I Went to Israel to Become a Teacher; I Also Became a Student

I grew up in multiple African countries, attended university in the United States, and have traveled to more than 20 countries. This year, I find myself embarking on my teaching career — in Israel.

Why here?

Because I know it’s a place where even as a teacher, I can be a student.

I came to Israel so I could learn the most about myself in the land of our people. And I know that continuous learning — about ourselves, our Judaism, and Israel’s culture — will be the key to success in the classroom.

My conviction is rooted in a basic question: What is worth learning?

David Perkins, a professor at Harvard’s Graduate School of Education, explores this concept in his book “Future Wise.” In a short article summarizing Perkins’ approach, writer Lory Hough says it’s all about relevance — that Professor Perkins advocates moving from “an understanding of something … to an understanding with something” [emphasis added].

We must connect to who we are as people, in order to make our lessons come alive through exploration in the classroom.

As a teacher, I hope to bring my favorite aspects of Africa to my students.

My favorite part of where I grew up, for example, is the community. In Africa, there is a big emphasis on helping each other, even if the people don’t have much. Everyone you meet is friendly, always smiling, and trying to make the best of every situation.

From my past trips, I know Israel can be a lot like that, too. One major difference, though? Life in Africa can also move a lot slower, without constant pressure to always be doing something or keep moving. That’s not the case in Israel, and I am trying to bring that perspective to my time in the Jewish State.

And during my teaching journey, I also look forward to being a student when it comes to Jewish culture. I can’t wait for my class to teach me all about that.

In addition to continuous learning, another principle I feel strongly about is diversity and representation — and again, I know that the melting pot of modern Israel could provide me with one of the most colorful experiences and chances to grow that I’ll find anywhere in the world.

A teaching team with diverse experiences stands a better chance of relating to and connecting with students from different backgrounds and experiences, compared to a team that is more similar in nature. Children deserve to see themselves reflected in the context that they are learning, and in the adults around them.

That’s another kind of cultural exchange I look forward to — sharing African and American traditions and holidays with my students, while learning more about how the Holy Land approaches times of the year like Rosh Hashanah and Passover. I hope to include a variety of media, books, and songs rooted in multicultural learning to help us have these discussions.

Whenever I hear alarming teaching statistics — on average, teachers work 400 hours of overtime each year, or that teachers earn 23.5 percent less than comparable college graduates — I remember all the idealistic reasons why I chose this path in the first place.

I want to support children’s emotional development.

I want to support their physical safety.

I want to advocate for their needs.

I want them to have a positive and productive experience at school, thriving in the classroom and with friends.

And while I’m at the beginning of my journey, I know I never want to forget that I’m a student first, and teacher second.

I’m proud to be part of the 30 million primary-school teachers heading back to school worldwide — in a country that will help my ideals flourish.

Sage Halpert is teaching in Israel this year as a Masa Israel Teaching Fellow.

The post I Went to Israel to Become a Teacher; I Also Became a Student first appeared on Algemeiner.com.