Pedagogic Mentoring Program for Fifteen Scientists to Teach Advanced Mathematics and Science in Jerusalem High Schools while Pursuing Academic Research
The city of Jerusalem reports a significant shortage of mathematics and science teachers, which is somewhat reflected in the city’s relatively low academic achievements. On the other hand, Jerusalem is home to the Hebrew University, where scientists study and teach at a very high level, and there is a desire to contribute to and strengthen ties with secondary education. As the university has more scientists than it can employ, it is looking for ways to help some of these researchers find additional employment outside the university, without losing them entirely.
Addressing both needs, the university, in collaboration with the Jerusalem Education District proposes to allow 25 PhD and post-doctorate scientists to devote half of their time to science and mathematics teaching in Jerusalem high schools. Five candidates will be selected each year over the next five years, and they will be mentored by a master teacher who will train them on the job. The university and the Jerusalem Education District are committed to embrace the idea of a dual career and will share the responsibility the participants’ monthly wages.
The Trump Foundation was approached to assist with the mentoring component of the program. Following an intensive pre-service summer workshop, the plan is to pair a master teacher with a researcher over three years of teaching tenth to twelfth grade students. The tutoring, which is to take place in school for 2-3 hours a week, will focus on typical learning difficulties, classroom management, laboratory requirements, and composing and evaluating learning tasks. The mentor will also support the new teacher in adjusting to the school environment.
The mentoring program will be led by Mr. Eli Shalev, a renowned physics teacher, who has tutored physics teachers in Ashdod and is currently training the teachers of the newly established Hemda center at the Weizmann Institute. Shalev has volunteered to help many of the foundations efforts, most notably the Israel Academy of Science committee on master teachers. Shalev plans to document and video-record the mentoring sessions, and then to create an educational guide which will become available to all who is engaged In practical training of new science teachers.
Key to the success of the program will be the collaboration with the Jerusalem district and school principals who would be expected to employ the new teachers and facilitate their successful integration in schools. In addition, the Hebrew University’s School of Education will be expected to recognize significant portions of the mentoring program towards a formal teaching certificate, and to provide the required supplements in a timely and efficient manner.
If successful, it is hoped this program would lead to a rise in the nunbers of students studying advanced mathematics and science in Jerusalem, while serving as an example of how the young scientific elite of Israel are taking responsibility for their part in the national educational mission.