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Top 10 Back To School Tips / Aliya / Olim / Israel

Heather Cohnen  - B.A., M.S., Didactic Math Tutor   

Top 10 Back To School Tips
Aliya / Olim / Israel

You know it is time for school when you smell the lovely aroma of
number 2 pencils being freshly sharpened or when you hear your child
exclaim, "I'm like…so excited to see my friends, but do
I…like…seriously need to learn another year?"

Top 10 tips to transition from summer to school mode

Tip #1
Goodbye to Summer
Commemorate the end of summer with an extra special family activity.

Tip #2
Reorganize
Prepare school supplies with your child, e.g.,  backpacks, homework
space, closets, immunizations, and school forms..
Create a permanent shoe place.
Get a 5 section hanging organizer for your child to pick out and store
5 school outfits for each week day. The first day outfit is always
exciting for a child to prepare ahead of time.  (even if it is a
uniform)

Tip #3
Routine, Routine, Routine
The families internal clock will now need to transition to a school
schedule.  Try not to wait till last minute to institute routines for
morning and evening.

Tip #4
My Summer
The most popular activity on the first day of school is for each child
to summarize their summer vacation to the class. Let your child be one
step ahead by asking them about their favorite summer activities and
looking over summer photos and journal entries.

Tip #5
Menus
Create a weekly lunch menu with your child.  Don't forget the 10 a.m.
meal.  Most children bring a sandwich to eat and a washcloth to place
it on.

Tip#6
Jitters
Limit the anxiety by visiting the school in advance.  Knowing the
direct path to the classroom is a great comfort.   Calm your own
jitters by knowing there are specialist to help you if any issues
arise.  I highly recommend Marci Tirshwell for educational
consultation and Bashi Schwartz for evaluations.

Tip #7
Homeroom teacher
Their role is to navigate and advocate for your child.  Culturally it
is a different educational formality with teachers in Israel.  They
want you to call them. ( Yes... on their private cell phones).  For
instance, during my family’s first year living in Israel, the first
grade homeroom teacher ,Shoshi, actually came to my home to welcome my
son. This was a very memorable experience and he still talks about it.
The homeroom teachers are not just the educational coordinators but
the social dynamic coordinator of the classroom.  If you child needs
extra translation or help during the day, they can set your child up
with help from other teachers and with a classroom buddy.  (Make an
extra effort to appreciate this buddy. It is very hard for even a
fluent Hebrew speaking advanced student to take time during a lesson
that they want to excel in, to constantly help another student).  The
homeroom teacher is also the person your child should feel comfortable
confiding in, feeling free to voice any concerns or questions.

Tip #8
English / Hebrew
Come armed with an English/Hebrew dictionary, plus for any subject
like Tanach, bring in a Hebrew/English version.
Check out English homeschool computer sites to give your child a
foundation.  Rather than becoming a learning barrier for your child, a
second language can become a great incentive to the lifelong process
of growing into a person and facing life’s many obstacles head-on.
Unfortunately, the use of graphic visual organizers are not widely
used in Israeli classrooms, and Israeli students are not provided with
access to the many visual and organizational tools available.

Tip #9
The biggest cultural shock of all.... Hafsaka
The entire school enjoys recess all together without directed
activities.  It fosters independence, creativity and freedom
and....... Send your child in with activities they enjoy.  Playing
cards, soft balls, stickers to trade, jacks, marbles, books,
chalk........

Tip #10
PARTY TIME
Yes, you can actually see your child smile when talking about going
back to school with friends at a back-to-school get-together.

Cheers to a great school year!
Helpful school vocabulary that I have hanging in our homework work
area - given to me by our Olim coordinator Alissa a few years ago
Pencil                                 Eeparon
Pencil case                         Kalmar
Backpack                           Tik
Eraser                                Machak
Markers                              Lordim
Ruler                                  Sargel
Scissors                             Misparayim
Pastels                               Tziv'ei Panda
Glue                                   Devek
Crayons                              Tzevaim
Dictionary                           Meelon
Homework Terms
To circle                             Lihakeef
To trace                              Lisartet
To cut                                 Ligzor
To match up                       Limtoach Kav
To underline                       Limtoach Kav Mitachat / Lihadgish
To draw                              Litzayer
To copy                               Lihatik

Educational Evaluations Aliya / Israel / From the blog Olim 4 Olim

By Dr. Surelle Itzkowitz
Evaluations, or "Ivchunim", are big business in Israel. The need for early recognition and intervention can not be stressed enough, but that is not within the scope of this article. This article is here to give parents a way to navigate the evaluation system in Israel. Just as you need to map out Ikea before you walk in, you need to have a map before entering the world of evaluations.
Within the field of education, there are 3 main types of Ivchunim: Psychological – Pseechologee Educational – Didacti Psycho-educational / Integrated –Psychodidacti / Meshulav
1. The professional evaluating your child
The psychologist
As many other things in Israel, fields of work are divided up into subfields. In psychology, a psychologist must have expertise (mumchiut) in a type of psychology. The idea is that one becomes super knowledgeable on one subtopic. The truth is that a professional will always be updating their knowledge and skill base and become certified on a post degree level. Psychologists who work with children can be: Developmental- works with ages 0-1st grade. Usually see children through the Health Funds.
Educational psychologists. - works with children from K-12. Can see children through the local municipal psychological dept (Sheirut Psichologit) or in a private clinic (machon).
Clinical – works with all ages. Can work with children in hospitals (in our out patient) or in a private clinic.
2. The educational evaluator An educational evaluator (me'avchenet didactit) is usually a teacher, thought not always, who has undergone special certification training in locating problems in language, perception, or memory. They work in Machonim or privately. Why do you need both? Because for many years psychologists did not study the inner workings of education as it is practiced in reality in the classroom and many times the evaluations were not helpful as to how to remediate a the struggling child.
3. Types of Evaluations The purpose of the ivchun in Israel varies with the child's age: Here's a concentrated breakdown:
Ages 0-K • Placement in a therapeutic nursery (Gan Tipulit)

• Obtainment of a therapeutic kindergarten teacher (Gannent Siach). This teacher provides a certain amount of treatment hours within the framework of a regular kindergarten. These services are in addition to any para-professional services that a child may be receiving through the health fund (kuppat c holim). •
Decision whether a child should repeat kindergarten Elementary School:
• Provision of remedial services (Hora'ah Metakenet) and /or, Inclusion Hours, (Shaot Shiluv).
• Granting of testing accommodations (Hatamot L'Mivchanim). These are also called Hakalot , or leniencies, but the Ministry of Ed. (Misrad Hachinuch) does not like this word. • Therapeutic recommendations for the classroom and the family.
• Recommendations for supplemental psychotherapies such as therapeutic horse riding (Rechiva Tipulit) Israelis, for the most part, don't get bilingualism or the interaction of other languages with Hebrew. For example, many Russian olim, or even their children, may struggle in Hebrew, but succeed in English. Finding a bi-cultural evaluator is not always possible so keep this in mind.
Jr. High and High School The main focus at this point in the education system is preparing the child for the matriculation exams (Mivchanei HaBagruyot). A certificate of matriculation (Teudat Bagrut Melah) is necessary to be accepted into university and to get most jobs. It is important to note that these exams are not easy and are not in tandem with the reality of the amount of material that is actually covered in the classroom. Children, who do well on these exams, without any help, are those with an above average IQ, a lot of motivation, ability to sit for long periods of time, and spit back copious amounts of material on to an exam paper.
Accommodations available:Extension of time Use of a calculator Use of an electronic dictionary for English Ignoring spelling mistakes when grading papers A list of mathematical formulas Reading of the questions Dictation of answers All of these require an educational evaluation only and only the approval of the school guidance counselor (Yoetzet). However, most kids will do the psycho-didacti because this report is then usually forwarded to the army and it looks better if the evaluation is more inclusive.
For children with more severe learning disabilities: Oral Examination Adjusted Examination (Or any other adjustment that the evaluator feels would serve the interests of the student). These require an ivchun psycho-didacti by law of Misrad Hachinuch. The evaluation, along with paperwork that is filled out by the yoetzet and the student him/herself, is sent to a committee (va'adah) of Misrad Hachinuch and they then approve (or not) of the recommendation. To this end, ivchunim for the purpose of obtaining testing accommodations are quite a racket in Israel. Many families are willing to pay for the "purchase" of hakalot and Misrad Hachinuch is aware of this. Therefore they are quite strict in the granting of the "larger" accommodations – Oral Examination and Adjusted Examination for Severely Learning Disabled.
A child may also be eligible for certain enrichment projects or other special projects if s/he has an evaluation. Other things to keep in mind It is important to remember that any and all recommendations made are just that: recommendations. They are not legally binding. A parent can not come to a teacher and demand anything! It is not a good idea to "wave" the evaluation in the teacher's face and expect that she will follow what is written down. The same advice holds true for dealings with the Yoetzet. (Sh! Just between us) Israel, on a large part, runs on what is known as "Protectzia". As an oleh, of course, you have none. So make your own! Smile broadly at every staff member in that school. Greet every one. You don't know who is connected to whom. If you hear that the teacher was sick, call her to wish her refuah shleima. You get the idea, schmooze and make connections. When speaking with any official authority, speak in a very respectful and even obsequious tone while you explain your individual situation. Once they "understand" you ("Ani Mevinah Otach"), you can then gently make your request. Israelis like to be merciful to those in need (Miscainim). There is a lot about being an Oleh and the Aliyah process that Israelis don't get, even those who work with Olim, unless they have made aliyah themselves.
Keep this in mind. The bottom line: An educational or psychological evaluation runs between 800-1500 shekel. A combined evaluation can run from 2000 up to 4000 shekel. Why the price differences? • Socio economic status (SES) of the cities. A professional will charge what the public is willing to pay. • Years of experience of the evaluator • Small differences in assessment tools used Please make sure that your child is treated as a whole and as an individual. If you want the report translated into English, it will cost extra. This is not really necessary because the evaluator will go over the written results and you can write down what they say. At worst, bring it to someone who has experience in this matter and they can explain anything else you do not understand.
Glossary of commonly used terms
תפקוד שכלי-cognitive functioning
רמת הנורמה-average level
ערוץ החזותי-visual channel
ערוץ השמעתי- auditory channel
קשב וריכוז- attention and concentration
תחום שפה-language domain
קריאה-reading
הבנת הנקרא-reading comp.
כתיבה-writing
הבעה-written expression
שגיאות כתיב-spelling errors
מנגנונים שפתיים-language mechanisms
מהירות שיום/שליפה – naming/retrieval speed
שטף מילולי-verbal fluency
שטף סמנטי-semantic fluency
מודעות פונולוגית-phonological awareness
ערנות תחבירית/מורפו תחבירית-syntactical/morphological awareness
תחום רגשי-emotional domain
מנגנון הגנה-defense mechanism
טווח הארוך-long term
טווח הקצר-short term

Tomorrow's Genius Empowering Olim students

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.

Dr. Emmanuel Navon International Relations Professor with Gideon Saar Minister of Education

Olim -Expert tips to learning a second language- It takes two to talk

It takes two to talk

Although your baby can’t speak at birth, language development begins in infancy. “Motherese”, the exaggerated way we speak to children with changes in pitch and rhythm, has been proven to be the key for children understanding and creating sentences of their own.

When my 7 week old baby and I interact, we are clearly having a dialogue. When I make eye contact, smile, and talk to him about what I’m doing or thinking, he smiles and begins cooing and babbling back to me. I pause to give him the opportunity to make sounds and then I respond with words. This back and forth banter of silly sounds is baby’s first “conversation”. Many parents have confided in me over the years that they feel uncomfortable talking to a baby that obviously doesn’t understand them. Mom and Dad- stop being shy about talking to your baby in private and even in public! You are laying the foundation for language comprehension and usage. When parents speak with their children they are modeling for them how a sentence begins and ends, the difference between a statement and a question, that changes in tone indicate changes in mood, all while building  basic vocabulary skills.

According to the American Speech and Hearing Association, between the ages of one and two years old, a child  should be able to point to most body parts, point to pictures named in a book, put together 2 words to make a simple sentence or question, follow simple commands, and add new words to their vocabulary every month.

To most of us, all this comes naturally and typically developing children learn their first language easily and without direct teaching. For the handful of children with a language delay, intense therapeutic intervention before 3 years of age can make an impact in reaching age appropriate norms.

What if the language spoken in the home is not the language spoken outside the home? What if your child is developing two languages simultaneously? As Olim, the majority of us are speaking English as the primary language in our homes and between family members while Hebrew is the reigning language at school, work, and on the playground. Parents want to know if this situation will cause “confusion” or a delay in which the child is trying to sort out meaning in everyday conversation.

Children all over the world learn more than one language without developing speech and language problems. Bilingual children develop language skills just as other children do. Most children learn both languages with ease. A few may know one language better than the other. This is known as the dominant language. The process of learning a second language is not a language disorder.

There are things you may notice as your child is acquiring a second language. They may mix grammar rules or use both English and Hebrew in one sentence. A great example of this is when my five year old told me about two “snakim” instead of using the word “snakes.” He used the plural rule for Hebrew rather than English. Sometimes when a second language is introduced, children may go through a silent period and not talk in certain situations. Again, this is typical of 2nd language learners and will usually resolve itself.  

It is always best to talk to your child in the language you are most comfortable in. Parents must provide a strong language model. If you don’t know the language well you should not be teaching it. It is recommended that one language be used at home in a natural setting since they will develop the second language in school. In other words, if English is your primary language at home, don’t call water “mayim.” Your child is guaranteed to learn that word in school but may not learn the word “water” since you are the language source at home. Second language learners may mix two languages in one sentence but you certainly shouldn’t. Remember, you are modeling correct grammar and vocabulary. 

There are ways for parents to promote bilingualism at home. Read books to your child in both languages to introduce them to different vocabulary, such as colors, shapes, animals, items around the house and various other categories. A wonderful way to enhance your child’s language development is through songs. Music is an excellent way of learning through play so CDs and DVDs of children’s songs and games are great exposure. Making language use fun, such as only speaking Hebrew during dinner or homework time, is a great way to encourage second language use (but only if you have a strong command of the language in order to model correct usage). If you have limited skills in Hebrew, you may tell your children that you will be making mistakes and they need to correct you (but I recommend only doing this with older kids who have had more exposure and not with beginners). If your child is having difficulty communicating, there is no need to stop exposing them to a second language. Just stick to using a consistent language at home. If your child is showing trouble communicating in both languages, consult a licensed speech language pathologist (Klinait Tikshoret) for an evaluation to determine if there is a language delay.

 

Article written by Chani Ugowitz, M.A., CCC-SLP. Chani is a New York State licensed speech language pathologist and is currently in the process of getting licensed here in Israel. She made aliyah to Efrat from Brooklyn, NY with her husband and 3 sons in August 2010. Chani gave birth to her first Sabra in March 2012, and hopes he will have an easier time acquiring Hebrew as a second language than his 3 older brothers. She can be reached at sugowitz@gmail.com and is available for private speech evaluations and therapy in English.

Go Go Going To Gan - What to expect from an Israeli Preschool

You have all just been given the most amazing gift .... an opportunity  to learn from Morah Pam Machefsky.  Pam is well respected with genius intuition and educated advice on raising children.   I am personally grateful  that many years ago Pam gave me a professional opportunity in curriculum development that would have not happened without her support and guidance.  Pam has served as the director of many schools and educational programs


.As a retired Early Childhood educator, I was eager to see my Israeli grandson Yair's nursery school (Gan) when we made aliyah two years ago. From our many visits to Israel as "tourists," I knew that the schools were not like their American counter-parts. However, now that I'm in his Gan frequently (responsible for  his morning drop-offs and afternoon pick-ups), I'm happy to say that the differences are not as "worrisome" as I anticipated.


One of the most obvious differences that a parent (or grandparent) will notice is the physical space itself. Just like our Israeli apartments and homes, the schools tend to be less spacious, with smaller classrooms and playgrounds. But there is much natural sunlight in these spaces, so they are bright and cheery. Take a look around; see how creative the teaching staff is at defining "learning centers," the different areas where children spend time with hands-on work and play opportunities. I marvel at the way the seating benches used for the morning prayers transform into roadways for toy cars, art stations, and puzzle table tops at Yair's Gan.


Another difference that you'll notice right away is class size. It's not unusual to have 35 children in a space that would be used for 12 children in the States! When we brought Yair for his first day at his "dati" Gan, we saw 34 other boys and three adults. As we left, my husband said, "I feel like we just left him at gladiator school! We should have given him a shield and a net instead of a backpack!" Once again, our fears were ungrounded;--Yair loves his Gan and his teachers and never complains about the other boys. In fact, he has many friends and afternoon play dates with boys from the class. He has become fluent in Hebrew in one school year (we speak only English at home, as does our daughter's family), and he delights in translating for me when I get "stuck" at the market.


Israeli teachers and American teachers are both underpaid and overworked, but here in Israel, assistant teachers often do the janitorial work after school is dismissed. Assistants are usually not college graduates, while the Head Teacher ("ganenet"), will probably have a degree or certificate from an education school. Requirements vary from town to town, but there are standards set by the government which all schools must meet. Since all qualifying schools, religious or secular, are funded by the State, one of the most pleasant differences that you will notice is the absence of an expensive tuition bill! Our children do pay a monthly fee for Gan, but it's less than 200 shekels--a nice fit for their budget.


We American parents and grandparents can make a big contribution to our children's education here in Israel, and I don't mean only financially! Here are a few suggestions of ways you can support your  school:

• Volunteer to 'work' in the classroom if your language skills are adequate. Maybe you play an instrument, have an easy cookie recipe, or like to make puppets from old socks! If your Hebrew is not school-ready yet, offer to take photographs and print them out for the teachers. 
• Ask if there is a "wish list" of freebies that the school can use. Yair's Gan accepts clean boxes of any sort, which the children use for cutting and collaging, building cities, and gluing together. I send in a box every day, and the staff especially enjoys the American products' boxes.
• Lend the school any appropriate music CD's or books that you may have. As a retired teacher, I came with a ton of stuff, all for sharing.
• Look for affordable items which would be welcome additions at Jewish holidays' time. I found carob and dried fruits on sale at the Supersol, and the teachers were really grateful for that small gift--it was an enrichment that didn't have to come from their own pockets!
• If you have a car, offer the staff members a ride home. (Especially helpful in rainy weather).
• Small gifts to teachers at Chanukah and the end of the year are truly appreciated.
• Consider giving the class a present for your child's birthday. Depending on the gift (you can ask the ganenet if there's something the class could use), you can spend a little or a lot--but any present will be gratefully received.

Last, but not least, don't forget to pack a sandwich for the "ten o'clock meal"--a hearty version of juice and crackers! Now, watch your children--or grandchildren--grow and thrive in Eretz Israel! B'hatzlachah!   Pam  pmachefsky@gmail.com