In the spirit of blossoming and renewal brought by the spring, we have also been rejuvenated with an amazing website that integrates a huge amount of information, lesson plans, guides, inspiration, pedagogic tools, tips, video clips, events and more.
Similarly, you can watch a video clip from the event that took place at Tel Aviv Cinematheque: "Education with a Social Justice Agenda: The Student from the Country's Periphery and the Education System". And of course, you can catch up on what's happening in the schools.
With greetings of renewal and blooming, Kedma staff: Ilana, Selly, Liat, Moran and Ellen.
What will you find on the website? (The website is in Hebrew). Following are some examples:
Materials and Resources
Under 'Resources for the teacher with an agenda', you will find dozens of lesson plans, guides, short tips and video clips. In the lesson plan "Girls in Pink, Boys in Blue", you will learn about the historical chain of events that firmly fixed pink as a girl's color (did you know that it was once considered a boy's color?!).
Kedma Graduates
In theKedma Graduates page you will directly see, hear, and read how studying at Kedma Jerusalem nurtures the growth of people with high personal and social ambitions, who are also able to fulfil their aspirations.
Conferences
On the 20176th Conference page, on the subject of "How to Integrate Social Justice into the Curriculum", under the 'Conference' menu, you will find, among other things, a playlist of video clips wherein teachers from Kedma and Neve Hof give an assortment of tips for integrating an agenda into the curriculum in simple and creative ways.
'Mekalefet' (Peeling) Cards
On the page of ‘Mekalfet (Peeling) – Cards with an Agenda', you will find lesson plans written by teachers from all over the country, who have been exposed to the set of cards developed by Kedma, and have used them successfully in their lessons. You can also try and build a lesson around the cards! (We will be happy to hear your impressions).
Education at Kedma
In the category "Neve Hof School", under "Education at Kedma", you can read about the 'Learning Together Space' that provides a holistic and diverse response to the various educational needs of the school's students. This space is based on the perspective that actually, every child (and adult!) has 'special needs', and instead of labeling the differences as anomalies – we can strive to address them in organic ways within existing frameworks.
Inspiration for Education
Finally, when you feel tired, lonely and discouraged – something that happens to every teacher occasionally – you can always go into the "Inspiration for Education" page, where you will find texts and video clips that will inspire you, give you ideas and new directions that you can bring to class, and remind you that you are not alone. There are many other teachers like you who believe in social change through education!
The 7th Kedma Conference: The Whole Class - Voices of the Group
The only conference in the country to teach us, as educators, to see the class as a complete group, understand the interactions taking place in it, see how roles are formed and discover new ways to stimulate changes. Short Lectures │ Experiential Workshops │ Pedagogic and Practical Tools
Education with a Social Justice Agenda: The Student from the Country's Periphery and the Education System
On Thursday, 19.10.2017, an event that took place at the Tel Aviv Cinematheque, on the topic of:
The 1st Kedma Race for Equality in Education took place in Jerusalem on 11.11.2017. All the students and teachers in the school participated in the race. At the end of the day medals and certificates were awarded to the outstanding runners.
Shlomit Deri, The Junior High coordinator explains: "The purpose of the race was to emphasize the importance of physical activity and engaging in fair competitive sport. We chose the issue of equality in education as an added value that should receive greater visibility."
Kedma School Staff – Teachers Leaders
Four teachers from Kedma were selected to participate in The Ministry of Education's special program "Teachers Leaders": Ilanit Danino, Yaniv Danino, Yael Klil, and Shlomit Deri. Each teacher mentors a group of five teachers from other schools and offers training in his/her area of teaching. On 6.3.2018 the school had a public event for participants that included teachers and administration staff from different schools in Jerusalem that participate in the program.
Neve Hof School News
Conflict Management in the Classroom
It is extremely rare to find a classroom that does not have any conflicts and social challenges. These effect the general atmosphere, learning, and also us, the teachers.
So what can we do during our limited time, in order to encourage dialogue and promote solutions? Klara Yona and Amit Butbul from Neve Hof Primary School have used a simple, yet cool, method that has significantly reduced the amount of incidents and quarrels in the classroom.
How is it done? Watch the video clip! (2:30 minutes). There are links to additional ideas for using this method under the clip, in its information.
A School Visit of Teach First Israel
Students from the "Teach First Israel" program for training teachers visited Neve Hof School on 22.11.2017. They came to learn how to integrate a social agenda and also increase academic achievements. Tehila Cohen, from Teach First Israel, wrote about the visit:
"The visit to Neve Hof was of utmost importance to us as new teachers. It was refreshing, inspiring, fascinating and challenging. Meeting the staff and the administration, and watching excellent lessons, motivated us to want to be better for ourselves and for the future generation we are educating. We saw how it is possible to integrate social values and morality in every lesson, beside the existing curriculum and not opposed to it; how it is possible to develop and teach innovative lessons on the subjects of gender, values education, sustainability, democracy and 21st Century skills, and especially, how a mathematics class can be transformed from 45 minutes of difficulty, frustration and obligation, into a joyful celebration. Thank you for the opportunity to learn, for the refreshment and rejuvenation of our aspirations and dreams as educational staff and for showing us that the sky is the limit".
P.S. Neve Hof School was selected by the Ministry of Education as part of the 'Pedagogic Quality Leaders' group.
Finally, we would like to thank you – our donors and supporters. Kedma’s activities throughout the years have been made possible by the generous donations of the following individuals and organizations: Wertheimer family foundation through the NIF, Matanel Foundation, The Jewish Federation in the Heart of New Jersey, Glencore Foundation for Education and Welfare, Joseph and Christina Kasierer Foundation, Ms. Shulamit Bar Shani, PEF, Bezeq, Bank Leumi, Sobell Foundation, Congregation Rodeph Sholom, New York, Beverly Foundation Legacy, Arkin Family Foundation, Bloch Foundation, JCD, Check Point LTD, Freeman Family Foundation, Peretz Naftali Foundation, and Keren Simcha Letzda.
Kedma is a social-educational non-profit organization that works for equality and social justice in Israel through education. The organization accompanies and supports schools that work in the community, through a high standard of education, affinity to the tradition and culture of the students, and with a social-equal worldview. Similarly, the organization develops educational materials with a social justice agenda, and trains teachers who believe in social change through education.