The Branco Weiss Institute will make highly regarded materials on improving the quality of teaching accessible to the local professional community
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 is very much needed in Israeli schools, and particularly for mathematics and science teaching in high school. However, since many policy makers, professionals, teachers, and teaching students in Israel are more fluent in Hebrew than in English, these resources are sometimes left untapped.
In order to tackle this barrier, the Foundation has talked to Dr. Yoram Harpaz, the Editor of the Teachers’ Journal Hed Hachinuch, and the Branco Weiss Institute, a veteran education non-profit organization, experienced in the translation of books and academic materials for teachers, educators and principals.Together they suggested translating highly regarded materials into Hebrew which will be made accessible to the local teaching professional community. They propose to translate and publish the following books on improving the quality of teaching: Visible Learning for Teachers: Maximizing Impact on Learning, by John Hattie, and Why Don’t Students Like School: A Cognitive Scientist Answers Questions About How the Mind Works and What It Means for the Classroom, by Daniel T. Willingham.
The first book presents findings of an extensive study on the relationship between teaching and learning and educational achievement. It is comprised of clear andconcise summaries of effective practices and lesson plans, as well as clear and applicable guides for lesson preparation, classroom teaching and lesson evaluation. The book also features success stories, exercises and advice for teachers and principals, such as: motivation for learning, curriculum planning, meta-cognitive strategy, classroom management and teaching strategy. The second book describes the author’s research findings and extends their implications regarding effective teaching practices in the classroom. In addition, the Branco Weiss Institute proposes to translate a selection of contemporary essays on teaching and learning practice. All materials will be published in a printed edition, as well as digitally and free of charge.