In April and May 2018, teacher forums organised several events. These served as initiatives taken by male and female teachers who work independently across Palestinian governorates. Teachers receive moral and material support from the Educational Research and Development Programme (ERDP) / A. M. Qattan Foundation (AMQF).
Science and art in Jericho
Under the supervision of three teachers, the Jericho Teacher Forum implemented a science and art activity with a group of students at the Zahrat al-Madaen School lab, Jericho city. Students drew intersecting curves with different colours, producing beautiful geometric shapes which somewhat resembled the multitude of shapes and imaginations. Students also used play dough to shape various portraits. According to Basimah al-Ustah, Jericho Teacher Forum Coordinator, every student had his own way of expressing the artistic layout of his portrait. Students used geometry instruments and colours and made geometrical portraits, which were exhibited at the school.
Khan Yunis: Field visits, workshops and discussions
As usual, the Khan Yunis Teacher Forum organised an array of periodic events jointly with students, teachers and the local community. These included a focused reading of The Ignorant Teacher, an activity the Forum organised in partnership with the Ministry of Education District Directorate Office in Eastern Khan Yunis. Mohammed Shubeir, the activity moderator, used dialogue, discussion and brainstorming techniques to capture the most significant concepts and terms in The Ignorant Teacher. Teachers worked in groups to share ideas about the book.
In collaboration with the Haifa Primary Girls School, the Khan Yunis Teacher Forum organised a workshop on Behavioural Goals. Bringing together 37 teachers and trainees from Gaza universities, the workshop was moderated by Zeinab Radhi and Najla’ Breikah, members of the Khan Yunis Teacher Forum. The discussion covered the definition, significance, mechanisms and applications of behavioural goals.
In the context of actions taken to promote the cultural and intellectual landscape in Khan Yunis, the Khan Yunis Teacher Forum organised two dialogue sessions on the establishment of a cultural and intellectual salon. Organised jointly with the Safe Home Youth Centre, the meeting brought together intellectuals, persons with interest in intellectual and community work, university students, and researchers in different fields.
Discussants agreed on the goal, vision, mission and common values of the salon. The dialogue also addressed potential partnerships with different local community institutions. Roles were also distributed to participants, leaving room for more interested individuals to participate in the salon.
Participants in both dialogue sessions approved a preliminary plan of the activities to be implemented by the cultural salon in the near future. Further meetings would continue to be held periodically to set the direction and promote the functions of the salon.
Over the past two months, the Khan Yunis Teacher Forum also carried field visits in the context of outreach to local community institutions. For example, in a field tour to the Vocational Training Centre of the Ministry of Social Development, a group of students viewed the way vocational training centres are run, student enrolment, training programmes, and main areas of specialisation taught at these centres. In another field visit to the Al-Bashiti Plastics Factory, students were introduced to national products, how industrial machines were operated, and how plastic materials were recycled into new products.
In the same context, a filed visit was made to the Shuhada Khan Yunis Clinic. As part of science project applications in the Life Science textbook of the 10th primary grade, students met with dermatologists and discussed, among other things, research topics on fungal diseases.
Together with their students, members of the Khan Yunis Teacher Forum participated in a conference on The Future of Technical and Vocational Education and Training in General Education Schools in Palestine. In collaboration with the Khan Yunis Ministry of Education District Directorate Office, the conference was organised by the University College of Science and Technology.
Hani al-Agha, member of the Khan Yunis Teacher, presented a research paper, titled Analysis of the Impact of some Variables in Students’ Reluctance to Enrol in Technical and Vocational Education and Training, Using the Logistic Regression Analysis Model. Munir Shaqqourah and Khadher Shubeir presented a research paper, titled A Proposed Vision of Integrating Persons with Disabilities in the Technical and Vocational Education Track in Light to their Development Features. Mohammed Awadh Shubeir proposed a blueprint to develop funding sources of technical and vocational education and training in Palestine in light of the other international experiences.
In the ensuing discussion, 11th grade students participated and raised questions about a procedural plan to implement the proposed blueprint in case the proposal is approved for application in Palestine.