Municipal Program in Umm al-Fahem to Increase the Percentage of 5-Unit Mathematics Matriculation Graduates from 7.2% to 20% by 2020
Umm al-Fahem is an Arab city in the North of Israel, with a population of 52,500. Umm al-Fahem is the social, cultural and economic center for residents of the Wadi Ara and Triangle regions, and home to over 9,000 students. There are six high schools – one of which is a science high school operated by the Atid network, while the others are operated by the municipality. In 2016, 56% of 12th grade students were eligible for a matriculation certificate, and this year, 7.2% of 12th grade students study 5-unit mathematics.
The city approached the foundation because it wants to improve mathematics excellence in the city, and has identified significant potential for growth: last year around 40% of students examined in 4-unit mathematics, attained a grade of 90 or above. However, they are currently unable to open more 5-unit classes, because there is a shortage of suitable teachers. Currently there are 36 high school mathematics teachers, and while 16 of these teach 5-unit mathematics, the municipality reports that only 6 of them are really suited for this role. These experienced teachers hold somewhat of a monopoly on the teaching of advanced-levels mathematics.
However, the city has identified excellent teachers of 3 and 4 units who could potentially teach advanced levels if they received the appropriate support and tutoring. In addition, there is a need to work on teachers’ mindsets and teaching methods – and the way in which students, teachers, and parents perceive the advanced mathematics matriculation and its importance.
To address this, Umm al-Fahem is proposing a program to increase the number of 5-unit graduates from 7.2%-20% in three years. The program will train 16 experienced 5-unit teachers over the course of one year to be instructional coaches with an emphasis on new teaching methods and tools for supporting fellow teachers; and will work on changing their outlook on student potential or excellence. They will be mentored in small groups and on an individual basis by a pedagogical organization.
A second group of 12 excellent teachers of three and four unit mathematics, identified as having high potential and fulfilling Education Ministry criteria, will be trained in a 60-hour course by a pedagogic organization to teach 5-units. In the second and third year of the program, these teachers will start to teach new 5-unit classes and will receive instructional coaching once every two weeks from the more experienced teachers.
In addition to working directly with teachers, the program will focus on leadership, parents, and complementary activities. They will publically launch the program in each school, in an attempt to recruit support and raise awareness around the municipal goal, and each school will hire an excellence coordinator to promote the program within the school. The city will supplement extra teaching hours in schools and some private lessons; and will establish a municipal parents’ committee that will run three Excellence Days per year for students and their parents to raise awareness and bring them on board to the city’s drive for excellence in mathematics.
The program will be led by an Excellence manager (60% part time), in consultation with a designated forum of high school and middle school principals that will meet once a month to focus on leadership for excellence, monitor student performance data, improve and help preserve the high level of achievement. Representatives from the Education Ministry and Haifa district will participate in this forum and will advise on selecting the pedagogical body to work with the teachers.
Over three years, the program aims to open ten new 5-unit classes; train and place 10-12 new 5-unit teachers, and see the number of 5-unit students rise to 20%.