Lior's Story
Lior, from "Amit" group home in Jerusalem, was eleven and a half years old when he began sixth grade and was accepted in our "Rehabilitative Learning" Project. When he first met the project's teacher, Esther Ayal, Lior told her about his dream to become a student at the "Eretz Hazvi" Junior High School. "Eretz Hazvi" is considered one of high achievement school. When Esther tested him, she surprisingly discovered, that Lior was two years behind his age grade regarding his general knowledge. His grade level fit beginning fourth grade level.
During the year, Esther worked with him on arithmetic in order to raise his level of achievement, but mainly she tried to show him he was capable of realizing his dream. She simply taught him to believe in himself and his abilities. At the end of the year, when the time came to apply for Junior High School, Lior dared to apply to "Eretz Hazvi" and he was accepted.
Lior, who finished the "Rehabilitative Learning" Program and was excited about the dramatic change that had occurred in his life, decided to encourage his friends at his residential group home. During last year when he came back from Junior School, he stood near Esther's door and told each one of the children who came to study with Esther: "It's definitely worthwhile to study with Esther"; "It's great you are studying with Esther". Lior finished seventh grade at "Eretz Hazvi" Junior High School remaining at the highest mathematics level group.
Twenty five children from preschoolers up to sixth grade are students at the "Rehabilitative Learning" program, which runs in 39 group homes, 4 of them at Israeli Arab group homes. Seven hundred children enjoy from this program with the assistant of sixty nine teachers. This program's goal is to enable children to close the educational gap in reading, writing and arithmetic, to strengthen the child's self confidence and to enhance his faith in the surrounding systems. While participating in the program the children learn in twinned pairs twice a week. The material is geared to their level and they are expected to achieve according to the requirements of the Ministry of Education. A passing grade is 8 or above.
During the last year 93% of the children passed the reading tests, 91% passed the arithmetic tests.
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