There are 72 boys supported by 8 Teachers and 1 Administrator. They start at age 5, having already been introduced to the Hebrew language at Bet Rachel kindergarten, and finish at age 14.
The boy students are spread over 7 classes which run from Sunday to Friday 12.00 to 13.30 during their lunch break from the Yeshiva (religious Institution). Click here to see their curriculum.
Administrator is Rabbi Yinun Bittan
Beit Meir girl’s school currently numbers 65 students supported by 11 Teachers and 1 Administrator. They start school at 5 years of age, having already been introduced to the Hebrew language at Bet Rachel kindergarten, and finish at age 16. There are additional special classes for those who wish to study further after this age. Girls classes 9 and 10 focus exclusively on the Teoda Yerushalmit curriculum which culminates in a formal exam, set, marked and awarded by the Hebrew University in Israel. This is recognised throughout the diaspora as the means to access higher education in Israel.
The girl students are spread over 11 classes. Morning classes run from Sunday to Thursday 08.00–12.00. Afternoon classes run from Sunday to Thursday 15.00 to 17.00. On Shabbat the school is open to the girls for prayers and games.
All lessons, wherever possible, are taught in Ivrit. Administrator is Emanuella Haddad
Historically girls were only taught in the morning, as preferred by their families, so they were available for household help in the afternoons. However now the new generation is eager for more education as they have more time on their hands. Afternoon classes have now started but are not at full strength and do not cater for all of the students due to lack of funds. Consequently only two classes are available, known as ‘Primary’ and ‘Secondary,’ and the students are grouped and allocated to either class according to age.
This system is not ideal as the age difference between some of the students in either class can be substantial and it is particularly disliked by the older girls. Because of this many refuse to join the afternoon sessions.
To create 4 extra classes it would cost approximately £10,000 per annum.
TvH’s teachers possess an excellent knowledge of the subjects they teach and are selected from the pool of high achievers following recent graduation. In past years David and Tsvia Kidouchim would undertake the ongoing teacher training personally and funding was also available for them to attend teacher training seminars in Israel which kept them up to date with new training methods whilst giving them more confidence in their ability. Teachers have always been held in high esteem within the community.
In 2016 WZO were so impressed with TvH’s student’s Teoda results that they suggested the school enrolled teachers on their 2017 Annual Teaching Seminars, 3 teachers for the Paris seminar and 3 for the Israeli seminar. Financially TvH could not accommodate this but with WZO’s help TvH were able to send 3 teachers to Israel.
Whilst in Israel Myriam Kidouchim-Shire (Curriculum Development & Course Co-ordinator for TvH) arranged for the teachers to visit schools in Jerusalem, chat with teachers and sit in on classes to experience Israeli teaching methods. The teachers were enthused upon their return and passed their new found knowledge on to the other teachers.
Myriam is currently in discussion with the Jewish Agency regarding future educational subjects for the students and designing special courses for the teachers once funding becomes available.
Teacher training is an essential part of the teacher’s professional development and in turn benefits the students and the whole community.