I’ve just finished writing my summary of 2019 for our soon-to-be-released annual report and it was an excellent academic year – stellar results, creative new programs to inspire and help underprivileged kids, new AMIT schools, and wins in international competitions. Additionally, there was greater engagement of our culturally and demographically different student bodies with one another and a grappling with religious, political, and social issues affecting them.
And then the pandemic struck.
Months of Zoom followed by hybrid classes (in-person on alternate days) followed by openings, quarantines, and re-openings. School in a pandemic is confusing and difficult. But one thing I know about AMIT, it is that we have the flexibility to quickly pivot and the heart to ensure that no kid is left behind.
Our students at the AMIT School in Kiryat Malachi personify many of the social and academic problems that exist in disadvantaged communities. As you can see from the video, Hadas and the Kiryat Malachi teachers moved quickly to online classes. Some schools would be satisfied with just that, but our faculty also determined who needed food vouchers, psychological counseling, and computers, and then provided. As Elyashiv, Rinat and Tami describe, teachers kept in touch with students who needed help, offering different types of academic and social support. This concern was evidenced at all AMIT schools.
Throughout this period, network-wide programming was available for students, teachers, principals, and parents. AMIT’s biggest success was the more than 21,000 students who enjoyed a fun and educational Yom Yerushalayim Escape Room-like game.
Yet, nothing works perfectly. To help our weaker students who had difficulty with the online learning, more attention and tutoring are now necessary. AMIT staff have been motivated to begin a new network-wide course in Jewish thought (machshevet Yisroel). The possibility and practicality of this type of course with one teacher and local facilitators often was debated at AMIT, but it took the pandemic to make it happen.
A more major change planned for fall is the Shalem process – a full remake of 21 schools in the Gogya experiential learning method. Gogya started five years ago, and while the cultural and organizational changes were made, the classrooms have not uniformly adopted new curricula and learning methods. Shalem focuses on all aspects of the learning experience. Unique academic units are uploaded and shared on a joint platform so schools can share both content and methodology. The academic fallout from the pandemic made teachers and principals more aware of Gogya’s benefits. At the same time, the need for flexibility, creativity, and adaptability in our ever-changing world motivated them to expedite the processes at their schools.
As I look ahead to the fall, while I see much uncertainty, I also see the desire and a coordinated effort to create meaningful, lasting change for the benefit of our students.
