In the current debate over the value of education in Israel, ask yourself one question:  Could you handle even twenty minutes of teaching in a rowdy public classroom? 

Most of you should unabashedly answer, probably not.  And that is fine. 

When I first started teaching, the classroom environment seemed extremely disruptive, like trying to raise vegetables in a garden overlooking a hornets nest.  You know you have to diligently tend to the seedlings to reap your sow at the end of the season, but you can't get close enough to water, weed and fertilize the little darlings for fear of taking your eye off the pestering flyboys and girls, and subsequently being sucker-stung in the back.

Anyone working in an overcrowded classroom of children knows how difficult it is to concentrate and even begin to solve problems.  There is such a lack of discipline amongst the students themselves, all buzzing about stinging each other with verbal barbs and concomitant backslaps, with and without contempt for the learning process.

Most teachers are in a position of powerlessness by sheer numbers alone: it's one against many. So how can they cope?  What skills are necessary to help teachers (not to mention people in management, leaders, authoritarians, etc.) transform this challenging environment to a success milieu?

The bell is the cue for the entire school schedule.  It ensures that the day runs smoothly.   

I've been in a school where the bell has been broken for years.  Apparently the bell is too expensive to replace so the administration operates within the confines of this temperamental creature.

Each week we will discuss another aspect of Israel's education problem or how we can fix the bell to help educate, as opposed to educating according to the broken bell. I encourage you to add your comments and feedback so that we can turn this into a discussion. Together we can try and 'fix the school bell.'  

Next week I will introduce you to the "wash the dishes" technique first introduced in Vietnam and how it can help in Israel.

About the Columnist

David Siegel has been teaching English as a second language in Israel for the past ten years. He is certified in English Didactic assessment and intervention for learning disabled pupils. Originally from Connecticut, USA, David has a Masters in social work from the University of Connecticut and a B.A. in Psychology from the University of New York at StonyBrook. As a social worker, he was involved in childrens protective services, foster care, child custody evaluation and family financial disputes. David made Aliya in 1995 and currently resides in Yokneam with his wife and two children.

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