Irit Fichman and Michal Egger

The Teacher Exchange program between the Arava and Australia has been picking up momentum ever since it began four years ago. The idea originally came from our Australian partners, and during the project's first two years teachers from Bialik College in Melbourne visited the Arava, teaching music, Hebrew and special education at the Shittim School. During the third year the principal and vice-principal of the Shittim Elementary School spent three weeks at Bialik College, both teaching and learning from their Australian colleagues.

This year we were pleased to host two teachers in the Arava, and to expand the program to include participation of a teacher from Sydney. First to arrive was elementary school teacher Irit Fichman from Bialik College, who spent three weeks working together with the staff of Shittim Elementary School, participating in lessons and teaching 4th - 6th graders as well as high school students. Irit also attended an important meeting of the Art, Community and Education (ACE) subcommittee together with Melbourne activist Tamara Bruce, and joined members of the Key Workers Mission and Israeli friends for their festive dinner. Irit connected well with her Israeli colleagues, and was "adopted" by Michal Egger, who led last year's student delegation to Australia.

Irit intends to follow up on her experiences in the Arava by promoting joint projects, particularly in the fields of the environment and the arts, and to participate in ACE subcommittee meetings in Melbourne.

Shittim School was delighted to host its first ever guest teacher from Sydney, Barry Zworestine from the Masada School. Barry has worked in quite a few fields, including special education and teaching English as a foreign language, and is currently Head of Psychology at Masada. He worked closely with the high school's English team during his time in the Arava, and also tutored students requiring extra help. Barry has opened up a Masada-Arava Facebook group, which already has 80 members, and will help to keep the students in constant contact (type in the words Masada Arava to join the Facebook group).

In his own words:

"Having lived in Israel for 4 years and having always had a great connection with the desert, to be offered the opportunity to spend time in the Arava has been an unforgettable experience. I will return with memories of Shittim School and my experiences of meeting and getting to know the students, the wonderful teachers I have worked with, some of the farmers, my time on Ein Yahav, walks through the desert and those delicious red peppers, dates and tomatoes. I feel as if I have been here forever (in a good way) and will go back with a smorgasbord of memories to feed on until I return."

 
Barry with reciprocal relations coordinator Nili Lipsky Melamed

 
With students at Shittim School in the Arava