About a week ago, the schools celebrated Teacher's Day. Parents brought sumptuous meals to the school, students prepared touching greetings, and for a moment it seemed that there was no more rewarding and enjoyable job in Israel than teaching. But a moment later, when there was no more food left in the teachers' rooms in the city, it was possible to examine their true situation and discover that recently there has been a wave of teacher departures.
New teachers who abandon teaching in a short time (in the last 5 years it has been found that this is one out of every five teachers) and also older teachers, despair and decide to leave the profession.
Just doesn't make sense
"I was a middle school teacher for 3 years and in the third year I felt that I was unable to continue. I was a full-time educator and teacher and I did not reach 6,000 NIS net. My husband looked at me sadly and told me that it just doesn't make sense that I'm available to parents and children all day long and endlessly run errands and in the end, that's all I earn," says a young teacher who, as mentioned, abandoned teaching after only 3 years.
Committed to providing for the family
"I still haven't made a final decision to completely leave teaching," she clarifies, "I left the door open, but today I work much less hard and earn more, but that's not the big advantage. When I leave the office today, my work day really ends. There is no more messages and phone calls and prepare lessons for tomorrow and review exams. There are no parents' days and trips and various activities in the afternoon. This is a very significant change for me. The only thing I miss is the children. I really liked the relationship with my students, and I don't have that in the office. However, there is I have an obligation to provide for my family and with a starting teacher's salary, I can't do that."
Everything - except teaching!
This is a wide-ranging phenomenon. Many students study teaching and imagine what it would be like to teach in their own classroom, but in the first 5 years studies show that in the first five years in the profession, one in five teachers will retire from teaching. Moreover, on Facebook there are groups of teachers, for example the group "Investing teachers, who when she is young sometimes writes that she is debating whether to study teaching, within two hours she will receive 200 comments from teachers, new and old, urging her to study everything (!) except teaching. There are also comments from Girls who are still in the group, but have already taken the step and left teaching in favor of another profession. The most surprising responses are from teachers who write that they have been in the profession for over 30 years and now decided, just before retirement, to look for work in another field.
Loves the work but understands those who leave
"I work as a teacher and I love my job," says a teacher from one of the six-year schools in the estate, "but I understand the frustration and I understand why young teachers don't continue. We feel that we work hard, it's not easy to take over 35-40 students and convince them to study quietly, but if you ask someone what they think of teachers, they will always talk about our vacations. We feel a lack of appreciation from the parents, the students, sometimes also from the management, who do not support us.
It is understandable that there will be conflicts with students, but why should we not receive respectful treatment from the parents? I never understand that. More than that, instead of belittling our work, if someone so wants to enjoy the days off that teachers have, they are invited to simply study teaching and join the system. We always need more teachers."
Instead of moving forward - we are going backwards
Dr. Eyal Doron, researcher, lecturer and developer of creative thinking, who for the past decade has been working across the country with teachers, principals, schools and local authorities, understands the complexity that teachers encounter and hence also the leaving of the profession.
"I've been around all kinds of countries and there are no teachers in the world who are better than the average in Israel, and the same goes for administrators. Our problem is not the extreme cases, but what happens on average. We see that it's going backwards. The status, the pressures, the status, everything is running backwards, until to an unimaginable situation".
Losing trust
"Basically," says Doron, "because of a lack of leadership and because of a wrong perception over many years, the Ministry of Education instituted parental involvement, and this does not allow the field to function. We see it everywhere, unless there is a director with very strong leadership who does not allow No one can interfere. There is a situation where the community is taking over the school and what ignites everything is the lack of trust of the parents."
The parents are not to blame
"The ones who are to blame for this are not the parents. It's like I will be the designer of a bridge and I will hold round tables and ask the residents how to design the bridge. Like a doctor before surgery will take all kinds of people and consult with them on how to operate. What actually happens is that there is a complete mix-up of the parents and as soon as When they invite me as a parent to participate, I get confused and lose confidence. This is the first problem that happened here."
When everything is important - nothing is important
"Another thing is that the teacher is actually a talent - this is the second mistake of the system. There are multiple goals and multiple tasks. Lots of regularity, further training. And then, when everything is important, nothing is important. When you want to get to a lot of places, you don't get anywhere. There is endless exhaustion because Many tasks and goals, and this stems from many years of complexity, of a very complex situation. We live in a complex society. There are many currents in Israel, political conflicts, many debates have been going on here for years about what education even is. The lack of homogeneity and the amount of approaches, the endless variety of types Education, in the end it comes to nothing, and there is no standard, which makes it very difficult to form a clear picture.
A radical and comprehensive change is required
"Within all this complexity comes the issue of teachers. If something much, much more radical does not happen here - there will be no correction. In digital banking, in autonomous cars, in the direct insurance industry, in all fields, very large revolutions are taking place. The world of education moves very, very slowly, if At all. The reality is that you can move either forward or backward, that's the complex."
The world is going through huge revolutions and the education system is stuck in the 60s
"The last problem is graduation. There is no fix or advice for the graduation problem. Everything we do is measured by being on the way to the graduation grade. Nothing matters. It's important that the child gets so-and-so in math and everything else is not really important. In the end I get a 90 or 88 in math and that's it. A student does not get a grade for imagination, for solving problems, for creativity... In the end we were left with the same thing we had in the 60s.
The teacher entered this strange situation, with conditions that did not improve, with stressed parents - who shared them. The parents are already stressed because they see that the school looks like it did 60 years ago. All of this rests on the teacher."
Losers from all directions
"The teacher holds a position or a position and a half, with work around the clock and enormous pressures, and financially the least rewarding. It is a complete lose-lose, the loss is from all directions. For the benefit of the Ministry of Education, I must say that they are trying to do and improve, but the point is that all issues must be addressed who came up here at the same time. In the Ministry of Education, they work step by step, when the ambition should be to solve everything at once.
My heart goes out to the teachers. My goal in life is for them to realize that they are talents and fly with their talent. Teachers should be supported. There are extreme cases of bad teachers, as there are in any profession, but there is also a lot of talent."
Let's profit from the disruption
"We need to make radical changes to the structure of the studies, the salary, and more. I think that the children have learned to be bored and manage themselves after the corona virus. So now we return them to the corridor and the classroom? Give them half a week to manage themselves from home. Why bring them back to the rut? Let's profit from this disruption. Let them move on their own, let them study from home two days a week.
Why not say: something happened - let's take advantage of it. And regarding the claims that have been heard a lot lately, that the children have developed social-emotional problems as a result of the corona virus, I do not understand them, and again - we can and should take advantage of the disruptions imposed on us to our advantage. For years and years, the ministries of education have failed to improve the state of the education system, so perhaps it is desirable to emphasize that this is not a problem that started now, or with the corona virus, or because of one or another minister of education."
I think the problem is even deeper, our time is not as important to the Ministry of Education as it should be,
For example, at a parents' meeting, it took me a few days to manage it manually instead of a professional system that knows how to do it,
The Ministry of Education should think about us as well.
Teachers, if you feel like it, leave the system, the parents don't let the teachers teach, but what's funny is that the parents pay thousands of shekels to private teachers who are sometimes the same teachers who teach their students at school. This will solve the problem. What happened to Corona?? The classes were split into two halves was excellent. You have to go back
I have an M.sc degree and have been a science teacher for thirty years. I am a teacher who only teaches 5th and 160th grades and submits for matriculation at the level of XNUMX units. I work XNUMX% full time only three days a week and I earn an excellent salary, really excellent! The principles to become a good teacher:
The first and most important principle: be supremely professional and supremely interesting and always give 100% never 99%! But this is a very big but, not 101% either!!
The second principle: do to a person what he allows to be done to him. Never let any person, manager, parent, teacher, student, subject coordinator, pedagogic coordinator, etc. etc. bully you! Stand tall, grow a spine and resist the things you don't want to do!
Third principle: Be diligent! Maximize your working days! Need to earn maximum in minimum time!
Fourth principle: Keep your emotions at home! Be correct, professional and decent towards the students less love/hate …..you are not their father.
Fourth principle: remember that working in teaching is a temporary situation between vacations, enjoy the vacation, don't work on it!!
Fourth principle: never work in one place always in at least two sources!
Fifth principle: Avoid the shallow training courses of the Ministry of Education, they are bad for the soul and damage the intelligence.
Sixth principle: Remember that teachers are an expendable resource as far as the Ministry of Finance and Education is concerned, so you must remember that the most important thing that represents the evaluation of the system is that the salary comes in on time like a clock every month! Leave the letters of appreciation and thanks to those who really need them, and it's not you!
And if what I said moved your cheese and you think I'm wrong, I have over 2500 former students who appreciate me very much who will prove you wrong!
In my opinion, high school should be taught in a straight line for the profession and degree, or targeted preparation for a coveted military service, (such as reserves and the like)
For the studies to be goal-oriented, to do a matriculation in history or similar subjects is only of interest to those who want a high average in the matriculation, and he will forget that too a second after the exam, it will not last for life
If the youth understands that he is studying for life, in the direction of a profession that interests him, studies that will eventually translate into money, he will show much more seriousness and respect for the teacher who teaches him.
In the academy there is silence in the lectures, why? exactly for this reason.
At the moment the youth is aware that half of the matriculation will not be of use to him in the future, as well as that the school has an interest in him getting a high average, so he celebrates that.
If the interest in succeeding in studies is 100% on the part of the students, they will show much more responsibility, and will invest in studies instead of exhausting the teachers.
It's not just the parents and not just the exhausting system. It's also the team that eat each other. Teachers who have reached management positions and simply abuse teachers who work hard.
Hello and thank you.
The article is comprehensive and unfortunately very true.
Emphasis on excessive parental intervention.
Lack of respect for teachers and especially loss of parental authority in front of their children...
It is possible that the solution lies in the decision of the policy thinkers in the Ministry of Education:
A. define topics for teaching.
B. A destination the students must reach by the end of the 12th grade. The goal must include various abilities (creativity, learning and memorization, preparation for the economic and social reality for the future and also in the face of reality for a better future). Understanding the needs of society and the state and more
third. To grant actual authority to school principals, in the field of education and teaching in accordance with the ministry's policy. And not like the day of maximum responsibility and minimum authority.
d. To allow the schools to plan the teaching paths and the areas of knowledge taught in the school (this way the schools will become unique).
God. Equally important is raising the salary to a level that will not put the teacher in financial need and will allow him to make a living with dignity and reduce thoughts about leaving the education and teaching system.
Yes, it is clear to me that every extra shekel is multiplied by the number of teachers in the education system.
and. Providing backup to the teacher and administrators.
G. Improve the training system for teachers and raise the admission threshold.
Because education is the future of the Israeli state and society. A good education creates resilience and develops the economy and society.
Yes, I am a proud teacher and I love my work and my students, but with love as the well-known saying "you don't buy at the grocery store" and the children are not properly educated when the approach is not similar and not synchronized - parents-students-teachers.
Why preserve learning from home?
One of the best engines for me for learning is the social atmosphere.
What is good about students who stay at home when the parents are not at home? There are enough such hours in the afternoon for some children whose parents work. Don't need more
In Finland they study 4 hours a day 5 days a week, the classes are a reasonable size of 20 students. The teachers in Finland, even in the lower elementary grades, have master's degrees in the subjects they teach. There are other facts that put Finland at the top of the table of quality education in the world, and it is worth learning. It might be worth starting with a different approach to the teaching profession.
The salary is low
very low
It is impossible to exist
at such a salary
After 18 years I left!!! And I am so happy. Life is beautiful outside the education system
The teachers earn very well and not as stated in the article.
The real problem is the lack of trust of the parents and it's not just that the Ministry of Education earned a lack of trust in honesty. Violence, changing teachers, lack of management, lack of transparency and integrity, lack of resources even for strong students, overcrowded classes...continue?
So the solution for you is to find an alternative to conventional education, small classes. If you make a promise and it doesn't exist!!!
And no one talked about misbehavior at work on the part of senior educators and an atmosphere that is not always encouraging in the team such as jealousy, competition, elbows, etc... Why don't they hold training days in nature outside of work during working hours? Like high-tech people for example? Convalescent homes for families like a friend? On that day they will bring a substitute for the group of teachers participating in the consolidation days. All of these can promote guarantee, cohesion and feelings of belonging within the team - something that leads to resilience in the teachers despite everything...
One of the factors that destroys the teacher's work and authority and adds frustration is the interference of the parents and the power given to them. See the value of the IDF in the absence of parental intervention, it manages to be an effective melting pot for youth despite the decline in recent years.
Reducing the number of students in the class (to half)
Investment in opening new classes and new teachers
Adding teaching aids
Salary increase (for beginning teachers mainly, but not only)
The children are adorable. They want to want to come to school. And they are cute, and talented.
Let us do our job, being a teacher and educator is a mission.
I very much agree with the Sipa of things. Instead of embracing the welcome changes brought by the corona virus, everything returned to normal. In most schools, no lessons were learned and they returned to teaching with the old methods.
1. Cancellation of the student bill of rights. Students do not and should not have rights.
2. Cancellation of parents' involvement in the school.
3. Doubling teachers' salaries.
4. Teachers with university training.
I have a university education and a relatively older age, thanks to a manager who did not tolerate violence and lack of support and repeated humiliations on his part in front of the students, assistants, and staff. In addition, I don't smoke and/or drink and the students love me and are not afraid and the principal is looking for a teacher who scares the child (do you as parents want a teacher who smiles or a teacher who seems to have a lemon stuck under his nose?)
The system behaves terribly and threateningly to a new teacher, does not allow a new teacher to use disciplinary tools, like an old teacher, and therefore the teachers run away, not everything starts and ends with money, first of all health.
Only a person who wants to abuse himself = a masochist will go to study this profession. This is the worst profession anyone can choose. There is nothing positive about it. And one last thing: as long as the students in Israel behave insolently, arrogantly, arrogantly, violently towards their teachers - even tens of billions of dollars that will be invested in education will not help. Not to mention that the classrooms in Israel are the most crowded in the world with an average of 38-40 students per class. If you think something positive will happen, let me tell you that neither this nor that will happen not even in 1000 years. Whereas the mass abandonment of those who became teachers and realized the trap they had entered will continue and even increase in the coming weeks and months. Only those who have lost their sanity will work in this cursed thing called teaching in Israel. I wonder why in Finland or Germany or South Korea every child's dream is to become a teacher???? Think about it! The starting salary of a teacher in Israel is 6000 NIS gross. If he lasts in 15 years, he will perhaps reach 7500 NIS. Take it to the grocery store and all your other monthly expenses.
There needs to be a change in the structure of the studies, the salary and who teaches our children, teachers, we need teachers with knowledge, education, degrees that have invested and learned what education is, behavior tolerance, and more, there is no respect for the teacher, the parents abuse the teachers, the children commit boycotts, beatings and vandalism, the salary is low, the salary should be increased in a way It is significant that the teacher knew that there is an adequate reward and salary for the knowledge he acquired and he passes it on to his students, the high education budget is first class and we need to invest for our children who will become researchers, doctors, scientists, hightists and more.
There will be changes of ministers, reforms, epidemics, but the real thing is not being done. Reducing the number of children in the class. Why? Because there is no budget, but there is capital to pay officials who do nothing at headquarters. This is what we look like.
As with everything in this country, money is there, it's just not distributed properly.
Container,
Excellent article. I agree with every word that Dr. Eyal Doron wrote and in detail what he described regarding the justification of the students' behavior because of the corona virus. These justifications will get us nowhere.
1. The ministers of education make decisions from one day to the next and the territory without any preparation has to carry out.
2. Teachers are not even allowed to give individual lessons on Zoom.
3. School counselors are not allowed to work from home and do zoom meetings.
4. I tried to hold other meetings with students. The purpose of the meeting was to listen to music and watch movies. I had to stop because the school does not have the technological conditions.
5. Teachers are committed to school training and in general... and most teachers only come because they have to.
6. The school administration is exhausted and does not have the strength and desire to think about the conditions of the teachers. There is no serious place for the teacher to work in the schools. The decorated teachers' rooms do not provide a solution.
The main problem is the attitude towards the teachers and their working conditions... the rest is wonderful!
Dear Eyal Doron, you always talk about creativity and letting students fly on their own, so maybe students for creative parents and teachers know what to do with it. The great majority need a stable framework, the establishment of knowledge in all subjects of study in order to continue in higher education institutions, which most of what is studied mainly in universities is based on the ability to study like a parrot and obtain the degree. Only when the change begins, it will permeate the schools. You can see a change in the high-tech sector. But that's a drop in the ocean. Robotics and programming are taught in schools, it is not suitable for everyone. In any case, the teachers who remain in the system are the ones who bear the burden. The interference of the parents is really a problem as well as the suggestions from the Ministry of Education, endless conferences and boring trainings that teachers are required to attend in order to say what everyone already knows. Someone needs to put things in order, but in the meantime give the students the tools they need without a lot of upheaval. and teachers the conditions for livelihood and sanity. that these conditions are also taken from them the sycamore and the evening.
Children need a significant adult. In the absence of significant parents, teachers are used in this role
Children need logic in what they are required to do. There is no sense in the seriousness of matriculation. They no longer fit the real world
Children need a platform for their creativity and energy. The school has neither of these nor of the other. A classroom is not walls and a door. It is a whole world and it is also outside
Children need security - school is not a safe place anymore. It is an airtight pressure cooker on too high a fire. A road without clear signs. A dangerous place.
Young teachers - the job is very hard and challenging but it is the most amazing job in the world. Only come if you have the spark. If not go for something else
Veteran teachers who were tired, rightfully so, allowed them to retire earlier. Or make it easier by taking days off... 3 a week are enough to inspire the students and be mentors to the young team.
Without the courage to change... we will continue to cry.
Dalia, a teacher at heart
In my opinion, the entire education system needs a very serious restart... first of all, reducing the number of students to 20 at most per class, emphasizing awareness, life skills, behavior and manners. Building modern schools without stairs in the spaces. The training of teachers will be at the expense of the state, each teacher will go through a mutual assessment of whether he is suitable to be a teacher and whether the system is suitable for him,,,and more and more,,,,
Every word carved in stone.
When I move to teach physics in a new school, to the same grade - I have to learn almost all over again how to do it. This mode should not read.
As a veteran kindergarten teacher for 14 years. I love the children very much. but--
The parents are full of demands like pomegranates. And woe betide me if their child got scratched/fell...
Supervision all day with changes and changing plans.
Non-hourly training courses. From 5 to 7 in the evening when there are small children at home.
Repeat in 3 finished. can't stand on my feet Because in the garden I gave all the patience in the world...
We have a free day, but it is precisely on that day that there is shopping for the birthday. for a parent meeting. For kindergarten craft materials and also work on Friday, so there is no way I will let my only daughter study teaching!!
Now - reduce the number of children in the class!! How can children study in a class with 38 other children? Poor teacher who deals with discipline problems all day and fails to teach.
Wake up already up there... instead of investing huge budgets in stupid and "creative" programs to eradicate violence, just dream
For half the day they work + all the vacations that are unmatched in any profession in Israel + a sabbatical year + endless benefits
The teachers work very little and earn a lot.
It just doesn't make sense to complain non-stop.
The problem is not the hours and the salary, the problem is the lack of home education, which sends jungle children from a jungle home in the jungle country to jungle classes.
In the lack of education and lack of discipline that begin at home, and end in police cases and a revolving door in the compassionate courts,
We created an impossible work environment for the teacher. It is difficult to teach young and wild jungle animals, it is definitely a challenge.
In other countries if a child behaves like Israeli children in schools, he will be suspended immediately and the parents will pay a heavy fine and then be educated.
Everything written is very true!!!!! But…… the teacher's salary after 24 years of teaching is 50 NIS gross per hour, so yes, it's a disgrace!!! And if the vacations are so desirable, why do people come here to teach or retire and not last??? Proud of them for having the brains and courage to leave.
LIZZIE I see the new Jeeps that teachers buy parked near the schools.
Come on, you won't convince anyone but yourself that your salary is low when you calculate the hours of study and the amount of holidays.
Your salary is not calculated hourly but global and also reaches NIS 120-150 per hour when you look at the number of actual hours at school and checking tests at home (in front of the TV with the kids).
You don't work 180 hours a month. There are teachers who earn 9000 shekels for 100 hours of work a month, and also give private lessons for thousands of shekels. When you take into account wages for vacations - oh oh they bring you for two weeks in the center to prepare for the school year - then you already understand that it is NIS 500 per hour of work in the summer months.
You can go on sabbatical in any sector. It is funded by our money and is intended only for learning and training. Why the evil eye and the great envy?
Hey
Don't blame us teachers
First of all, the wages are low in the Holocaust compared to other countries in the Holocaust for the hours I work
The failure is due to privileges given by students
There is no pressure from the parents towards the teachers because there is no training
An old, outdated system needs and must be renewed from all sides and put professional and non-political teams into it
The children misbehave and riot during the lesson, and if this happened in a European country, they would have thrown him out a long time ago because a student must know from home that he is coming to study and not riot and disturb the teacher
Strict laws should be applied to violent behavior within the walls of the school. Really punish and not tell the teacher, you are an educator and you have to deal with it.
Definately not. I am a new teacher in the system and I receive 30 NIS per hour, a real shame! The new teachers in the first years are not rewarded. This is known.
tell me you live in a movie ?? The salary is good, a full-time job and the salary is less than five thousand shekels a month?? The training for teaching is four whole years. The state needs to raise teachers' salaries to ten thousand shekels a month. Raise the salary and only then ask for results
As a veteran teacher, the budget must go to reducing the number of students in the class, adding teaching assistants and only then will we see change.
I am a high school teacher, I went through some of the responses and came to the conclusion that before I respond, I should think very carefully about the matter. It is forbidden to pull from the waist.
But what is clear is that a large system has great persistence and to change direction and speed you need to exert a lot of force for a long time and a long distance. And you need a lot of thought to know how to aim at the target in the most optimal way. So I suggest first of all to set the goals clearly.
And it is important to emphasize that the education budget is really high. Apparently the Ministry of Education doesn't know how to use it effectively.
"For years and years the ministries of education have failed to improve the situation of the education system," and it is not fair to think that they can improve the situation. The entire education system must be privatized.
One of the most difficult problems of the education system are the education professors. They pop up every time with effective suggestions such as parental involvement. Or the teachers should treat the students like customers in the supermarket. When these approaches achieve opposite goals, the bored professors come with insights, as if they are not the reality of these crooked approaches. Every year there are new chants like, leaving the children at home with everything that comes from that. This is what the education system looks like
Only a masochist or a madman would go to study teaching in Israel. This is the most humiliating and despised profession in Israel today. The abandonment of teachers today is just the beginning. In 2-3 years there will be no one to go to study teaching. Then they will have to import teachers from Africa and pay them $20 per month - if they even want to come. endangering the children of the future. They don't know what awaits them in schools……
As soon as the parents stop interfering with any nonsense it will be much easier for us to teach.
And another thing that parents should understand is that their child should not accept everything and feel above the teacher, last week I had a case of a mother who had some complaint and the humiliating way she did it also made me look at her daughter in a much less positive way and also ruined her daughter's education . The daughter will take a personal example from her mother and speak like that to her elders and of course her mother will not have the right to educate her...
You teachers are doing an important job. Bless you. Shabbos Shalom.