Ofek Le’Atid – Strengthening Math Studies

An international educational foundation, in cooperation with the Rishon LeZion Foundation and the Rishon LeZion Municipality’s Education Division, approved a three-year grant for a unique municipal project to increase to 25% the number of high school students studying five units of mathematics in the city.

The project works in the following way:

1. A large portion of the grant was devoted exclusively to professional development of teachers of math at a 5-unit level of study (through communities of teachers and close pedagogical support), and to funding up to 50% of the cost of the program’s management. Salaries, teacher hours and additional hours for students will be fully funded by the city.

2. An additional portion of the grant was devoted to cooperation with other programs that are supported by the foundation, which train teachers to use video and diagnostic tasks, and for developing personal learning programs for each student.

3. The grant was activated only after a detailed work plan was prepared and submitted to the foundation. This plan will serve as a basis for semiannual reports that will address the following subjects:

A. Elements of clinical teaching, including use of video, diagnostic tasks, personal learning programs and professional communities of teachers;

B. An operative work plan for schools that will address principals, subject coordinators, teachers of 5-unit math, guidance counselors, the teaching staff and parents;

C. Development and implementation of an individualized professional work plan for each of the teachers teaching at the 5-unit level.