[etni] response to avi"s letter

From: "Aviva Shapiro" <alshapirose@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <etni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Thu, 28 Apr 2005 11:45:02 +0300 (Arabic Standard Time)
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Kol HaKavod to Avi for coming out and saying what he thinks. Although he
wants to be heard as a teacher and not an inspector I still find it
commendable to hear a supporter of the NBA. Now some would say of course he
supports it, he's in the ministry.. However at least now we can turn the "I
hate the NBA " debate around and hopefully hear some of the good it's
brought. Although in the past I've criticized and still do the first New
Bagrut module test, I don't think the NBA is bad. 

We must change. Change is the only constant we have in life.! Our world isn
t the same it was 10 or 20 years ago and we need to move forward with it.and
teach our students the skills they need for now and the future. The bagrut
exam has changed before. I remember when clozes of 25 words were part of the
exam. And who didn't hate them and teach zillions of stratagies to their
students just to get through them. Only we didn't have ETNI to complain on!!

The NBA is taking us into the future. We must teach our students how to
access (yes, I like this term!!) information from the internet. It is not
the future, but THE PRESENT.  And I disagree that projects don't teach
English. If done right they teach a lot. . Unfortunately the problem is that
teachers don't know how to implement them. Too many teachers from lack of
understanding throw some pages at the students and say come back in a week
or two with a project!! This is where the kids learn nothing but to "copy
and paste". 

What needs to be done is to reach ALL  teachers and teach them how to really
implement projects. This means starting early (let's say 8th and 9th grade)
and teaching the skills needed like skimming , scanning and how to write in
their own words.  Even the weaker students (weak 4 pointers and 3 pointers)
have been enthusiastic about English when doing projects. This in itself is
great. Maybe we won't make all our pupils 5 pointers but if we can instill
in them a love for English they will later on in life continue on. 

So in spite of all the ruckus about the problems with the NBA  I agree with
Avi that it's here and we need to make the best of it. And it does have many
positive aspects. Who cares if the terminolgy is a bit 'overwhelming'. 
Domains, benchmarks, etc.. We all know that ' a rose by any other name is
still a rose'.  Kids need to read and write and speak and understand English
 

Change is inevitable. Change is good. For those who are against the NBA I
suggest trying to see the good points in it and working from within to make
changes. 

I do believe that all of our inspectors (as seen by Avi's letter) and even
Judy read what is said  and things are already being adapted and changed. 

Let's not 'throw the baby out with the bath water'. 

Aviva
Coordinator at Beit Yerach 
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[etni] response to avi"s letter

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