“It is not a trivial matter that as many people came with their families, thrilled to see each other and eat dinner together, considering not just the reported hatred and violence between Arabs and Jews that swept the country during that time, but also considering that this gathering took place at our school in Be’er Sheva while it was under rocket threats, probably more than any other Israeli city, and many people were afraid to leave their homes, especially with their children. We held an open mic night where parents could share what they were going through. People came to hear each other. This kind of dialogue is not always as easy and pretty as it sounds but it is undoubtedly better and preferable than what you see on Facebook.”
Uri said the Hagar Association is built on three major pillars: language, the unique pedagogue and community.
“Language is not just a communication tool but it also expresses the deeper layers of each other’s identity. The most effective way to reduce tensions between Arabs and Jews is the language. Once we attempt to understand each other’s’ language we are immediately drawn to learn from each other while also stating respect towards each other’s language and identity. Moreover, we are immediately exposed to greater sources of information from which we can decide our own perspectives about what is going on. Language is a fundamental element in our schools.”
He said they also offer a very different pedagogue than other schools, one that is built on active involvement of children and their families. The teachers do not give out grades to their students like in a standard public school, but choose the appropriate means of evaluation from a variety of eight different evaluation
measures developed by the school.
Also, instead of typical homework, the students mostly receive weekly tasks on themes that touch across different topics they learn in school and are always given the opportunity to learn from Palestinian as well as from Jewish sources. Parents are also encouraged to participate in the assignments as well.
The third pillar of their work is the community. The association has a holistic view of what they are trying to accomplish. Uri acknowledged that without active participation they are very limited in being able to achieve their goals.
“Hagar stands out, even amongst the few other bilingual schools that exist, in that the connection between the school and the community is like no other. It came from the parents, it was grassroots and it is inspiring to see how the parents serve as role models for what we are trying to do.”
There are many examples of parents that on a regular basis form sub-groups of friends within the greater community.
DAVIDS STAR MAGAZINE
Hagar Association
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