Tomorrow's Genius
Empowering Students with Online Education
Alyiah can be both an exciting and challenging experience. For students, the first years living in Israel are often the most difficult. Olim students are forced to function in a school system that is less than ideal, even for native Israeli students. While great strides in education have been made in recent years, we are still left with large classes, underpaid teachers, and few options for providing help beyond the classroom. For new Olim students and their families, these first years in Israeli schools can be a trying experience. Luckily, Tomorrow’s Genius is here to provide much needed support to Olim students and their families. Students can now learn, from the comfort of their own homes, on their own schedules, and on their own terms.
Tomorrow's Genius was founded in order to provide students in Israel with much needed academic support. Tomorrow’s Genius through its innovative programs has been able to help families navigate the country’s complicated educational system. By combining high quality, trained teachers with cutting edge technology, Tomorrow's Genius has been able to work with students to make virtually any learning options possible. Olim students often just need a little bit of extra help to make it through the year. Tomorrow’s Genius can help students who just need a bit of extra support, as well as students who are in need of remedial classes. According to Aryeh Eisenberg, the director of education for Tomorrow's Genius, online learning has unlimited possibilities. "We have worked with Olim students and families all over the country. It is not easy to come to a new country and we are happy to be able to provide help that is clearly needed. " All Tomorrow’s Genius teachers are not only knowledgeable in their subjects but are fully fluent in Hebrew and English. This enables Tomorrow’s Genius to serve as a resource to the many new Olim families.
"Every program is different and is created especially for the students with whom we are working,” says Eisenberg. This past year, Tomorrow's Genius facilitated classes with schools and students all over the country. Help was provided in subjects ranging from bagrut level math and physics to English to Talmud and Tanakh. Tomorrow’s Genius even has a special online Ulpan program created for Olim teens.
Whatever the needs, it is clear that online learning is slowly finding its place in the Israel. Online learning has developed into a central part of the learning process. Alisa Fried Harbater, the Olim coordinator in Efrat, organized a program through Tomorrow’s Genius to offer Olim students help in preparing for their high school entrance exams. “This was an area in which the students needed help. Because the students were from several different schools, we needed a solution that was both convenient as well as effective. Tomorrow’s Genius created an amazing program that helped all of the participating students.”
In addition to online courses, Tomorrow’s Genius works with several students to provide one-on-one supplementary tutoring. “Tutors are expensive and for some subjects it is difficult to find a qualified teacher”, explains Aryeh Eisenberg. Many of the students who come to Tomorrow’s Genius are from new Olim families. Even students, who were at the top of their classes in the States, sometimes need help adjusting to a new system with new learning standards.
"Technology has provided us with so many amazing innovations. If used correctly, it can have a tremendous positive impact for education." As schools continue to face shrinking budgets, larger classes, and increased educational demands, online learning is a new and affordable option.
