Prof. Valerie Sollars, Prof. Adrian Gellel and Dr Charmaine Bonello, from the Department of Early Childhood & Primary Education have recently visited Oranim Academic College of Education in Tivon, Israel. This visit was possible through the mobility training agreement between the College and the Faculty of Education (UM) and funded by the Erasmus+ programme.
During their visit, the three academic members of staff had meetings with Dr Mule Peleg who is the Head of Oranim鈥檚 International school, Dr Gail Suskin, currently heading the Early Childhood Department which offers the undergraduate programme (B.Ed.) at the Faculty of Education; Dr Rachel Rachid who researches inclusive education with M.Ed. students whilst working with families of children with special needs; and Dr Smadar Dolev and Dr Sigal Ahituv - the former and current head of the M.Ed programme for Early Childhood Education offered at the Faculty of Graduate studies. Dr Dolev and Dr Achituv have both visited Malta (in 2017, 2018 and May 2021) through the teaching mobility agreement. Another meeting was organised with Dr Orit Dror who is the Director of the Israel Institute of Early Childhood Education. During the days at Oranim, there were also opportunities to visit classes and workshops which are part of the programme of studies for students following the preschool education course
Visits to kindergarten settings and a primary school were also conducted. Two of the KG settings were at the Mishmar Haemek Kibbutz whilst a third kindergarten setting was located at Yokneam and is funded by the municipality. A fourth visit was to Izraelya primary school in Haifa with the possibility to see elementary school classrooms for six-to-seven-year-olds as well as the integration model of special education students within the school.
In addition to discussing topics of mutual interest during these meetings, the members of staff from UM had the opportunity to each conduct a presentation about their current research.
