Educators From Israel Visit Delphi Academy of Los Angeles

Released on = August 23, 2005, 4:13 pm

Press Release Author = Delphi Academy of Los Angeles

Industry = Education

Press Release Summary = A group of six educators from northern Israel visited Delphi Academy of Los Angeles in late July to learn about Delphi’s use of Study Technology. The group was made up of teachers and school administrators from the Israeli schools Kurchak and Ha-Megninm. The tour had the group exclaiming, “We want our
schools to be JUST like Delphi!”

Press Release Body = A group of six educators from northern Israel visited Delphi Academy of Los Angeles in late July to learn about Delphi’s use of Study Technology. The group was made up of teachers and school administrators from the Israeli schools Kurchak and Ha-Megninm. The tour had the group exclaiming, “We want our schools to be JUST like Delphi!”

Study Technology (http://www.AppliedScholastics.org/stu_tech.php) was developed over 40 years ago by author and humanitarian L. Ron Hubbard to help students truly understand what they study and essentially learn how to learn. It consists of tools and techniques teachers can use to improve the learning rates of their students. It
can be used by students to improve their ability to understand and use the materials they read and study.

The Israeli schools Kurchak and Ha-Megninm, located in Kyriat Shmone (a small town in northern Israel close to the borders of Jordan and Lebanon) had been having trouble with violence and aggression among their students. Additionally, they had certain students that they had labeled simply “unteachable.” No matter what the teachers did, the students could not get better. Many “unteachable” students were placed on medication such as Ritalin to handle the problem. But this solution was not working. So when Meir Ezra, an Israeli businessman, learned about Study Technology and brought it to the two schools, the interest of the teachers and administrators was immediately piqued. Plans were soon made to visit one of the
unique schools that employ this technology, the largest of these being Delphi Academy of Los Angeles.

Upon arriving at Delphi, they were toured by Head of School Maggie Reinhart and Head of Admissions Sandee Ferman. The educators were taken throughout the kindergarten through high school campus, observing the different levels and classes and particularly observing how Study Technology was implemented on each level.

Of the teachers, they asked some very important questions. “What do you do about children with learning disabilities? Do you put them on Ritalin?” By “learning disability,” the educators meant ADD, ADHD, and particularly dyslexia, where the students switch the sequence of the letters in a word. “We find that Study Technology can handle those problems without having to use Ritalin,“ said Ferman.
“We have had students who have trouble concentrating, and we use Study Technology to help with this. There are certain phenomena that occur when a student does not really understand what he is studying, and Study Technology goes over this and explains how to handle this. We have also had students who ‘switched the letters’ and have been able to help each of those students using Study Technology. Often,
all that is needed is supplying more hands-on activities using the alphabet instead of enveloping the student with all of the theory of the written word. This is another part of Study Technology: demonstrating what one is studying. The teacher will have the
student demonstrate the alphabet and practice making words using clay. This helps so that the student doesn’t have to work it all out in his head, but can actually see and work with the letters and words right in front of him. And sometimes,” Ferman went on to explain, “a student needs extra practice and drilling. Some students may have a bit more trouble with a subject than other students, and this is okay. The teachers will make sure that the student gets that extra drilling
during class and at home.”

The Israeli educators particularly enjoyed speaking with the students. Each student said they loved school, and many students went on to say that they used to hate school, but since going to Delphi, they have come to really enjoy it. The students would tell them how, at other schools, you were pushed through a subject even if you
really didn’t understand it. You were only studying to pass the class or the test. You were not studying to actually use and apply what you learned. “But at Delphi,” explained high school student, Gol Mohammadi, “we use Study Technology so we understand all of what we learn and can USE all of it. If I start having trouble, my teachers use Study Technology to help me work it out so I can better understand what I am studying. They never let me go past something that I don’t fully understand.”

As a result of the tour, Ms. Shosana Shemer, the head of school at the Kurchak School, her deputy, Ms. Rachel Goldshtein, and Mr. Yose Malul, the head of school at the Ha-Megninm School, have been speaking with the Israeli Department of Education. Both schools have decided to implement Study Technology in their schools immediately. They will begin by getting all of the teachers and students trained
using Study Technology manual called Learning How to Learn. Another tour with more Israeli education officials, administrators, and teachers is being scheduled for this fall.

Delphi Academy, located in Lake View Terrace, CA, is a private day school for kindergarten through high school students. Delphi Academy is licensed to use Applied Scholastics™ (http://www.AppliedScholastics.org) educational services. To
find out how to get your own book on Study Technology, call 818.583.1070 or visit the Delphi bookstore at 11341 Brainard Ave, Lake View Terrace, CA 91342.

Website: http://www.DelphiLA.org

Web Site = http://www.DelphiLA.org

Contact Details = Rachel Reinhart
Delphi Academy of Los Angeles
11341 Brainard Avenue
Lake View Terrace, CA 91342
818-583-1070
rachel@delphiLA.org
http://www.delphiLA.org