Education
Meets
lees The 20th Century
LESLEY PEARL S AFF WR TER
he words on the screen
backwards, lacking
vowels, and
d the boy on
`
the monitor speaks quick-
!M
'
y, oozing with foreign dialect.
Ruth, Phyllis and Maggie fol-
ow along, their American ac-
nts occasionally tripping over
word or two.
Nira Lev hits the stop button
d rewinds the lesson.
The days of tattered Sid-
prim and rote memorization
,._l linger in the minds of many
'afternoon Hebrew school grad-
res.
But in the classroom of Is-
aeli native Ms. Lev, students
varying in age and skill lev-
el — sit casually around tables
nstead of lined up in desks. The
dated books with cartoonish
drawings are replaced with au-
1..io and video tapes, computers
,id games. The glazed eyes of
ourth-graders dreaming of soc-
cer practice and equestrian
lessons are exchanged for a
',Troup hungering for fluency in
e foreign tongue of Jewish an-
I cestry.
lh Technology and accessibility
ave entered the classroom.
On Tuesday morning, a
small group meets for two
dours at the Hebrew Interac-
F
derstood it and enjoyed it. Mag-
gie Thirman tried her new lan-
guage skills during last year's
Miracle Mission. She said ser-
vices and prayers are much
more meaningful now that she
knows and comprehends what
she is uttering.
These kinds of comments
thrill Ms. Lev.
But the students are anxious
for a break. Ms. Lev has
promised to fill them in on the
wedding she recently attended
— all in Hebrew, of course.
Conversations flow easily,
but not just on Tuesdays. Sun-
day morning, as part of the
Community Jewish High
School, Ms. Lev teaches about
40 advanced Hebrew day-school
students, Hillel graduates and
other teens proficient in the lan-
guage. Attendance, she said is
excellent.
Students, teachers and the
general community are privy to
a collection of sources for inde-
pendent and classroom study
collected over the past 20 years.
Hundreds of audio cassettes fill
the cabinets, along with ready-
made lesson plans from the
Center for Education Technol-
ogy in Israel.
Ms. Lev has received re-
itors to operate as a pilot school.
Jewish Federation assisted
the AJE with a three-year Max
M. Fisher Foundation Grant,
enabling it to be the only loca-
tion using the technology for
Hebrew. The AJE soon will ap-
ply for a renewal.
Area day schools are consid-
ering the unit for their own in-
stitutions. Ms. Lev would
oversee teacher training.
"`I think one of the most im-
portant things we (Federation)
can do is to seek out and re-
spond to innovative ways to
improve the educational expe-
rience," said Irwin Alterman,
former chairman of Federa-
tion's Education Division. "We
saw that this could be used as
an exciting way to continue He-
brew education for some stu-
dents."
Israeli television programs,
various real-life situations and
literature are put to work edu-
cationally. Two curriculums
were created — one for use with
a teacher, one for independent
learning.
Students listen to dialogue,
at normal Israeli pace with sur-
rounding noise, and may choose
to read along. A computer
mouse highlights words for
"There's not a lot of
options for Hebrew
curriculum without
going to Israel."
— Nira Lev
translation. Comprehension
questions are included.
"Prior to this I was preparing
curricula, worksheets. It was so
tough. But with the interactive
video I have exercises, gram-
mar, analysis — a whole lesson
plan built by a master profes-
sor," Ms. Lev said.
With all the choices available
to busy teens and adults, learn-
ing experiences must be current
and relevant, Ms. Lev said. She
feels confident this program ful-
fills that requirement.
"Today there is an under-
standing that to motivate, es-
pecially youths, you have to go
with the times. I was using
quality educational videos cre-
ated 10 or 15 years ago. They
were black and white. The kids
laughed. I can't use them," Ms.
Lev said. "I need the students
to identify; I want them to
learn, so we have to make it
interesting.
"We're using Israel, its
people, its language as yet
another way of identifying with
Judaism."
Ms. Lowenstein added, "Hav-
ing the same teacher week after
week, or year after year, you get
used to one accent, one way of
speaking. This program forces
us to get accustomed to many
dialects, pronounciations and
paces." ❑
Catholic School Receives
Recognition As Israel Delegation
JENNIFER FINER STAFF WRITER
local all-girls Catholic
school that represented
Israel in a model U.N.
competition left Wash-
ington with one of five
outstanding delegation recog-
nitions, several individual
awards and a taste of anti-
Semitism.
During the competition,
which simulates -activities of
the United Nations, smie of the
13 Marian High SchOol par-
ticipants received notes with
swastikas and bomb threats.
The threats stopped once
they had been denounced by
Georgetown University, which
organized the event.
"I was disappointed and of-
fended by what happened, but
I was impressed by the way
Georgetown handled it," said
Corey Stoughton, president of
Marian's Model U.N. Club. "It
opened my eyes to experiences
of anti-Semitism and, although
I'm not Jewish, it was offensive
to me.
"Through my participation,
I learned a lot about Israel's
history and outlook on foreign
policy. It was a unique chal-
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Color, text and sound are Incorporated Into the Hebrew Interactive Video.
quests for materials from as far
've Learning Center at the
away as Texas.
Agency
for Jewish Education
1
:
"There's not a lot of options
uilding in Southfield. It is a
for Hebrew curriculum without
*drasha, adult learning, class.
going to Israel," Ms. Lev said.
Ruth Cash of West Bloom-
The real buzz among stu-
ield has been studying with
dents is the technology avail-
. Lev for nearly 20 years. She
able to them alone.
has visited Israel more than
With a grant from the IBM
half a dozen times and still gets
Corporation, University of
a kick out of understanding the
Michigan Hebrew Professor
stree€ signs, newspapers and
Edna Amir Coffin created a lan-
_iiversations.
guage-interactive video pro-
' Classmate Phyllis Loewen-
gram. IBM equipped the AJE
stein reminisces about her last
classroom with laser disc play-
trip to Israel. She attended a
ers, computers and video mon-
play performed in Hebrew, un-
Marian High School participants.
lenge to approach every issue
from Israel's perspective."
Outstanding delegation
awards were presented based
on their preparation and
knowledge of their country's
policy, speaking ability and
ability to persuade others to go
along with their initiative.
In addition to the competi-
lion, the club had the opportu-
nity to visit the Israeli embassy
in Washington.
"Going to the embassy was
very helpful," said Kathryn Re-
mus, who won an individual
speaking award. "They were
really nice to us and it was a
very relaxed setting." ❑