“I think that every school in Israel should adopt this program,” says Einat Bitone, principal of the Ashalim Elementary School in Ofakim. Five years ago, Bitone, who has headed the school for the past nine years, introduced the Pedagogic Network (Revadim Plus in Hebrew) to help improve the quality of instruction in the school, which has a student body of 400.
Ashalim is one of twenty-one schools in the program, which was developed by the Tafnit association under the auspices of the Rashi Foundation, together with additional philanthropic partners. The program currently operates in ten municipalities in Israel, serving 6,000 pupils.
“The key element that attracted me was the pedagogic component, which wasn’t available in any other program,” says Bitone, “More than just a program, it provides a comprehensive support system, aiming to enhance teachers’ abilities and improve the quality of teaching – not by bringing in external programs that would disappear after five years, but by strengthening the school from within. This includes unique online tools that facilitate all the school’s work processes.”
Ashalim has a diverse student body composed of secular, traditional, and religious students, representing the full spectrum of the population of Ofakim. Before the program was introduced, Bitone recalls, the school was beset with chaos and disorder. Today, she says, Ashalim presents a model of stability for students, parents, and staff.
Bitone explains that the program has three main components – establishing a consistent routine and mode of communication between students and faculty, mentoring teachers, and data-driven analysis that provides precise information as to what the students are learning.
Hadas Hayat, assistant principal at Ashalim, offers concrete examples of how these elements are utilized. Before Revadim Plus was implemented in the school, she explains, teachers used different methods to quiet the students in the class. “Now, we have a unified method: the teacher raises her hand with two fingers extended, and everyone in the school—students, teachers, staff – knows this is the signal for silence. It resets the class immediately.”
Another example, she adds, is the strategic placement of where teachers should stand in the classroom. “I learned to position myself at a specific angle where I can maintain eye contact with all students, ensuring engagement,” she says.
When students come into class each morning, says Hayat, they receive a type of ‘entry ticket,’ which can be a question written on the board or a short assignment placed on each student’s desk. This motivates the students and immediately brings them into a learning frame of mind.
At the conclusion of class, students are handed an ‘exit ticket,’ in which they are asked several questions about the material they have studied in the class that has just ended. “These questions help us gauge their understanding immediately, instead of waiting until the end of the semester,” she notes.
As part of the program, Principal Bitone has also instituted 15-minute reading sessions throughout the school every morning, when students read age-appropriate books at the beginning of class, after which teachers review the material with the students and thus can ascertain their reading progress.
How have these strategies impacted the students? “They feel much more connected to the learning process,” she shares. “Lessons are engaging and dynamic, and they know what to expect.” As for the teachers, Bitone says that educators now compete to teach in Ashalim in order to receive pedagogic training and support.
“They are lining up to get here. Teachers must work very hard in this program, and there are no shortcuts. It is a system of structured practices, assessments, performance measurements, and reports. They are working hard, and they are seeing results. They enter the classrooms, and they are able to teach, rather than spend their time disciplining the students.”
An evaluation of the Pedagogic Network initiative has found that the vast majority of teachers who have undergone training report measurable improvement in every area of classroom management and teaching. As a result, this helps to retain teachers in the education system, especially new teachers who too often quit after a few years.
The city of Ofakim was significantly impacted by the Swords of Iron War, and Bitone says many children in the school witnessed terrible sights. The program, she says, helped children cope. “It taught us how to apply educational responses for children in the best possible way and to work with data in the most precise manner. This allowed us to immediately map out the situation. We have conducted research to determine who was affected, who is resilient, and who needs support. We provided responses immediately, including individual attention addressing students’ emotional and social needs.”
The initiative is supported by the Ministry of Education and a partnership of several devoted foundations: the Samuels Family Foundation, the Gerald and Gail Ronson Family Foundation, Seed the Dream Foundation, the Ben and Esther Rosenbloom Foundation, and the Jewish Federation of Greater Houston.
Natie Shevel, Chief Executive of the Gerald and Gail Ronson Foundation in Israel, sees the program’s power to transform: “The Pedagogic Network is narrowing gaps in Israel’s socio-economic periphery. We can see a turnaround in academic performance, improved learning environments, empowered principals, and revitalized educators. All this results in increased enrolment and stronger, more resilient communities – a sign that we are on the right path. We are proud to be a partner in this impactful initiative.”
The Rashi Foundation plans to expand the program nationwide in cooperation with the Ministry of Education, bringing this proven teaching and school management methodology to Israel’s periphery and creating opportunities for a better future.
This article was written in cooperation with the Rashi Foundation.