Intercultural mediation has developed significantly in recent decades in various public systems, including the education system. In Israel, hundreds of mediators from various social groups serve to bridge between the parents and community on the one hand, and the school on another. This role involves a personal and professional challenge given the…

Our article explores the challenges that faced Jewish and Arab kindergarten teachers, and their different ways of coping with those challenges, during the implementation of the programme 'My Diverse Kindergarten' in three mixed cities in Israel. The programme aimed at reducing prejudices and improving the relationship between Jews and Arabs in…

This study examines former hi-tech workers who have pursued a second career in teaching. Narratives of 15 novice teachers: 8 men and 7 women from scientific fields are examined based on Positioning Theory. Two facets of their transition are examined: (a) Reasons for career change and image of both professions and (b) task perception, motivation,…

This article addresses the interplay between motherhood and working as a professional educator. It focuses on female educators' relationships in the public sphere and private sphere, and how these two spheres inform and impact one another. The research aims to establish the degree and extent to which societal dictates affect women's identities in…

Purpose: This article aims to present a unique dimension to mentor studies in that unlike most research that focuses on the novice-teachers-mentee, this study explores the influence of mentoring on the mentors themselves. Two main questions were examined: "Which components of mentoring influence the mentors' professional development?"…

The current study delves into the professional identity of elementary school rabbis within the national-religious education system in Israel, focusing on the perspectives of the rabbis themselves and examining how their professional identity impacts their work. In-depth interviews were conducted with 15 rabbis who were selected using a convenience…

Following the increasing demand to improve educational systems, 'top-down' reforms were developed targeting teachers' work conditions alongside new professional development policy. The current study aimed to examine the perceptions of teachers who are employed under two reforms in parallel, regarding their job satisfaction and professional…

Purpose: Recently, the pace of pedagogical change in the field of social-emotional learning (SEL) has increased worldwide; hence, there is a greater need to understand and promote social-emotional elements in education systems. The purpose of this study was to explore the implementation of SEL content and practices in the curricula of…

This research investigated the professional identity of Early Childhood Caretakers (ECC) in an Israeli Ministry of Education professional training program provided by academic teaching colleges. This innovative program aimed to increase professional knowledge for ECC staff with no professional training. Improving their theoretical knowledge was…

The importance of reflective pedagogy is widely acknowledged in HE and is a cornerstone of the helping professions curricula, enhancing students' self-awareness and reflective skills. The literature emphasizes the virtues of reflection for the students' personal and professional growth but insufficiently addresses the emotional pain entailed. To…

Background or Context: Research-practice partnerships (RPPs) are collaborative efforts between researchers and practitioners aimed at improving educational practices through engagement in research. Previous studies have highlighted the dynamic nature of roles within RPPs, emphasizing the need for role negotiation and adaptation to local contexts.…

This study used mixed methods to explore how Israeli special education preschool teachers' professional identity and social support predict their job satisfaction. Participants in the quantitative portion included 192 Jewish special education preschool teachers (Mage = 34.37, SD = 8.75) with an average of 10.66 (SD = 8.40) years teaching. A…

This study examined the characteristics of "exemplary" teachers according to Israeli-Arab prospective teachers, and the influence of those perceptions on their professional identity. The study is based on the qualitative paradigm using in-depth semi-structured interviews with 33 students studying education in an academic college located…

Although self-disclosure is of great importance in the profession, there is scarce writing and discussion on this topic in social work education, and specifically on developing new pedagogical methods of implementing it in the classroom. Within the framework of a Working With Individuals in Their Environment course, we have developed pedagogical…

This first years of teaching constitute entry stage to the profession and are considered a period of critical importance for determining the new teacher's professional identity. This study explores the associations between novice teachers' perspectives of their relationship with their mentors and their professional commitment. This qualitative…