Seeds of Peace:
An A.H.A.V.A. program
in a Bedouin Town
Despite today's disturbing economic circumstances, A.H.A.V.A.'s influence on English
education throughout Israel
has continued to flourish under the attention of numerous generous benefactors.
Recently, in order to conduct a unique teacher seminar for both Jews and Arabs
in town of Rahat,
A.H.A.V.A. received a grant
from the U.S. Embassy.
Rahat, a Bedouin town, which suffers from low income and
damaging infrastructural issues, has long exhibited a critical need for
educational intervention.
Now, with
the U.S.
embassy grant, A.H.A.V.A. was able to provide four Jewish and six Bedouin Arab
teachers with the singular opportunity to participate in one of our three day
education seminars.
Under A.H.A.V.A.'s
guidance, these teachers received an unparalleled education in the skill of
molding young minds into capable English speakers. A.H.A.V.A.'s successful methods, which have benefited other such
communities in the past, have also proven effective in this endeavor.
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Ask Gaila
Dear Gaila,
My nephew is in fifth grade and he's not even reading in
English yet. My brother decided not to send the children to English classes
because he said they'll learn in school, but his son can't even read simple
readers! Isn't it too late now?
Signed,
Anxious Aunt in Jerusalem,
Dear Anxious,
I would check to see how your nephew is faring in his Hebrew
reading as well. Often, I see that kids who aren't getting the English reading,
aren't grasping it in Hebrew either. If that's the case, he might very well have
an undiagnosed learning disability, a common problem in our Israeli schools.
Many
times, these kids get pushed through the system and it isn't until high school
comes that the problem is recognized. By that time, it's very hard to undue the
damage to the self confidence and other learning skills that have been done.
So
if you see this difficulty, I would, calmly and quietly, recommend that you
suggest that your brother seek outside intervention to identify the problem.
If there's no lurking learning disability, then you can
suggest that he attend an A.H.A.V.A.
class if he's interested. There's no such thing as too late, and a child can
benefit from a supplemental English learning environment whenever it's offered. |
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Chanuka Greetings!!
 Dear Friend,
This year, we have 150 students from 5 different communities participating in our various programs.
With the current headlines full of strife and economic uncertainty, A.H.A.V.A.
has been working hard on bringing harmony and success to our Israeli
future by planting one seed at a time. In this newsletter you will
witness our different types of growth as we plant seeds of peace, of
flowers and of true education.
If you are looking for a Chanuka gift, perhaps you want to plant some seeds of giving as well. Check out our unique coupon below.
Thank you for helping all of our gardens grow and may you all have a very happy Chanuka,
Gaila Cohen Morrison
Executive Director A.H.A.V.A.
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Flower Seeds - Rachel's Garden
 Not only has A.H.A.V.A.'s
English speaking school in Mitzpeh Yericho blossomed in the way of providing a
first-rate English education to children from low-income families, but now even
its desert surroundings have begun to bloom. Rachel Star, a twelve-year old
girl from Chicago,
decided to forgo personally receiving Bat Mitzvah gifts, in favor of donations
to raise money for a garden for A.H.A.V.A. students. Her incredible generosity
has provided A.H.A.V.A. with
the opportunity to create a green environment for students to sit, learn, and
play in.
It is in this green environment that A.H.A.V.A. plans to teach students how to interact with the
nature; we will teach composting, grow different species of plants, and watch as
the garden thrives. Over the next years, A.H.A.V.A. will
incorporate environmentally friendly activities into the English curriculum in
school, providing an agricultural education to students, in English.
It is thanks to the selflessness of one young girl that A.H.A.V.A. will be able to take groundbreaking steps in the field
of English education in Israeli society.
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Seeds of Education: A Meeting with Mel Levine
Few Israeli students can claim that they had the opportunity
to attend a short lecture with a former Associate Professor of Pediatrics
at the Harvard Medical School,
who also is a significant research pioneer in the field of children's learning
disabilities.
Imagine our excitement at A.H.A.V.A.
when Dr. Mel Levine, the co-founder of All Kinds of Minds and winner of the C.
Anderson Aldrich Award for outstanding contribution to the field of child
development, decided to make an impromptu visit to speak to our English
speaking children in Mitzpeh Yericho! The success of his visit can best be
illustrated by the subsequent e-mail correspondence between Dr. Levine and one
of the students who attended his lecture.
"Hello Doctor Levine,
I enjoyed very much the short talk we had this week... I have
a question to ask you.
Sometimes people find me to be very space-ee... I start
daydreaming in class and I do not see what is in front of me, but I see what I
am thinking...or imagining about. The same thing with what I am hearing, just the
thoughts in my mind - not the teachers voice. I would appreciate if you can give
me suggestion to fix this situation.
Thank you very much,
-Moshe
In his response, Dr. Levine reassured Moshe "that many
very rich and creative minds have very deep personal thinking that makes them
seem SPACEY, but it often leads to entrepreneurialism and innovative thinking
when one grows up." In the interim, Dr. Levine provided the student with
practical techniques to solve his attention problem. "For now," he suggested,
"try doing things with your hands while listening. Fidget with something or
take primitive notes (key words), whisper key points under your breath, and
yourself to tune back in when you're tuning out too much."
The insightful methods of Dr. Levine, as well
as his personal relationship with A.H.A.V.A.,
have provided our organization with innovative techniques that will help us
enhance the way we teach our students. His individual recognition and
encouragement will only enhance the ever-expanding A.H.A.V.A. programs. |
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THANK YOU!
Without all of your ongoing support these programs would not be possible!
If anytime this year you find yourself in Israel,
please feel welcome to visit our students and see our beautiful garden. Our students will give you their best welcome!
With heartfelt thanks and best wishes for a happy and bright Chanukah,
Gaila Cohen Morrison
Executive Director
A.H.A.V.A.
To help us continue and to donate click
hereemail: ahava.org@gmail.comtelephone: 972 2 535 6532
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