The Faith is the Pace: Educational Perspectives of Three Women Principals of Jewish, Christian, and Muslim Ultra-Orthodox Schools

Abstract

Israel is a multicultural state where ultra-Orthodox groups run their own separate schools. The present phenomenological study examined and compared the management patterns and educational emphases of three women principals of religious schools (Muslim, Christian [Franciscan], and ultra-Orthodox Jewish). The findings show that the ultra-Orthodox schools are insular and have distinct instructional content and educational emphases. The principals run their schools in a very similar manner and operate in accordance with the religious guidelines while applying a strict hierarchical system. This managerial pattern is a centralized, “masculine” type, which demands conformism and opposes the freedom of action and creativity.

Notes

¹The names of all principals (except Sister Renee), schools, and cities were changed to preserve the study participants’ anonymity. Sister Renee asked for her full name to be used, and objected to disguising identifying details.

I am a secular Jewish woman, an experienced teacher in the past and for the last 25 years a teacher educator in an academic college.

Pirate schools are non-official education facilities that are neither recognized nor supervised by the Israel Ministry of Education or by the local authorities. These schools generally build and work in secrecy, in mosques or in rented houses.

John 15:16: This is Sister Renee's interpretation of the verse.

According to the requirements of the Israel Ministry of Education and the Council for Higher Education, the teacher training period at the time was at least three years to basic level (senior teacher and teaching certificate), as well as an additional (fourth) year to complete the Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) degree.

“And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Genesis 6:5).

According to Ministry of Education tests.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Mira Karnieli

Mira Karnieli teaches in the faculty of education of Oranim—Academic College of Education in Kiriat Tivon, Israel. E-mail: [email protected]