Einat Berger a Dissertation in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements of Anglia Polytechnic University for the Degree of Doctor
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
ANGLIA POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY ABSORPTION PROBLEMS IN A MULTICULTURAL SOCIETY: SELECTED ISSUES OF PROFESSIONAL INTEGRATION OF IMMIGRANT TEACHERS FROM THE FORMER SOVIET UNION INTO THE EDUCATION SYSTEM IN NORTHERN ISRAEL Einat Berger A Dissertation in partial fulfillment of the requirements of Anglia Polytechnic University for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Submitted: January 2001 ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Special thanks to Dr. Doron Mor, my Israeli supervisor and counselor, and a very unique man, whose devotion, support and involvement has helped me a great deal. I also send my deepest gratitude to my English supervisor, Professor Terry Hyland, who, in spite of the geographical distance between us, has always been involved in my research and whose encouraging remarks have made a great contribution. My special thanks to Dr. Haim Gat of the Ministry of Education Main Science Office for his counseling in scientific writing and research tools; to Dr. Eliezer Meiselles, the Ministry of Education inspector and a colleague, for his help in the initial stages of the research design; to Mr. Jacob Landesman, the Ministry of Education inspector and a friend, for his remarks, which contributed to all the stages of my work. I am grateful to Dr.Gill Robinson, Dr. Vernon Trafford and Dr. Gina Wisker, Anglia Polytechnic University Ph.D.’s coordinators, whose help was instrumental to the design of this research and who demonstrated a high standard of scholarship. I want to thank Mr. Dan Shenker and Mr. Avishai Tal of their encouragement I acknowledge all the New Immigrant Teachers who took part in my research. My very special thanks to my family: my husband, Yigal, my children, Guy and Inbar, who have always found the way to support and encourage me. iii MOTO I set out on a new way with a satchel on my back and in the satchel the forty years of my life. Childhood, youth, high school, university and marriage. Two lovely daughters, beloved pupils Chernobil’s dark days, and my late father’s death. A heavy rock lay upon my heart. What will happen? How does one begin? How do we survive? and where do we draw strength from? The first home in the homeland was a kibbutz. Even today, the kibbutz is for me, much more beautiful than a dream. And the people I knew there remained good friends. I learned how to be a teacher in Israel. The first encounter with teaching was at the “ Ohalo” college. An enchanted place on the banks of the Kineret. Not only education did we learn we learned to love this country. First steps at the school. Difficult! Very difficult! But two things are there which won’t let you fall I have to survive I am responsible for my children and no less important is my love of my vocation a profession, which is the most important which gratifies and satisfies and won’t let you grow old and here I am today a full – time teacher happy with my lot, my family and with the new home I made here in Israel and on my back a satchel with my forty eight years in it. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgements.......................................................................................................II Moto..............................................................................................................................III List of Tables................................................................................................................VI List of Diagrams........................................................................................................VIII List of Appendices........................................................................................................ X Abstract.........................................................................................................................XI Chapter 1: Introduction................................................................................................ 1 Chapter 2: Conceptual Framework and Literature Review .................................... 5 1 Preface.......................................................................................................................... 5 2.Being a New Immigrant (Coping With Immigration Crisis) ................................. 6 2.1 Immigration as a Phenomenon of Crisis............................................................ 6 2.2 Main Concepts in the Immigrant’s Adaptation Process ................................... 9 2.3 Local Immigration Characteristics..................................................................... 19 2.4 Characteristics of the Russian Immigrant Pupil’s Absorption in Israeli Schools..................................................................................................... 31 2.5 The Absorption of Highly Skilled Immigrants ................................................ 44 2.6 Conclusion............................................................................................................ 52 3 Being a Beginner Teacher........................................................................................ 53 3.1 Embarking upon the teaching profession......................................................... 53 3.2 The teachers’ difficulties..................................................................................... 55 3.3 The Necessity of Mentoring New Teachers..................................................... 57 3.4 Models of Mentoring in Absorption in the Professional Literature .................................................................................................................58 3.5 Conclusion............................................................................................................ 65 4 Being a New Immigrant Teacher............................................................................ 67 4.1 A phenomenon named “New Immigrant Teachers”...................................... 67 4.2 The Policy and the Procedures ......................................................................... 69 4.3 Training and Qualification.................................................................................. 71 4.4 Stages of entering the work market................................................................... 74 4.5 Similarities and differences between Immigrant Teachers and Novice Teachers.............................................................................. 77 4.6 The principal as a key factor in the immigrant teachers’ absorption ............................................................................................... 81 5 Conclusions............................................................................................................... 84 Chapter 3 – Methodology.......................................................................................... 85 1 The framework of Study.......................................................................................... 85 2 Choosing the Method............................................................................................... 85 3 The Research Model................................................................................................. 87 4 Research Questions .................................................................................................. 88 5 Research Tools.......................................................................................................... 89 6 Validity and Reliability.............................................................................................. 95 v 7 Population.................................................................................................................. 96 8.Ethical Considerations ...........................................................................................102 9.The Practical and Public Contribution of the Study...........................................102 Chapter 4 – Findings................................................................................................103 Findings 1 - Questionnaire Findings........................................................................103 Findings 2 - Three Stories of Immigrant Teachers................................................146 Findings 3 - Focus Group.........................................................................................163 Findings 4 - Web Forums.........................................................................................171 Findings 5 – Headmasters.........................................................................................197 Findings 6 – Findings beyond the Research Questions ........................................203 Chapter 5 – Discussion............................................................................................217 Discussion concerning the Findings of the First Research Question..................217 Discussion concerning the Findings of the Second Research Question.............223 Discussion concerning the Findings of the Third Research Question................232 Discussion concerning the Findings of the Fourth Research Question..............235 Discussion concerning the Findings beyond the Research Questions................242 Chapter 6 - Conclusions ..........................................................................................247 Personal experience................................................................................................258 References.................................................................................................................261 Appendices .................................................................................................................273