“COVID-19 was one of the greatest gifts we could have received. I feel that it made us stop, halt our overblown self-confidence, our sense of certainty and so on. I had a chance to reconsider things that I had taken for granted, as well as my occasional rigid thinking and behaving.
What could change in the education system and for me personally? Nothing. I’ve been a school principal since 2009; everything starts out the same, continues the same, and ends up the same.
But suddenly the coronavirus arrived and forced us to alter our ways of thinking, our approach to teaching and the very way in which we think about the principal-staff relationship. Under normal conditions, these processes would have taken 10 years, but suddenly they’re taking place in just half-a-year.
There are a lot of students who are thriving in the current circumstances. Many children are happy to be in front of a screen; it enables them to express themselves without being seen. Suddenly, girls with head coverings can sit down without them and be immune to all the influences that occasionally restrict them.
There are Arab children who have no internet access; not because of financial problems, but because their parents don’t want internet access. And now, all of a sudden, there’s a new reality. Imagine what it’s like for a father who has vehemently opposed bringing the internet into the home to suddenly understand that he actually needs it? For years, we’ve tried to persuade parents without success, and now, all of a sudden, it has become possible. What might that mean for the ultra-Orthodox community, for example?
So we’re bringing computers into the homes of the children and explaining to each parent that without a computer, the child won’t learn. There are a few children for whom this represents a tremendous opportunity to bring about a major change in their lives.
The true crisis is the one facing our teachers, and we’re working very hard on the mental side of things. I find myself sending text messages to teachers with lots of heart and rainbow emojis. Every Thursday, I sum up the week and congratulate them, telling them ‘Well done! I’m so proud of you and the work that we’re all doing.’
The teachers are reinventing themselves and it’s wonderfully moving to witness. Suddenly I see how creative they are and how each teacher chooses his or her own path in reaching the students. We see teachers unexpectedly collaborating. For example, two of our history teachers are conducting joint lessons in a shared presentation. This demands creativity, flexibility and collaboration.
The real question is how we can capitalize on this ‘gift’ we’ve received and leverage it towards something completely different – something that will boost the education system. Instead of investing our energies in withstanding the current crisis, or waiting for it to pass, let’s reinvent ourselves!
This is the first time that grassroots have been able to influence the Ministry of Education. I believe there’s a sense of openness today at the Ministry of Education – a willingness to learn from us. This is an opportunity that won’t come again. Never again will we have this level of trust if we don’t know how to take advantage of it now.”