Teaching

Introduction to the Israeli Educational System

The Israeli educational system is divided into Jewish, Arabic and Christian sectors. The Jewish sector is further divided into Secular ("Mamlachti"), Religious ("Mamlachti Dati,") and Independent ("Atzmai" - Beit Yaakov and Haredi). There are also schools that are independent where staff and parents determine the educational norms.

High Schools: Almost all Israeli high schools have the status of independent, recognized schools. Rather than being run by Misrad Hachinuch (Ministry of Education), they are run by public bodies such as municipalities, national networks and local committees. Some high schools provide a general academic education while others may be vocationally oriented. Yeshiva High Schools combine general studies with Torah study.

Hours

The number of hours required for a full time position depends on the age group of the students:

Grades 1 to 6: 30 hours per week is considered a full time position.
Grades 7 to 12: 24 hours per week is considered full time.
College

Level: 16 hours per week is considered full time.

Anything beyond this number of hours is considered overtime. It is also possible to work part time. Note that mothers of children under age 14 need to work fewer hours for the same pay: For grade school, after 24 hours add another 10%. For grades 7-12, after 19 hours add another 10%. For example, if a mother works 19 hours in 8th grade, she will get paid as if she worked 21 hours.

Some schools supplement the elementary school hours to be comparable to high school.

Salaries

A teacher's paycheck consists of a base salary plus various additives. The base salary depends on academic degree and experience. Experience abroad is recognized; if you taught in schools prior to making Aliyah, bring documentation (letter from principal or department head) to prove your experience.

If you do army service in Israel each year, your service is counted as additional experience. In addition, certain bonuses are available for teaching and/or living in certain areas, and this should be verified through individual schools.

Additional studies such as outside degree work can give you points towards your salary.

Perhaps it goes without saying that if you work overtime, you receive a higher salary. Note that overtime is determined according to base salary only (not according to bonuses).

Tutoring

To supplement a teacher's salary, many people tutor privately in their homes. English tutors are in demand. A 45 minute English lesson can cost anywhere between 80-150 NIS. Some teachers even tutor at school.

Vacation

Teachers receive between 2 and 2 1/2 months paid vacation in the summer, 3 weeks before and during Pesach, a week during Sukkot, plus additional Jewish holidays including Purim and Independence Day.

Generally speaking, the school year begins on September 1st and ends on June 30th. Note that Yeshivot and Ulpanot start on Rosh Hodesh Elul.

Benefits

The benefits of working for the Ministry of Education include paid sabbaticals and additional training.

Sabbaticals: Teachers are entitled to a sabbatical every 6 or 7 years (your choice). If you take a sabbatical after 6 years you are eligible to receive 66% of the previous year's salary; you receive a higher salary if you take your sabbatical after 7 years. You are expected to be enrolled in a program during the sabbatical year and you are refunded for the cost of tuition. You may retain up to 1/3 of a teaching position throughout your sabbatical year.
Additional Training: Misrad Hachinuch encourages teachers to study. Most teachers are enrolled in some kind of training program. In many cases, Misrad Hachinuch will pay part or all of the tuition for academic study. Decisions regarding funding are made by a special committee, on an individual basis.

Knowledge of Hebrew

English teachers must be able to speak Hebrew at a very high level. Ulpan is strongly recommended. Olim are frequently required to continue their Hebrew studies in training courses organized by Misrad Hachinuch. Courses are organized throughout the country, and studies generally last for 6-9 months.

Required Degrees

Required degrees depend on which grade level you want to teach. In elementary or high school, a minimum of a BA (or BEd) and a Teudat Hora'ah (teacher's certificate) are required. In order to teach on the high school level (grades 10-12) and the Bagrut, it is recommended to get a subject-specific Teudat Hora'ah. While many principals will hire a teacher without one, it is likely that it will eventually be required by the Inspector of Misrad Hachinuch. To teach in an Israeli college, a PhD is a must.

In addition, teachers who are trained outside of Israel are required to undergo further training before entering the Israeli school system.

If you have a teacher's license: Teachers who come to Israel with a teacher's license from the United States, must take a once a week retraining course in order to become familiar with the Israeli school system and culture, and to receive Israeli teacher's certification.
If you do not have a teacher's license: Teachers who do not have a teacher's license are required to take up to 3 semesters of coursework. This generally applies even to individuals who have graduate degrees in Education, though you can try to request that your graduate degree in Education be considered equivalent to a Teudat Hora'ah.

A Misrad Hachinuch official assesses the professional background of each Oleh and determines what type of retraining is necessary.

Certification

The first step towards certification is a meeting with the district supervisor from the Unit for Absorption of Immigrant Teachers. It is necessary to bring the following documentation to the interview:

All degrees and teaching certificates, and photocopies
Transcripts
Proof of Experience in instruction from previous places of employment, including place of work, number of teaching hours per week, dates of commencement and conclusion of employment and position
Teudat Oleh and Teudat Zehut

During the interview, the supervisor reviews documentation, background and experience. The supervisor determines what grades an Oleh is eligible to teach, as well as what further qualifications are necessary in order to receive certification.

Assistance with Job Placement Through Misrad Hachinuch

Olim who are interested in teaching in the school system must meet with the local office for Morim Olim (immigrant teachers). In addition, Olim who have academic degrees and want to retrain as English teachers, should also contact the local office for Morim Olim (immigrant teachers):

Jerusalem: Rochelle Vaknin: Email: rochellv@walla.com, Phone: (02) 560-1637, Fax: (02) 560-1591. Open on Monday 10 am to 3:30 pm, 22 Kanfei Nesharim St., Jerusalem.
Tel Aviv: Rachel Zilberg: Email: zilbergr@gmail.com, Phone: (03) 689-6389, Fax: (03) 689-6754. Open on Monday, 10 am to 4 pm, 2 Hashlosha St., Moskovitz Building, Tel Aviv.
Central Region: Yardena Alon: Phone: (03) 689-6704, Fax: (03) 689-6669. Open on Monday 9 am to 2 pm, 2 Hashlosha St., Moskovitz Building, Tel Aviv
North: Yuli Tomchinsky, yuliatomchinsky@yahoo.com, Phone: (04) 863-2718. Teel Building, 5th Floor, Room 443.
South: Gila Yonin: Phone: (08) 626-3272, Fax: (08) 626-3031, Open Tuesday 8 am to 1 pm and Thursday 8 am to 4 pm, 4 Hatikva St., Beer Sheva.

Teaching English

Native English speakers have an advantage over their Israeli counterparts in this field, and there is currently a demand for English teachers in the North and South of the country.

Even if you taught English in the U.S. or Canada, you will be required to take some additional coursework before you can teach English in Israel. You will learn the skills associated with teaching English as a Foreign Language, and become accredited through Misrad Hachinuch.

For additional information about teaching English, please see the following article:

http://jobsearchinisrael.blogspot.com/2010/05/teaching-profession-in-israel.html

You can also contact Dr. Judy Steiner, the Chief Inspector for English Language Education of Misrad Hachinuch, at the following numbers: 02-5603587, 0506-282-273 or email steiner1@netvision.net.il.

Events

The English Teacher's Association of Israel runs a seminar each summer. For more information, see http://www.etni.org.il/etai/

Informal English Education

Informal English education in Israel refers to organized learning that occurs outside the regular Misrad Hachinuch framework. This could include private tutoring, small groups, or even large classes that take place during after school hours. Some schools do incorporate informal learning within their normal school day. Support either comes from private funding (the families or outside foundations) or from specific school funds. The purpose of the informal structure is to fill specific educational gaps so that students will gain the necessary English skills to 1) succeed in the English Bagrut and 2) successfully communicate in written and verbal English in the future. These are two distinct goals and achieving them requires two distinct teaching strategies.

There are advantages and disadvantages to working outside of the Misrad Hachinuch guidelines. Teachers are able to be more flexible and creative, catering more to individual student needs. New techniques and learning materials may be used more readily without the need for bureaucratic hoop jumping.

However, because these programs rely heavily on individual teachers, the quality of the education also relies on the caliber of the teacher. Because there are no set goals or curricula for most informal education environments, teachers are responsible for the content as well as the delivery and may fall short.

For the teacher, working in informal education may be less stable, provide few, if any, benefits, and put more responsibility on the teacher to create his/her own program and marketing strategies.

Be that as it may, many new immigrants find a career (or supplementary income) in the world of informal English education. Ideologically, there is a need to improve English language education in Israel, and an "informal setting" is often very effective at achieving this goal. Many new immigrants are full of desire to be of service to this country and this is certainly one way to do it.

Financially, this type of work offers new immigrants flexibility so that they may have some income while attending ulpan, looking for full time work, or investing most of their efforts to acclimate their families. It is also ideal for mothers of small children, retired teachers and single mothers.

For more information on informal English instruction in Israel, contact:

A.H.A.V.A., a nonprofit organization working to promote English literacy in Israel at ahava.org@gmail.com or 02-535-6532.
Helen Doron Early English (HDEE) is a learning method used to teach children from ages 3 months -14 years. HDEE teaches in small groups of 4 to 8 children per group. For more information, contact: Marilyn Glazier, Marketing Communications and Public Relations Coordinator, Helen Doron Early English and Mathjogs, Tel: 972 (0)4-9027906, www.helendoron.com

Useful Links

TASP Master's in Education, contact: Dr. Marion Dank at 09-899-5655 or zdank@netvision.net.il
EFL Teacher Professional Development Center (Jordan Valley)
The British Council on teaching in Israel
Berlitz in Israel
JAFI on teaching English in Israel
American International School in Israel
Blog for English teachers in Israel

To find a job as an English teacher, speak to the English inspector at a district office of Misrad Hachinuch, who can direct you to openings in various locations. You can also find out about job openings at the site for the English Teachers' Network, www.etni.org.il.

Incentives for Hiring Olim

When a school wishes to hire an Oleh, the Misrad Hachinuch Unit for Absorption of Immigrant Teachers may be able to provide financial assistance towards teaching hours. The principal must submit a written request for assistance. If the school provides a minimum number of hours, it can receive a limited number of matching hours from the Unit for Absorption of Immigrant Teachers. It is necessary for the teacher to be within their period of eligibility for assistance, and to meet all other criteria.

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