Tamar Center Negev- Initiatives - Bedouin Empowerment through Education

About

The Excellence in Sciences Program was founded in response to the severe lack of Negev-Bedouin youth who take advanced matriculation examinations in the sciences, presenting a major obstacle to their acceptance into institutes of higher education.
The program operates in collaboration with schools, the community, and students’ parents to professionally prepare a select group of Bedouin high-school students to excel on matriculation exams, eventually followed by their acceptance and successful completion of higher education studies, and acceptance into high-level positions in the job market.
The Excellence in Sciences Program is a 4-year program, from 9th to 12th grade, during which the students steadily and diligently acquire the skills and proficiencies necessary for acceptance into prestigious university faculties.
The program has a holistic approach, promoting the significant learning of content and skills in the fields of mathematics, physics and chemistry, while addressing the specific obstacles that Negev Bedouin youth face.
Thus, the program also includes: significant learning of English as a spoken language, preparation for higher education studies and academic-career guidance, development and cultivation of emotional and social skills, and exposure to places of employment and academia.

Program goals

The program’s aim is to increase the number of students who are accepted to institutes of higher education and go on to graduate successfully, especially in STEM fields

Goals

To significantly increase the number of students who take and successfully pass advanced (4-5 units) STEM matriculation exams in mathematics and chemistry/physics to enable successful admission and success in academia.
To significantly increase the number of students who take and successfully pass advanced (5 units) English matriculation exams to enable successful admission and success in academia.
To promote students’ personal empowerment and development and to encourage them to take responsibility for their community and to act as role models for their friends, families, and acquaintances.
Strengthening the students’ support circles in their surrounding environment
Exposing students to high quality employment opportunities and career counseling that emphasizes meaningful careers in the fields of science and technology.
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Program Structure

4-year program (9th-12th grades):

Weekly 6-hour learning sessions + learning marathon during winter, spring and summer holidays.

4 field trips
4 empowerment workshops
4 experts lectures
5 evaluation sessions in each field of study

3 parent-teacher-student meetings
A minimum of 3 one-on-one student-teacher conversations

5 pedagogic teacher meetings
5 professional development workshops for teachers

Schools and Students

13 schools from 11 Bedouin settlements:

Teacher’s Experiences

Muhammad Zavarga

“As a teacher, I am proud to be part of the Tamar Center Program, with the goal of advancing students in the sciences! The program really makes a difference for the students!”

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Bilel Abad Alhamid

“To think differently, to promote and support primary aspects of the program that fosters excellence.
The Excellence Program at the Tamar Center is a program that ”

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Galel Asala

“The Tamar Center is a unique center which fosters independent, capable, responsible and ambitious learners. Furthermore, the Tamar Center empowers the learners’ personality and ”

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Student’s Experiences

Bakar Al-Assam – Tel Sheva

“I did not participate in the program from the beginning. I heard a lot of positive things about the program from my friends at school, and when I started the program”

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Aslam Alafawi

“Despite the crisis we faced recently, at Tamar Center, they did not stop contacting us, and they made every effort to ensure that we did not lose grasp of the material. When we were offered”

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Kafa Eldada – Alfura

“My specialty in school is chemistry, and at the beginning of tenth grade, I was having a difficult time.
When I began studying in the Excellence in Sciences”

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Elenud Abu Mamar – Wadi Alniam

“I would like to share with you how much the program has helped me. Academically, the program has helped me a tremendous amount in my academic specializations, English and math”

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Tamar student

“I really liked the learning experience with old and new friends. I really related to the empowerment workshops – they made me imagine more, think more, and even understand”

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Tamar student

“[The program] really helps me in the sciences, and especially in math… I want to continue [participating] in the program because I believe that it has a positive impact on my future”

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Tamar student

“My grades at school have improved and I think it is because of my participation in the Excellence in Science Program.”

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Parents’ Experiences

“My daughter studies in the program, she is very satisfied, I see that her personality has developed positively, socially and emotionally, she would never give up on the program and studies out of a sense of love and desire to be part of the program.”
“The program enabled the students to use their spare time on their day off to make significant high-quality progress in their academic studies. It is a place which enables them to diminish academic gaps through participation in the program.”
“I am satisfied with the quality of the program’s studies, the studies are intensive, pre-defined, that is to say that the program is clear and transparent to everyone, and not run randomly.”

Tamar’s Flowers

This year, excellent first degree students who are currently studying in STEM and English departments joined the Tamar Center team.
In order to receive Perach scholarships the students join are Teacher’s Assistants in our Excellence in Science program. Their presence enables more personal attention to students and guided group work. They each individually are also fitting role models for our students.