Teacher study in Havrutav

An essential part of the Havrutav program is the teacher's group study program.

The program teachers are content creators, learners, observers, enthusiasts. What they do, for the most part, has little to do with transmitting masses of information to students.

Once a month the program's teachers (music teachers and educators) meet for a study session where the chief knowledge resource are the teachers themselves. The session is facilitated by the Havrutav program coordinator at the school. Occasionally a musician or poet is invited as a guest speaker. The goals of the study sessions are:

To deepen the music teacher's acquaintance with Hebrew poetry and the homeroom teacher's knowledge of the music world
To create conditions for collaborative work
To experience the Havrutav group study method
To experience drama, rhyming and performance in poetry readings and recitals.

The teachers bring materials that they have used in class, share them, and observe. Yet, the important aspect of the meeting is the group study experience. The teachers engage as a group with cultural materials of the highest caliber: Rafi Weichert's translation of Shimburska's poetry, Argov's melodies for Alterman's poetry, Rabbi David Buzaglo's liturgical poetry as well as in-depth study of the Book of Psalms. Other topics include the perception of time in Gustav Mahler's music, Leah Goldberg's poetry, and Agi Mishol's artful weaving of traditional materials from Jewish sources with trenchant political critique.
The broad spectrum of materials does not aim necessarily to "broaden horizons". It is meant, rather, to stimulate thought through a mutual study experience, as well as personal interpretation. The teacher will then attempt to reproduce a similar experience in the classroom with appropriate materials.
The teachers also work together to produce a musical and dramatic performance. The theatrical elements of the performance help develop self-confidence and lead to the presentation of the artistic work (a song or instrumental piece) in an appropriate venue.