2007 Progress Report

Comprehensive development project for 10 Jerusalem schools

This quarterly update focuses on the specific achievements of the educational and training programs that began in the last academic year and will continue until the end of the first semester of the coming academic year.

During the academic year of 2006-2007, the consultants organized on-the-job training for the teachers, in addition to regular workshops in order to cover topics of immediate concern. Moreover, the consultants created student evaluations to determine the students’ improvement over the course of the year, particularly after their teachers had been trained and began applying their newly developed teaching techniques and assessment strategies.

Scholastic vision workshop	Students attending proficiency test

Details of the project

The project also intended adding extracurricular activities to the traditional learning process as it is helpful and important for the students’ development. For example, teaching the Arabic language was merged into musical Education for the lower classes while Drama was incorporated into the teaching of the Arabic and English Languages for the higher classes

Aside from training them how to diagnose learning disabilities and developing their teaching skills, the project developed the teachers’ computer skills by giving them the International Computer Driving License course. The project also gave administrators a course that covered proposal writing and funding strategies.

Parents were also involved in their children’s development processes, as there were a number of evenings dedicated especially for the parents to track their children’s improvements in specific areas. Parent participation was remarkable, especially during the children’s creative and technological developments.

The Project’s most important accomplishments:

• The development of a scholastic vision; the development of its implementation plan.
• The renovation of buildings.
• Equipping libraries, and computer and science laboratories.
• Providing school furniture, athletic equipment, and musical instruments.
• Holding training workshops for participating teachers, through which they designed educational and implementation plans, focusing on the use of new teaching and assessment methods that are comparable to standard.
• Training teachers for the International Computer Driving License.
• Improving the management and proposal writing skills of principals and their assistants.
• The assessment of students’ educational levels in four different subjects (the Arabic Language, the English Language, Mathematics, and Science) using a separate student evaluations for each subject.
• Providing reinforcement classes for students with special needs working with 40 volunteers from Palestinian universities in addition to foreign volunteers from European countries.
• Providing special classes for gifted students.
• Providing classes in extracurricular activities for students and parents.
• The selection of students for the Faisal Husseini Youth Award.
• Organizing English Language Projects (for the first time).
• Organizing scientific exhibitions.
• Organizing Art exhibitions and performances (singing performances and dramatic plays).
• Creating language clubs in the English and Arabic languages.
• Encouraging the cooperation and networking between youth and other social centers and schools, especially for schools with fewer resources (libraries, computer laboratories, etc.)
• Encouraging students to volunteer and participate in community service.

The training process has already begun and continues today. The following are some points that the teaching consultants focused on:

The development in terms of teaching the English Language:

English language teaching consultant: Dr. Jeanne Qattan – Chairperson of the English Language Department at Bethlehem University.

Dr. Qattan asserts that the new Palestinian curriculum for teaching the English Language is quite developed despite being an experimental curriculum. It is a significant Palestinian achievement. However, because it is a new curriculum, many teachers are not able to implement it appropriately. And so the first part of the training program focused on developing the teachers’ skills in:

• Understanding the curriculum and its goals.
• Using the curriculum’s practical applications that are based on listening and conversation.
• Designing student appropriate evaluation tests.
• Develop appropriate teaching methods to help teachers explain the curriculum in the best way.

Dr. Qattan also actively participates in the development of the teaching methods in participating schools. She focused her efforts on the following:

• How to teach different language skills using conversation.
• How to design cumulative examinations and student evaluations.
• How to prepare for a specific unit.
• How to design in-class projects encouraging group work.
• How to self-assess and critique one’s own teaching methods (self reflection)
• How to cooperate with other teachers in order to improve the teaching and learning processes.
• How to prepare supplementary material such as worksheets and alternative teaching methods.

Dr. Qattan sees a great improvement in the performances of English Language teachers in general. The students’ improved results on their progress tests and student-led projects reflected this improvement. Examples of such projects:

• Visual exhibition on protecting the environment.
• “Open Sesame the Gates of Jerusalem: Identifying the Old City of Jerusalem”
• “My story is Your Story: Student Journals”
• “The Trees of Palestine: Their Roots and My Roots”
• “The Tools Used in Palestine: A Look at Palestinian Heritage”
• A collection of caricatures that describe Palestinians’ daily suffering.

Dr. Qattan believes that this development project is the beginning of a long-term vision to arm the next generations with the necessary (curricular and technological) tools to stimulate their thought processes and motivate them.

Development in terms of teaching the Arabic Language:

Arabic Language teaching consultant: Mr. Mohammad Al-Faqih, a Bethlehem University guest lecturer and vice principal at “Al-Ommal” School

Mr. Al-Faqih believes that students must first be enthusiastic about learning the Arabic Languag. He believes they must be encouraged to use classical Arabic in class and that the focus should be on its grammar. He sees that students’ weakness in the Arabic Language is generally due to the following reasons:

• Teachers do not use classical Arabic in class.
• Some teachers are not proficient in Arabic calligraphy, which effects the teaching of all subjects, not only Arabic.
• Some teachers do not have correct Arabic pronunciation.
• Teachers are not skilled at preparing examination questions that reinforce teaching the language.
• Teachers lack creativity in their teaching methods of the Arabic Language.

Mr. Al-Faqih set the following goals as part of his intervention plan:

• Raising the level of Arabic taught in schools.
• Raising teachers’ awareness about the newest teaching methods.
• Seriously helping weak students, and supporting gifted students.
• Making teachers more efficient at handling the students and their teaching materials.
• Highlighting the human aspect of teaching.

The most important achievements were:

• Publishing a cultural lingual magazine in cooperation with the language club.
• Encouraging reading through I read program.
• Introducing drama to the educational process.
• Using music in the educational process.
• Establishing language clubs in schools and encouraging students from all levels to participate in them.
• Working with the special needs consultant in preparing student evaluations and treatment methods for students with special needs.

Development in terms of teaching Mathematics:

Mathematics teaching consultant: Dr. Tahseen Al-Mughrabi – Chairperson of the Mathematics Department at Al-Quds University.

Dr. Al-Mughrabi stresses that the Palestinian curriculum focuses on concepts, but unfortunately traditionally math is taught based on rules and not concepts. He saw that there were some problems in the current methods of teaching Mathematics, such as:

• The blackboard is often the only tool used to teach Mathematics.
• Teachers ask students questions in a traditional manner, without giving them the chance to participate in discussion, or asking questions.
• Students are not involved in group-work or group projects in class.
• Teachers do not have the power or resources to give students with special needs the help they need.
• Class time is not managed efficiently as many teachers spend time correcting problems, reading material, and rereading material.
• Teachers tend to focus on talking about the material, whereas time could be better spent in discussion, working on in-class projects, and other activities.
• Creative thinking methods are not used to solve problems.
• Teachers are incapable of relating mathematical problems to real-life.
• There are no specific methods used with gifted students.
• There is very little to no school participation in international competitions (Math Olympics, Tames, etc.)
• Teachers are afraid to tackle students’ questions.

Dr. Al-Mughrabi works within the Comprehensive Development Project, as he focuses on:

• How to encourage vigorous thought.
• How to use different reinforcement methods to help students understand Mathematics.
• Teaching specific sub-topics in Math by organizing workshops.
• Reviewing common mistakes made while teaching Mathematics and finding solutions for them.
• Using the computer in teaching Mathematics.
• Preparing worksheets.
• Preparing student evaluations tools
• Preparing supplementary teaching materials.
• Teaching Mathematics through stories (for lower academic levels)
• Connecting Mathematics to other sciences and real-life.
• Addressing the needs of gifted students and others with special needs.
• Sharing academic and professional experiences among teachers by visiting different schools.
• Organizing field trips for students to scientific museums in Jerusalem.
• Holding workshops and special study days for gifted students.
• Training teachers to develop Math projects.

Some of the most important achievements that Dr. Al-Mughrabi notices are: Teachers using alternative reinforcement methods (such as individual and group meetings, etc.) Developing new educational approaches to teaching Mathematics. Developing students’ abilities to analyze mathematical problems. Developing teachers’ abilities to prepare student evaluations appropriate for different academic levels, and their abilities to analyze students’ results. Encouraging student research projects. Producing a math magazine. Developing students’ creative thinking.

Students from Jabal Al-Mukaber School visiting the Mathematics Department at Al-Quds University

Development in terms of teaching Science:

Science teaching consultant: Mr. Aref Al-Hussaini – Director of Al-Nayzak Extracurricular Education.

Because of the teachers’ cooperation and their desire to change, as well as the administrations’ support of FHF’s efforts, the science teaching consultant was able to implement a large part of the intervention plan. Some of the obstacles faced in teaching Science are:

• The new Palestinian curriculum is science intensive, therefore in need of a different teacher for every subject but the unavailability of teachers forces a Biology teacher, for example, to teach Physics and Chemistry as well.
• Teachers are not experienced in using labs and the curriculum is based on practical work.
• Students are not given the opportunity to regularly do experiments in the laboratories.
• Educational settings (such as laboratories, playgrounds, etc.) are not used effectively.
• Teachers are not technologically advanced.
• Schools have very few to no resources.

Mr. Al-Hussaini’s work includes developing schools and teachers in terms of:

• Training teachers to use new teaching and scientific presentation methods.
• Training teachers to use reinforcement methods that focus on the comprehension of as opposed to the memorization of material.
• Training teachers to use alternative assessment methods (projects, experiments, etc.)
• Strengthening teaching skills in the subject of Physics.
• Holding evening activities for parents to consolidate the school’s relationship with them and the community.

Working with parents in order to promote and support students’ creative thinking.

• Relating Science to daily life.
• Encouraging teachers to work with gifted students by organizing student workshops under their supervision, and creating the appropriate environments for these students.
• Involving weaker students in scientific projects.
• Creating Science clubs and special scientific areas at schools.
• In cooperation with their teachers, students creating and implementing their own scientific projects.
• Modifying school environments to encourage individual learning.

Some of the project’s most important accomplishments have been:

• Electronic forum: launching scientific forums on the worldwide web for Science teachers, where they discuss examinations, the ways in which they may teach a particular unit, exchanging experiences and stories, communicating between teachers, consultants, and the administrations.
• Constructing a scientific ‘garden’ that serves a number of schools.
• Both students and teachers participated in the organization and production of scientific exhibitions.
• Using the computer in the educational process (electronic education) and not completely depending on the blackboard.
• Utilizing schools surroundings and resources (turning playgrounds into temporary laboratories)
• Effectively using laboratories and conducting experiments.
• Creating science clubs.
• Organizing evening activities for parents and the community in order to involve them in the educational process.

Summer School – A uniqe experience

The Faisal Husseini Foundation organized a summer school during the summer of 2007. The summer school took place at two schools in Jerusalem namely Jabal Al Mukaber School and Dar Al- Aytam C School. The summer School targeted students with low to average achievement from 10 different schools. The program concentrated on improving the students in three basic subjects: Arabic English and Math. The uniqueness of the school was reflected in its approach of transferring the learning process from the teacher to the student, and based its learning activities on group work and games, as well as incorporating fun learning activities and linking the lessons to daily life. The program was planned and followed up by specialized educational consultants, and was implemented by a group of creative teachers chosen from Awqaf Schools. The program lasted for one month which included visits to Math and Science Museum at Alquds University, Al Makassed Hospital and the Gulan Heights. The students also attended a play and a movie at the Palestinian National Theatre were they met the actors, and they went swimming.

School Emergency Support Program:

As part of the school emergency support and aid program, the following schools were supported:

Dar Aytam outside wall before and after renovation

Dar Aytam inside wall before and after renovation