Merchavim Institute

1. Merchavim Institute Evaluation Research 2006-2012 Key Findings

2. During 2006-2012, 13 evaluation studies have been completed, or are still in process, for the following programs: • Let’s Play: • December 2009: Evaluation Research (BeitBerl). • July 2010: Report to UJIA (Tzofnat). • Ongoing: An extensive three-year additional evaluation research (BeitBerl). List of Evaluation Studies(According to Age Groups)

3. During 2006-2012, 13 evaluation studies have been completed, or are still in process, for the following programs: • Let’s Talk: • January 2006: Interim Report – Evaluation of development process and preparations for pilot (Achva). • November 2006: Evaluation Report for 2005-2006 pilot (Achva). • July 2007: Evaluation Report for 2006-2007 school year (Achva). • May 2008: PhD evaluating 2006-2007 school year (DvoraDubiner, Carnegy-Mellon University). List of Evaluation Studies(According to Age Groups)

4. During 2006-2012, 13 evaluation studies have been completed, or are still in process, for the following programs: • Between the Streams: • December 2008: Evaluation Report for 2007-2008 pilot (BeitBerl). • November 2010: Evaluation Report for 2009-2010 school year (BeitBerl). • 2011: Evaluation Report to UJA Federation of New York. • September 2011: Report about Arab Teacher Integration (Hizun). List of Evaluation Studies(According to Age Groups)

5. During 2006-2012, 13 evaluation studies have been completed, or are still in process, for the following programs: • Shared Citizenship in Arab Middle Schools: • July 2006: Final Evaluation Report (Masar). • Heritage Studies Program: • July 2010: Report to UJIA (Tzofnat). List of Evaluation Studies(According to Age Groups)

6. Research by BeitBerl College, which included 176 kindergarten teachers from all educational streams, examined attitudinal change among teachers towards shared citizenship in the kindergarten and in their personal lives, following their participation in Let’s Play training seminars. The research concluded that: • In general, the teachers’ attitudes towards shared citizenship are positive even before the training begins (3.85 out of 5). • Nonetheless, even accounting for initial positive attitudes, there has been a positive, distinct and stastically strong change in teachers’ attitudes towards shared citizenship (4.04 out of 5). • The attitudinal change is apparent in all educational streams (the same in all groups, both in seminar including just one streams, and in seminars including both streams). Key Findings1. Let’s Play 2009

7. There was a very high level of satisfaction from the training seminar. • From a questionnaire mailed to teachers after the seminar was completed, asking them to describe the personal process they went through during training: “I feel that I went through a personal process that affects the way I behave in kindergarten”; “I went through a personal process which provided me with a different outlook on life”, etc. Key Findings1. Let’s Play 2009 - Continued *p<.05

8. Research conducted by the Tosfant institute for UJIA included 24 kindergarten teachers, observations during training seminar, focus groups, and questionnaires for teachers. The research report concluded that: • Teachers were very satisfied from the training seminar. • Teachers reported that they have applied what they learned from the training in everyday situations. • In some cases, children’s behavior towards others was improved following usage of the Let’s Play pack. • Teachers described a significant process of personal change and connections forged with colleagues from other groups. • Participants emphasized the need for additional materials that can be used in kindergarten. Key Findings2. Let’s Play – Evaluating the program’s effectiveness in the Northern District

9. In 2006-2007, the Achva College conducted research which included 11 Jewish-secular elementary schools, 29 classes, 703 students and 10 teachers. The results indicated that: • There was a significant change in students’ attitudes toward Arab Israelis and Arab society (a central finding of the focus groups) • Students learned about Arab culture and found it fascinating. • Students adopted more positive attitudes toward Arab society, to a large extent due to the presence and relationship with the Arab teacher. • Teachers reported high levels of satisfaction, personal growth, and comfort at school. • Principals viewed the program as important and favored its continuation. • Students and principals reported positive responses from parents. Key Findings5. Let’s Talk – 2006-2007 Study

10. Doctoral research conducted by DvoraDubinerexamined 4 fourth-grade classes – 2 which studied Let’s Talk and a control group of 2 which hadn’t. The Study concluded that: • There was a significant change in perceiving the importance of studying Arabic among students who participated in Let’s Talk in comparison to the control group (Dubiner, 2008). Key Findings7. Let’s Talk – Dubiner PhD , 2006-2007

11. Let’s Talk students rated the importance of studying Arabic higher than the control group. • Let’s Talk students expressed more positive attitudes towards Arabic, Arab culture and the other, in comparison to the control group, in both points when attitudes were measured. • The differences between groups widened as the school year progressed. • There was a more significant positive change in the attitudes towards the Arab population among Let’s Talk students than among the control group. Key Findings7. Let’s Talk – Dubiner PhD , 2006-2007 - Continued

12. Differences between the attitudes of the research group and the control group

13. Differences between groups at different stages

14. Research conducted by the Beit Berl College evaluation unit in the 2007-2008, examined the integration in two Jewish schools of an Arab science teacher and an Arab English teacher. The research involved 73 students, professional supervisors and principals. Results indicated that: • Both teachers established excellent relationships and were highly valued by principals, other teachers, students and parents. • Specifically, students expressed a high level of satisfaction and affection towards their teachers, and spoke of an improvement in their attitudes towards Arabs and “others” in general. Key Findings8. Between the Streams – 2007-2008 Study

15. The factors that affect a teacher’s success are: • Pedagogic skills and professional knowledge of the subject. • Keeping open communication channels with students, colleagues and parents – an ability to handle the children’s curiosity, their questions, and the encounter with adult and child stereotypes of Arabs; and willingness to share thoughts and emotions. • Multi-cultural attitudes: both teachers respect their own culture as well as Jewish culture and are not afraid to handle difficult questions from both sides. Challenges exist, but they tackle them head on. • Teaching experience – both teachers have a stronger professional identity than young teachers who recently completed college. Key Findings8. Between the Streams – 2007-2008 Study - Continued

16. The factors that affect a teacher’s success: • Life experience and familiarity with Jewish Society – their life circumstances and interaction with Jewish society have shaped their world view. They state that they have personally developed, recognized they must stand their ground and be responsible for their fate according to their own ideas, even if tradition does not approve. • Family Support – both teachers report mixed responses by family members regarding their work in a Jewish school, but indicate that at least one parent provided support, counseling and strength during the various stages. Key Findings8. Between the Streams – 2007-2008 Study - Continued

17. The factors that affect a teacher’s success: • The principal’s attitudes toward integration – both principals thought of integration not as a constraint, but as a genuine opportunity to practice shared life rather than just preach it. • Educational world view and significant academic ambition • Various motive for integration – both teachers report that the economic motive was not the central one, and was accompanied by the belief that change – “however little” – is possible, in order to create a more equal and less stereotyping society . Key Findings8. Between the Streams – 2007-2008 Study - Continued

18. Research conducted by the Beit Berl College evaluation unit during the 2009-2010 school year, examined the affect of integrating Arab teachers in Jewish schools on the daily experience and the perception of the other of Arab and Jewish teachers in schools that were part of the program. The research looked at 17 schools in the Central District where at least one Arab teacher was teacher. The sample included a total of 344 teachers, of whom 314 were Jewish and 30 were Arab. The research’s main findings were: • The attitude towards integration was positive to very positive among both Jewish and Arab teachers. • The personality and professionalism of the Arab teachers had a critical affect on their integration, rather than their national identity. Key Findings9. Between the Streams – 2009-2010 Study

19. The greater the teacher’s skills in her subject field, Hebrew language, and ability to run a class – the better her integration. • The attitude towards integration was positive to very positive among both Jewish and Arab teachers. • The personality and professionalism of the Arab teachers had a critical affect on their integration, rather than their national identity. • The experience of integration is epecially significant for Arab teachers. • The principals’ role in integration is very central and their support is essential. • Teachers were able to form professional and personal spaces of agreement without difference in power. Key Findings9. Between the Streams – 2009-2010 Study - Continued

20. In 2010-11, Merchavim commissioned external research (Hizun Institute) to evaluate the effectiveness and obstacles to integration of Arab teachers in Jewish schools and refine strategies to achieve the initiative’s long-term goals. This research was fully coordinated with Ministry of Education, and was based on information from its research facility as well as interviews with 13 decision makers who worked on the project. Its Key findings: • Ministry of Education has no explicit, centralized policy concerning the integration of Arab teachers in Jewish schools. On the ground, each school district, inspector and school principal shapes policy. • High levels of satisfaction with Arab teacher placements are confirmed by all key stake-holders (teachers and their families / communities, students and their families, principals, Jewish faculty). Key Findings11. Between the Streams – 2010-2011 Study

21. Successful integration of Arab teachers in schools benefits greatly from a quality recruitment, training and support program and a properly organized, well-thought out initiative • Merchavim has still not secured the ‘warm embrace’ that the proven effectiveness and importance of the initiative justify from the Ministry of Education and have still to bring about a material change in the policy of the Ministry of Education to make Arab teacher integration an obvious and normative solution to a national challenge. Key Findings11. Between the Streams – 2010-2011 Study - Continued

22. 2009:232 Arab teachers are teaching in the Jewish system – a steep rise from a flat-rate of around 100 from 2000-2007. In addition to our own direct placements and those of Abraham Fund Initiatives up North, we attribute this significant increase across a number of subjects to the momentum generated by our work. • The Central School district in which Merchavim’s efforts are concentrated has the steepest increase in placements and by 2009 was already the leading district in terms of integrating Arab teachers Key Findings11. Between the Streams – 2010-2011 Study - Continued

23. Key FindingsNumber of Arab teachers in Jewish education

24. The Masar Institute conducted research in 22 Arab middle schools, including 73 classes with 1,365 ninth grade students (50% of project participants). The key findings: • 80% of students indicated very high levels of satisfaction with the program “space of shared citizenship”. Most (62%) would like to see the program expand beyond one weekly hour. • 80% of students indicated significant change in their position (an average of 5.60 out of 7). Only 60% though their classmates’ positions had changed. • 92.5% strongly agreed with the statement: “every person has the right to define his or her self as they see fit and we must respect that). Key Findings12. Shared citizenship in Arab middle schools 2006

25. Female students expressed higher levels of satisfaction and change in the positions than boys. • Principals, students and teacher expressed satisfaction and interest in the program’s continuation. • Principals and teachers reported higher levels of tolerance and behavioral change in classes that participated in comparison to other classes. • The need to expand the hours allocated to the program, and extend it to grades 7-8 as well, was emphasized. Key Findings12. Shared citizenship in Arab middle schools 2006 - Continued