking
> about it at our upcoming product exhibitions in Kfar Saba, Netanya, and
> Petach Tikva, as well as in a few other locations which haven't yet been
> finalized. You can also feel free to contact me directly with any questions
> or comments.
>
>
>
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Much more than just a journal
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or - http://www.etni.org.il **
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