[etni] fw: A teacher? But what do you do for a living?

From: "Tom" - tom@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: A teacher? But what do you do for a living?

A teacher? But what do you do for a living?
Haaretz - October 20, 2005

(To read the whole article, go to - www.etni.org/news/foraliving.htm )

According to a report prepared by the Latet nonprofit organization, 137,000 Israeli teachers - 1 in 9 - need assistance to buy food. Many insist on remaining in the education system despite the low wages, and seek creative ways to supplement their income. A few higher education institutions have recognized this, and offer programs that enable graduates to major in two or more disciplines simultaneously. Starting with the new academic year, Tel Aviv's Seminar Hakibbutzim Teachers College will offer teaching studies alongside art and media tracks.

Miri Veron, who heads the combined track, says that approximately 70 percent of the graduates of the Creative Education track at the Seminar (a track that trains preschool and elementary school teachers in a combined arts program) are employed in the formal and informal education systems. Informal education frameworks include puppet theaters and story hours, as well as extracurricular art classes.

Veron says that such varied employment options are available thanks to the development of informal education in Israel (after-school programs, community centers and cultural clubs), and parents' desire to fill their children's afternoon hours with enrichment activities.

Making ends meet

A., a communication teacher at an elementary school, works 22 hours a week and takes home NIS 2,800 a month.

"It is obviously impossible to work only in [formal] education. One has to be creative. So the Jewish brain comes up with all sorts of ideas - from story hours to private lessons and helping university students write their papers," A. says.

It turns out, however, that even these solutions are becoming hard to implement. Directors of community centers are becoming much more selective, due to the abundant supply of extracurricular activity teachers. This means that anyone who acquires appropriate training and experience while in college has an advantage over the competition.

(To read the whole article, go to - www.etni.org/news/foraliving.htm )



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