Source: eJewish Philanthropy
In a response to a post by James Hyman in eJewish Philanthropy, Anne Lanski, the Executive Director of the iCenter, describes the educational approach of iCenter, the Hub for Israel Education, and the practices and principles that animate all its work.
She writes:
"What makes great Israel education? It has to be learner-centered. It has to be taught by passionate and knowledgeable educators engaged in their own Israel story and able to evoke it in their students. It has to be integrated with the rest of Jewish education. It has to bring together the people, land and state of Israel as a totality.
Great Israel education uses a thematic curriculum. It weaves Modern Hebrew into all areas. It uses Israeli arts and culture as an educational portal. It makes room for diverse narratives – contemporary, historic and religious. It enables learners to develop their own Israel story.
And most importantly, great Israel education involves real experience with Israel, and genuine mifgashim (encounters) with Israeli peers, in which genuine conversation and two-way learning takes place.
Over the past two years, the iCenter has developed the Aleph-Bet of Israel Education, a set of eleven practices and principles that animate all our work and set the standard for our communal conversation. They include everything mentioned above. Over the coming months, we aim to make the Aleph-Bet the touchstone for innovation in the field."
Read her full post at eJewish Philanthropy.