Mercaz Ha’Lev at Bar Ilan University will conduct simulation workshops over the next couple of years for 250 student teachers and new teachers of mathematics from the 8 teacher residency programs supported by the foundation.
The formal learning of teachers typically occurs outside the classrooms, in college and university, although it is more effective when it is performed on the job and when it is based on practice. Therefore, even when teacher learning is conducted in an external environment, such as in lectures, seminars, workshops and communities of practice, it is important to find ways to capture evidence from classrooms so it can be analyzed and discussed. A very effective vehicle to do that is class-based video filming, of teaching and of learning. Nevertheless, video has its limitations, since the teacher is passively observing the taped lesson, rather than experiencing it in person.
In medical training in Israel, this shortfall is addressed by the use of practice-based simulations. At the Messer Center at the Tel Hashomer Hospital, medical students participate in workshops with actors simulating a hospital scene. The medical student simulates professional response while the encounter is observed by colleagues and documented, and later on it is evaluated and analyzed in a group discussion and in one on one meeting with a coach.
A similar center was established in 2011 at the Bar Ilan University, concentrating on school teachers and their teaching. So far the center conducted 700 workshops for more than 8,000 teachers in all grade levels, disciplines and localities. Most of its work however has focused on new teachers in their induction period, addressing basic challenges faced by new teachers, such as class management and communicating with students, parents and peers. The center is supported by the Ministry of Education which funds the ongoing operation of the workshops as well as the development and the tailoring of specific content.
The foundation approached the center several months ago to explore the possibility of adapting the simulation technique to the professional needs of 5-unit mathematics teachers. This group of teachers is unique in its characteristics, as it is highly focused on disciplinary knowledge, and teaches at an advanced level to a diverse classroom. There is a constant tension between the requirement to teach fast and in depth, and the desire to assist each and every student in the class, to avoid dropouts.
The center expressed its willingness to try a program to suit the needs of these teachers. However, we acknowledged that starting with the advanced clinical teaching skills and professional dilemmas of the highly experienced 5-unit teachers would be too big a jump for the center. We discussed the option of collaborating on a more basic level of clinical teaching, and decided to work with student teachers in training and induction, in partnership with the Ministry of Education.
The proposed program will conduct simulation workshops over the next couple of years for 250 student teachers and new teachers of mathematics from the 8 teacher residency programs supported by the foundation. The workshops will be developed in consultation with experts in 5-unit mathematics teaching, and will concentrate on clinical pedagogy topics, such as how to cope with errors and misconceptions of students in a diverse classroom setting. It will also touch on communication skills, such as how teachers can encourage parents to support their child on the difficult path of studying the 5-unit track.
Each student will participate in 2-4 workshops, which will be held in small groups, over the course of their training year and induction year. The foundation was asked to fund the one-time development expenses, whereas the Ministry of Education has committed to fund the operation of the workshops.