The school year that opens the next day will include many hours of online learning - from home • We met families who will try to pass the challenge, and turn their homes into schools
"Get along well with what is there." The Hammi family
Photo:
Oren Ben Hakon
"We specially renovated the rooms." The Conricus family
"We made a neat table for each day." The Meckler family
Photo:
Dudu Greenspan
The Hammi family, Ma'ale Adumim
Staying to study from home: Eyal, 14.5, Tair, 12, and Hillel, 10, while Nadav, 4.5, will go to kindergarten every morning. "The Corona has taken us seriously, and we have experience in zooming and distance learning," says mother Hila.
"I believe we will need another computer, but right now it's beyond our budget, so we'll wait a bit to see how distance learning progresses. The kids get along very well with what's there and there are no quarrels at home, everyone has their own room and ability to learn and concentrate.
"I very much hope that the teachers will deliver the lessons in an interesting and orderly way. The method of distance learning creates sophistication and they have tricks to avoid it."
She says the children will be left alone to study because she and her husband work: "The children are kicking ass, but unfortunately we as parents have no control over what happens - and they will only study for two days at school. I anticipate multiple difficulties, among other things - not zooming in and staying asleep."
Hillel, 10, says: "I would have preferred to study at the school next to the teachers, and I really hope that we will return there to study as usual."
Education Minister Galant on the start of the school year in the shadow of the Corona // Photo: Ministry of Education
Eyal the older brother says: "I like to study at the table in my room, it is very convenient. Sometimes I study in the living room but there is noise, TV, little brothers and a distracting cell phone - in the classroom it is much easier to concentrate."
Distance learning did not require special organization: "I have everything I need, the computer and equipment on the table are ready. On the first day of school I will get up before class, get organized and zoom in. You have to get organized in small, not like school - you can also study in pajamas ".
The Konricus family, Kfar Saba
Remaining to study from home alternately: Ayala (14), Yoav (12 and a half), Eitan (10 and a half) Viennese, who goes up to second grade and goes to school every day. "This is going to be a celebration," says Mother Revital, "we renovated the children's three rooms so that each child had a computer and a pleasant and quiet learning environment. We painted the rooms, hung flower pots and pictures, and even bought new chairs for the rooms because they complained they had so much trouble sitting. A lot of time on the existing chairs. "
She adds that she will give her computer to one of the children and says that the renovation alone cost about NIS 6,000. She said, "The big expenses will come when the kids are home: lighting, air conditioning, food and even private tutors to empower the kids in math."
Miner daughter Ayala says: "Obviously when we are all home we are more, there is nothing to do, but while studying I have a lot of work and tasks, so I close the door and study a whole day without interruptions. I saw in the store a very beautiful chair I liked, which cost 700 shekels. "About him, but my mother convinced me to take him so that I could study comfortably and concentrate - so I'm really happy." Yoav says: "I don't have a TV in the room, so I will concentrate mainly on my studies." And Eitan concludes: "I'm kicking out of my room, they made it really nice."
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Revital, will you allow them to study in the living room?
"I am a spiritual teacher, I have a clinic and I work from home. I treat both in Israel and in Europe through the zoom. I am starting a course called 'Money is a spiritual matter', so in order to maintain a routine that I can continue to treat, they will have to keep quiet in the rooms. And not to interfere with work at the clinic. "
The Meckler family, Merhav Am, Ramat Negev Regional Council
Remaining to study from home on and off: Amichai (6th grade), Yedidya (7th grade), Ruthi (8th grade), Tikva (10th grade), Hoodia (11th grade).
The Meckler family has 11 children, so in addition to those left to study at home, Elyashiv (first grade), Matanya (third grade), Binyamin (fourth grade), Moriah (pre-compulsory) and Haim-Shlomo and Yehuda will study in educational institutions and dormitories.
Avraham-Zvi Meckler, the father, is a high school principal in Mitzpe Ramon, and his wife, Rachel, is a communication clinician. They live in the community of Merhav Am in the Ramat Hanegev Regional Council. "Educating 11 children, from kindergarten to high school, and especially in the days of the Corona, is a multidisciplinary challenge. We have two desktops and one portable. We manage a computer use order and it is no small project." Did Rachel introduce a zoom learning method: "I have a notebook, with a neat table of what each one does, who has classes, who should attend zoom classes and what the daily chores are."
Amichai, a sixth-grader, admits that sometimes the environment can be too noisy: "When there is noise and it bothers me to hear or concentrate, I just put on headphones and it helps me learn to zoom, or I ask my siblings to be quieter because I'm learning. I'm not I think I will have a problem concentrating, because I can also study at the MMAD - where, when the door is closed, there are no interruptions. "
His sister Hoodia also does not think that learning from home will hurt her chances of success: "This is a year of matriculation and that is what is more stressful for me. I can learn from home without a problem, I just choose a room that is not near the living room and manage. I even help my little brothers while studying. If they come to me with an English question. " However, she notes: "Learning like this alone without a teacher is very difficult."