A teaching method developed at the Technion improves the teaching of chemistry at the "Dashni" school

The Technion donated a computerized chemical laboratory to the Industrial School of Fertilizers, most of whose students have learning disabilities who were expelled from regular educational settings

Unique technologies and new teaching methods, developed at the Technion, are changing the face of chemistry teaching at the "Dashen" school. The science journal Chemical Educator recently reported on this teaching revolution

The "Fertilizers" school began operating 46 years ago as an industrial school, which trained joiners and machining workers, and today it belongs to the "Dror" chain. The vast majority of his students (97%) are learning disabled who were expelled from regular educational settings. Shonamit Toito, the former director of the school, says that "there are 40 teenagers in Israel who do not study at all because of problems of learning disabilities. When the people of the Technion approached us two years ago and offered to establish a computerized chemistry laboratory with us, we gladly accepted."

special laboratory

The unique research was carried out by the doctoral student Leonid Ravzin, under the guidance of Professor Igor Werner and Dr. Nitsa Barnea from the Department of Technology and Science Teaching at the Technion. As part of this, Leonid Rabzin teaches at "Dashnish" once a week. "The beginning here was difficult," he says. "I couldn't finish a sentence without being interrupted. I wanted to quit but I decided not to give up. Indeed, the equipment and experiments captured the hearts of the students and attracted them to studies."

"The project at Dashnim is based on the experience we gained in prestigious schools in Haifa and Kiryat," explains Professor Werner. "At 'Dashnish' we found an open team with a listening ear. The TAMI Institute (a research institute of the Israel Chemicals Company), established a special laboratory under the management of Dr. Eyal Barnea and with the support of Dr. Eyal Ginzberg, CEO of TAMI. The "Foriya" company donated additional equipment."

"Our students studying in the mechanical engineering major have a special talent in instrumentation and the ability to see in their mind's eye the desired result," Toito explains. "These qualities allowed them to be integrated into the experimental project."

into the bosom of Israeli society

David Dromelevich, the current director of the school, says that the students participating in the project were invited to the Technion and received there warmly. "The treatment they receive from the people of the Technion fits into the school's vision to provide its students with a lifeline and an opportunity to return to the bosom of Israeli society, this time at the front door, as someone who holds a technological matriculation certificate and an actual professional certificate."