After a wonderful night of sleep, we hit the ground running.  This morning, we spent at Kadoorie learning about the school and meeting up with our teaching partners. On our way we saw many blooming almond trees, which is a nice change from the snow and cold we left behind.

This school is very unique to Israel. Students learn immersed with all the cultures of Israel, and they build their identity based on this unique philosophy. Typically in Israel, schools are separated by religion. The man who started the school, Kadoorie, believed in equality for all.  Students learn about all religions and cultures represented at the school, and the staff is also multicultural.

The school is also unique because it works off of a model similar to the USA, in regard to students with autism. At Kadoorie, they have a school where lower functioning autistic students can also learn and flourish. They are also a part of the regular classes, learning with, and receiving support from, their peers. Recently, legislature in Israel has changed to move all schools in the direction of immersing students with special needs into the regular population.

Kadoorie is an agricultural school which starts in 7th grade, and for most, ends in 12th. Students can also defer the army for two years and attend the 13th and 14th grade, if they are studying engineering. Currently, there are close to 1600 students learning here. Of those, about 300 live at the school. The campus is beautiful and visiting students often comment on the fact it does not look like a school.

Next, I will participate in a lesson with my teaching partner, Lee. She is having students put together a puzzle of the USA, and then we will talk about Wisconsin. Students have many questions, and Lee even has kids who aren’t in her class joining today to learn with us. More to come tonight…