The Erasmus+ Promentors project has just concluded four insightful and important days in Israel with the Israeli and European partners. The visit gave the European partners the opportunity to visit in the field and learn in depth about the implementation of the Promentors project to better understand the Israeli context of mentoring.
November 14th and 15th , 2022 were two days when the European partners divided into smaller groups and were hosted by the colleges of the project. They were exposed and participated in varied activities that gave them an excellent overview of mentoring in Israel, as well as the educational principles and realities of the Israeli school system. They visited various schools and met students, new teachers and mentors, visited two experimental kindergartens, participated in MITs (Multiplayer Induction Teams) roundtable discussions, met with municipal and ministry officials, learned in depth of research implemented on various aspects of mentoring in the college and country, learned and discussed future mutual cooperation in the use of the mentoring models in pre- service training, visited an environmental center, visited unique centers of education on several college campuses and discussed their relevance to the project. The visits allowed our European partners to learn through experiences by being in the field of the innovation and implementation of initiatives that our Israeli partner colleges and their kindergartens and schools have been able to develop. In addition, our European partners shared their perspectives and insights of what they had learned from the visits, as well as giving in-depth analysis of how their mentoring models can be further enhanced within the Israeli setting.
On November 16, 2022, the Promentors partners had a Promentors project meeting at Mofet Institute. The morning began with each of our European partners reporting on their visits in the field. The second part of the meeting focused on managerial issues and directives, as well of a summation of the morning. The partners were then off to a tour of the Sarona neighborhood in Tel Aviv, which is full of history, both of the Templars who lived there, as well as being part of the struggle for independence of Israel before and in 1948. Next, we had a wonderful dinner which was not only delicious but gave an opportunity for informal conversations and enhancing our friendships.
On November 17th, 2022 at Mofet Institute, Promentors hosted a dissemination event open to educators from around Israel. The day began with Professor Chen Shechter, the head of the Mofet Institute welcoming the participants and opening the meeting. Dr. Gali Nahari, Supervisor (knowledge management and new employees), Senior Department of Training and Induction Department of Teachers of the Ministry of Education presented “The Israeli Policy for Mentoring in light of Absorption of Beginning Teachers’ in Schools”. Dr. Reuma De Groot then presented the achievements and future prospects of the Promentors project. After a short break, the meetings’ participants joined parallel workshops, which included: Training Induction Mentors Through Long Term Academic Programs Versus Short Term Academic Programs lead by the University of Bucharest team; The University of Exeter Model of Mentoring and Mentor Training led by the University of Exeter team; The Community Mentoring Model – Its Application for Polish Teacher Training Programmes and Teachers’ Continuous Professional Development led by The University of Lublin team; and finally Mentoring as Reflected in Music (Workshop in Hebrew) led by Dr. Michal Yanko.
After a great lunch, everyone joined roundtable discussions that included: Different Models of Mentoring: Mentors’ Role and the Relationship with New Teachers, How to Facilitate Groups’ Mentoring; How Mentors’ Training within Promentors is Different from Mentors’ Training in Academia; The Role of the Moderators in the Mentors Training Courses of Promentors; and The Impact of Promentors on Mentors’ Perceptions- Surveys Results.
The meeting and four day visit concluded with a summary of what was experienced and learned and can be incorporated in mentor training, induction and education both in Israel and beyond. Four fruitful days of friendship, sharing,and learning from each other.
