[etni] Fw: HOTS (again!)

From: "Ask_Etni" <ask@xxxxxxxx>
To: "ETNI" <etni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Thu, 1 Oct 2009 06:23:35 +0200
----- Original Message ----- 
From: sbshai - sbshai@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: HOTS (again!)

Dear Aliza (and other ETNI readers),
'Each to his own', as they say -- though I  think we're in full agreement 
about the importance of literature.
However, I must say that the good parts of the HOTS program are not as 
innovative as you imply; good teachers have been motivating their students 
to think about literature (and life) for much longer than 41 years.  (Kol 
hakavod to you, by the way -- until 120!)

While I'm sure there are teachers who have tried and like the program, there 
are also many who don't -- and the difference is usually not connected to 
the instructor of the course; rather, it's certain aspects of the program 
itself that are being challenged (and rightfully so, IMO).
For one thing, it doesn't inspire confidence in the program that our valid 
concerns have not yet been addressed, and still we're expected to 
wholeheartedly accept it!

It's unfortunate that your student's mother dampened his potential 
enthusiasm, though I believe he would have come to his own conclusion about 
the new program soon enough -- and that would not be a reflection on your 
teaching either; again, it's the program that needs improvement.

Anyway, it's useless to go back and forth about this because it looks like 
we'll have to find our own way around our problems with this program since 
no one seems too interested in listening to our concerns.  This is, of 
course, very unfortunate because we all want to do the best possible job --  
not only to ensure that our students excel on the Bagrut, but that they 
enjoy the literature and can recall our discussions long after they've 
forgotten the names of the characters.

But I think the most important question we should be asking ourselves is: 
How effectively is this program advancing our students' proficiency in 
English?  Can they understand, speak, read and write better than they did 
before HOTS?  If not, you can be sure that as soon as you've  worked and 
reworked all those lesson plans, you'll be chucking them out for yet another 
program that promises to be the new savior of EFL instruction.

Many of us are getting very frustrated about this scenario, and that's why 
we're speaking up now even though we have always obediently done the MOE's 
bidding.  But please realize that no one is trying to shortchange her 
students -- quite the contrary.

Chag sameach,
Batya



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[etni] Fw: HOTS (again!)

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