The treasury is taking Israel’s national teachers’ shortage with the seriousness it demands, and officials are studying ways to address the problem, which by all estimates will become increasingly problematic in the coming years.
Rather than make the profession more attractive for potential candidates, the treasury is devising an amended curriculum which will contain an addition; a mandatory 20-hours of study, which will result in graduates receiving two degrees, one in their major and the second, a certification as a qualified teacher. (It remains unclear why the treasury is addressing the problem and not education officials).
According to the Prof. Avi Wolinsky of the Tel Aviv University School of Education, who formulated the innovative plan, even if most students are uninterested in becoming teachers in the onset, current and future economic realities may influence them to consider the profession and then they will already be certified.
According to a recent Central Bureau of Statistics report, in 4-5 years, there will be a shortage of 10,000 teachers nationwide. The secular public schools will be the hardest hit. Education Ministry officials take exception to the report, insisting the number will be considerably lower but do admit in the coming years there will be shortages in certain subjects including English and Judaism (Yahadut).
Wolinsky believes a critical component of the solution is increasing the pool of available teachers from just the graduates of teacher’s colleges to the general academic community, the university graduates.
Prof. Tamar Ariav, president of the Beit Beryl Teachers’ Institute is opposed to the treasury plan. “It is not a good plan from the pedagogic, democratic or practical standpoint.” Prof. Ariav insists the profession of teaching cannot be acquired as an aside, but must be the focus of a candidate’s efforts.
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
One Response
The frum system has always been that prospective teachers learn the subject, rather than learn to be teachers (without subject knowledge).
The American system, for public schools, is to double major in college, though much research suggest the second major in “education” is a waste, and non-public schools don’t insist, or even prefer, education majors.
It’s no wonder the secular school in Israel are collapsing.