World ORT Excellence Award for achievements in teaching Jewish subjects

Last week, at the beginning of the new semester, teacher of history and traditions of the Jewish people of  Kiev ORT Technology Lyceum Irina Friedman were awarded prize of the World ORT Excellence Award for her victory in  nomination "Teaching disciplines of Jewish cycle".

Irina has 14 year of teaching experience.  Since 2000 she works at ORT. Almost every year she improves her professional level on various seminars of Jewish studies and presented her experience there as well.

In Kiev ORT Technology Lyceum Irina is responsible for organization of Jewish holidays and events and meetings with outstanding persons of Jewish and Israel organization and community.

Irina is a creator and coordinator of Lyceum’s museum “Community. Holocaust, Regeneration” 

She also coordinated joint projects with Jewish organizations such as creating of “Avenue of Righteous” within the frame of MemoryArt project of Jewish Agency and various city projects. She prepared students for participation in Olympiads on Jewish subjects and supervised students’ research work on Jewish theme within the frames of projects of Junior Academy of Science of Ukraine.

Irina coordinated such ORT projects as iJET and Chibur and her students annualy became the prizewinners.

She is a supervisor of the project of Living History, devoted to the study of people’s life during the II World War and Holocaust.

During the last academic year Irina developed 5 instructional materials including instructional set “Trip to the sources” for 10th grade students studying the history of Ukrainian Jews. It was approved by the Ministry of Education.

Irina adopted Heftsiba programs to Ukrainian educational standards: program on course “The History of Jewish people” and on course “Ethics, traditions and customs of Jewish people”.

She also developed new course “History and cultural heritage of Jewish people”.

Irina uses new technologies as mean of involving senior students into educational process as a tutors for junior one. Students also solved various problems, realized group interdisciplinary projects and received the skills of communication and taking interview. 

Irina provides seminars for students and teachers. In ORT Teacher Training seminars she presented her experience as a lector.  

Her students take prizewinner places in various contests and Olympiads. She is awarded by hank letter of the city educational authorities and Grand-Prize of All-Ukrainian contest and 2dn place of European one of teachers-innovators (2011-2012).

While getting the prize Irina said: “I had always been dreaming to be a teacher. This is my calling. I think. And now I understand that just this specialty allows staying young, constantly learning new things, even from own students.  

Recognition of professional achievements is always pleasant. I am working at ORT already 15 years and this award is very valuable for me. 

I have experience of working at various Jewish schools, but work here, at Lyceum, allows me to "not standing still," and constantly developing myself, realizing my creative and professional potential.

I have many friends – Lyceum’s graduates. Communicating with them and feeling that their school years were unforgettable for them, gives me confidence that this is the most significant in my work."