Excellence Program Students Learn About Experimental Schools

By Rav Uriel Touitou – Excellence Program, Elkanah Campus

In an unusual step, the presenters at a recent academic conference were college students – including a group of students from Orot Israel College’s Excellence Program. Organized jointly by the National Excellence Program and the Education Ministry’s Experiments and Projects Division, the conference focused on educational projects and experiments conducted at various schools across the country.
Early in the school year, the Orot students met with representatives of the Experiments and Projects Division as well as staff members from two different high schools: Yeshivat Kinor David in Ateret and Ulpanat Dolev in Dolev, where they learned about the experimental education project run by these schools. Later, they visited the schools for observation and spoke to the principals, teachers, and high school students about their experiences and impressions of the project.
As the semester progressed, the Orot students continued to learn more about the project. They studied the material they received from the principals and kept in touch with the staff members, who graciously answered their  questions.
Finally, the group of students used their findings to compile a dynamic and well-prepared report – including a workshop, an activity, explanations, and a slide show - and presented it at the conference. Special thanks to the two principals – Rav Ilan Biton of Ulpanat Dolev and Rav Motti Hershkopf of Yeshivat Kinor David – for their considerable help and support.
Throughout the entire process, the students concentrated on one question: As future educators, what can we learn from the experiment?
According to the students, the experiment demonstrated that core pedagogical principles can be adapted to meet the needs of different schools which cater to, social structures, and values. In addition, the students discovered that educators should not feel restricted by the traditional school or classroom format. Rather, educators must implement and incorporate innovative and creative ideas into their teaching.
As head of Orot Israel College’s Excellence Program, I am proud to say that the students acquired more than dry knowledge. They were exposed to experiential learning which enabled them to gain a better understanding and appreciation of the educational project they studied. Furthermore, their impressive presentation at the conference showed that they have become independent thinkers. Clearly, they learned just as much from the method they used to study the project as they did from the project itself.