Recently, I attended a prestigious international online Conference, The World Education Summit, which focussed on a variety of important issues faced by 21st Century educational institutions.
While I will report back more fully in a future ‘Curriculum Matters’ article, it was reassuring to note that we are not alone when confronting the challenges of a post-Covid increasingly unpredictable global society and finding ways of positively leading our pupils into a brave new world. One certainty espoused consistently by many of the world’s top educational gurus is that it is incumbent on schools to provide as many opportunities as possible for our teachers and pupils to collaborate on the global stage to share ideas and learn from the experiences of people around the world.
Herzlia is very fortunate to belong to the WorldORT network of schools which provides many international collaborative learning opportunities for both our educators and pupils. ORT is a global education network driven by Jewish values. It is passionate about unleashing the potential of young people so they can lead fulfilling lives and have a positive impact on the world around them.
Since its foundation in 1880, ORT has been transforming lives through training and education. From focusing on teaching 19th-century Russian Jews essential trades and professions, ORT has evolved to provide 21st-century skills to empower people and strengthen communities. The ORT network now reaches more than 200,000 people a year in more than 30 countries. ORT provides a combination of high-level science and technology education with a strengthened Jewish identity; bridging the gap between ability and opportunity – and ensuring the continuity of Jewish life worldwide.
Since becoming a WorldORT member school Herzlia teachers and pupils have benefitted in various ways by participating in a number of exciting international programmes:
- Currently, we have three pupils participating in WorldORT’s Global Youth Forum programme. Regular online meetings are held to encourage collaboration on various citizenship projects.
- Mr Collins, our Grade 9 head, attended an international Entrepreneurship training programme in Mexico City and subsequently, he coordinated the participation of a Grade 10 team in the annual WorldOrt Taub Young Entrepreneurship Programme. Last year our team finished 2nd overall in the Southern Hemisphere. The 30-week curriculum provides pupils with an introduction to the world of technological innovation and entrepreneurship. The curriculum is a blend of theoretical and practical activities, aimed to develop pupils’ knowledge, skills and understanding of topics such as business planning, marketing, prototyping, manufacturing and programming. An emphasis is made on building pupils’ competencies in teamwork, social responsibility and thinking creatively.
- We have collaborated with a number of Eastern European schools on a Yom Hashoah programme which involved our Vocal Ensemble singing the Partisan Song – Zog Nit Keynmol (‘We are Still Here’) – in English and Yiddish. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnaCtuqVBgg&t=27s
- Recently two of our matric pupils were awarded the WorldORT Gina and Joseph Harmatz Award for Social Responsibility for their outstanding Covid project providing a local underprivileged Matric Class with data and in some cases devices to allow the pupils the opportunity to continue their studies online.
- We have had pupil representation at the WorldORT Virtual Summer School programme as well as participating in an online animation programme with pupils from around the world.
- Besides Mr Collins, various other Herzlia educators have had opportunities to collaborate with colleagues internationally on a variety of ORT programmes such as the World Educators’ Forum, the WorldOrt climate change and identity workshop, an ORT Leadership seminar and an ORT Educators Forum on mental health and well-being.
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UHS Curriculum Head