Junior High mathematics and science classes are large, students have varied knowledge and abilities, and the curriculum is packed and fast-paced. As a result, it is difficult for teachers to diagnose each individual student’s capabilities and difficulties in real-time and adapt teaching methods accordingly. A consequence of this is that many teachers teach to the […]
As five-unit mathematics classes become larger and more diverse, we are seeing selective teaching, which identifies and cultivates only the excelling students, shift towards a more nurturing teaching, one that diagnoses and addresses the abilities and difficulties of each student. This transition is however very difficult, as studies show that many teachers tend to be […]
One-hundred high schools are at the core of the recently established National Initiative to increase excellence in mathematics and science education. Titled: Mathematics First, the program aims to significantly increase the number of students graduating high school with science and mathematics matriculation over a period of five years. Within this framework, the Ministry of Education […]
Advanced level mathematics teachers face similar challenges, however they rarely collaborate with each other, and typically refrain from participating in professional development workshops. In other countries and in other subject areas in Israel, teacher isolation is curtailed by engaging them in professional learning communities, in which they share their knowhow, consult with peers and improve […]
The Trump Foundation’s clinical teaching strategy relies on teachers jointly developing their practice in the framework of a ‘professional learning community’ (PLC). Currently we support six programs at the Weizmann Institute, Haifa University, Branco Weiss Institute and Kadima-Mada, which operate dozens of PLCs for hundreds of teachers of physics, mathematics, chemistry and STEM subject heads […]
International testing in education allows for comparison across countries and cultures and mutual learning. As a result of this comparative data, policy makers around the world have discovered that there are common issues with education reform and that lessons for overcoming those issues are often transferable. The longitudinal data and its analysis have been influential […]
The Ministry of Education intends to set a national target for high school physics graduates, in line with the growing demand for mathematics and science education. This will require additional teaching hours, nurturing clinical teaching expertise to reduce dropouts, improving instruction in junior high school to increase selection, and opening new classes in upper secondary […]
Three years ago, Levinsky College pioneered the ‘Delta’ Teacher Residency Program as a one-year teacher training and alumni support program for career-changers who wish to re-train as junior-high school mathematics and science teachers. It caters to 30 student teachers per year, 20 in mathematics and 10 in the sciences, and so far it has trained […]
Master teachers are at the core of clinical teaching. They tutor new teachers, orchestrate the school-based teaching community, coach veteran teachers and lead evidence-based learning in communities of practice. This cadre of professionals is a crucial cornerstone for improvement in teacher learning and practice, however they still have no formal position, nor recognition as such […]
The Education Ministry operates an instructional support system for mathematics teachers on a national scale. The system relies on seven national-level instructional coaches (responsible for high-school, middle-school, Arab sector, integration of technology, information and knowledge, matriculation exams, and teaching accreditation) as well as eight district instructors. In parallel, each District operates its own coaching system, […]
Enabling teachers to learn from practice, while focusing on student learning and thinking, is at the heart of the Trump Foundation’s strategy. We learned that teachers improve their own practice, shifting from textbook-centered to student-focused teaching when they document their own teaching and receive feedback from a colleague or an instructional coach. On this basis, […]
Many people in Israel are passionate about fulfilling an untapped potential of female students in areas such as advanced mathematics, the sciences and technology. As a consequence, programs encouraging girls to take a greater part in mathematics and the sciences are operating in schools across the country. Most of them offer extracurricular and supplementary activity, […]
Over the last ten years, several Haredi (Ultra-orthodox) schools for female-students have switched from internal matriculation exams to external state matriculation. Previously, students studied mathematics at a three-unit level and some sat equivalency examinations through the Szold Institute. Around five years ago, as part of the increased demand to study software engineering, 50 schools began […]
In 2012 the Trump Master Teacher Award was launched in order to recognize excellent teaching of mathematics and the sciences. The award aims to convey to the public a clearer sense of what constitutes quality teaching. Our intention is to reward and celebrate master teachers of mathematics and the sciences, and introduce them to the […]
The expected imminent retirement of many mathematics and science teachers is both a challenge and an opportunity for Israel’s education system. In order for talented people to enter the shoes of veteran teachers, according to our strategy, talented people will need to be persuaded that they are making the right career choice. They will need […]
As part of the Ministry of Education program for doubling the number of 5-unit mathematics students in Israel, they stated a goal to double the number of 5-unit mathematics teachers. To this end, the Ministry is leading a new two-year program to expand the certification of experienced mathematics teachers to teach the five-unit track. The […]
The Trump Foundation is unique in the sense that it is highly concentrated to achieve a very specific measurable goal – to improve teaching so that more students graduate their high school studies with mathematics and science majors. The foundation’s portfolio reflects this focus, and although each project acts independently, they all share the same […]
The Arab society of Israel represents 20% of the population, and has unique educational characteristics that distinguish it from the Hebrew speaking school system. Arab students learn in a separate education stream, in Arabic, and have a relatively low eligibility for matriculation (45%), with a high variation between ethnic and religious communities. The percentage of […]
Almost five years have passed since the Trump Foundation was established, and our portfolio of grants and projects has grown, developed and diversified. With over 143 grants, which have already been approved, our partner organizations are aiming for a mutual goal to increase the number of excelling students. Each of them brings its unique expertise, […]
Israel is facing a growing shortage of math and science teachers, especially in post-primary schools, and moreover, those who teach five study units in the track. As a result of this shortage, many high schools are forced to close or consolidate classrooms, or employ teachers with training or backgrounds who are insufficient to teach these […]
With the imminent retirement of a large number of Mathematics and Science teachers, the coming years will witness a growing shortage of teachers in these disciplines. In order to sustain and improve Israel’s performance in education, this shortage will need to be filled by new highly talented and well-trained teachers. Talented people, however, will only […]
Much of the material from across the world of education on effective and high-quality teaching is only available in English. These books and articles represent cutting edge knowhow on teaching practice, particularly on methods to implement clinical classroom proficiencies, which are very much needed in Israeli schools and particularly for mathematics and science teaching in […]
he new wage agreements for teachers will gradually raise salaries by 50%, increase teachers’ time in school, introduce bonus payments for excellent teachers, and will lead to more individualized attention for each student. Over the next few years, working conditions for teachers and their career paths are likely to change, creating a strong need for […]
The way teachers are perceived by the Israeli public affects the quality of teaching, the relationship between parents and schools, and the level of public trust in the education system as a whole. Improving the public image and social status of teachers is an essential part of educational reform. Hakol Hinuch was established in 2008 […]
The Ministry of Education recently decided to appoint a special coordinator in each of its eight districts to lead and supervise the national effort to increase the number of students graduating high school with mathematics and science majors. The Ministry explains that through these coordinators it will be in a better position to implement the […]
The Trump Foundation’s Theory of Change assumes that if ‘clinical teaching’ is practiced in classrooms, then more students would choose, retain and succeed in the advanced five unit learning track of mathematics and the sciences. Clinical Teaching is defined by the foundation as a student-centered approach to teaching, which relies on diagnosing each student’s capabilities […]
Herzliya is a city of 100,000 residents which is located north to Tel-Aviv and is considered one of Israel’s top performing cities. The city’s education system, which serves 17,000 students in six high schools, is also renowned for its high level of teaching and learning. However, with such potential and capacity it is surprising to […]
In the previous school year, the Central District of the Ministry of Education launched a new program to increase the number of five unit graduates in mathematics. In collaboration with the Branco Weiss Institute, supported by a grant of 750,000 NIS from the Trump Foundation, the District opened 12 new classes for excelling 10th grade […]
The Trump Foundation’s portfolio currently comprises 78 active grants, which operate to advance our strategy. These programs are at various stages of development, pilot testing and implementation, and serve diverse communities across the country. They include training and tutoring of new teachers, professional development of acting teachers, professional communities of practice, and many others. The […]
ORT is Israel’s largest school network, which had traditionally specialized in vocational education, however in recent decades it has shifted its focus towards mathematics, the sciences and technology. The network includes 77 secondary schools and in the current school year 52 of these schools have offered 5-unit mathematics classes, resulting in 9% of its 12th […]