Studio Ankori is the product of the joint venture of Yehezkel Lazarov and Osnat Haber Koton, who joined forces in order to offer their skills and experience in the fields of art and education for creating a space that develops up-to-date studying that is free, independent, active and experiential.
At Studio Ankori we have set translating theories of futurism in education into everyday school practice as our goal. In order to do that, we have readjusted everything we know about structure,
time, content and objectives to create a new pedagogical system that keeps the school as a mold, but casts into it a learning culture of a different kind. The Studio Ankori system is the product of research in the field of futurism in education. It's basic premise is that the goals, culture and conditions that were at the basis of educational systems so far have changed and in many cases are no longer relevant for preparing children for a changing world. The educational challenge is to provide the students with the confidence and skills that will enable
them to effectively process a large amount of information, to make decisions, to initiate, to present and conduct discussions regarding their work, while being familiar with teamwork and cooperation
while being aware of other individuals.
The Vision
The arts, naturally offer the ground for building these skills; they easily create interfaces and interdisciplinary contexts, raise research questions and encourage criticism, teamwork and dialogue with the community. They also provide practicing methods and reward diligence. Under this framework, Studio Ankori views art as means rather than an end; a tool with which to translate and practice languages and media. It is customary in educational systems to instruct children to prefer one field of expertise over another while teaching each subject as an isolated field of knowledge relatively loosely linked to other fields. In light of the changing social and technological reality, we at Studio Ankori see great value in delivering a broad curriculum and a wide range of experiences, while establishing interdisciplinary links as sources and tools to develop thought and initiate ideas.
According to the Studio Ankori system the students acquire the content, knowledge and skills required by the Ministry of Education, while all fields of knowledge are linked by a central question or theme. One can learn and experience through dance, history, plastic art, Biblical studies, music, theatre and science, without prioritizing one discipline over the other, and in a way that illustrates the thinking skills students will need in the future. Studio Ankori trains its graduates to be granted a
top-quality matriculation certificate (Bagrut); strives to create a frequent dialogue and cooperation with the community and academy, initiates and produces cultural and artistic events from Israel and from around the globe, all of which are a part of perceiving the educational process as transcending borders of age and time.
Q&A
How does the year of study look like?
The academic year is divided into four Seasons. Each Season deals with a central topic (theme), and examines it through multi-perspectives, such as science, literature, history, biblical studies, plastic arts, music, dance, theatre and cinema lessons. During the Season students collect experiences, ideas and thoughts and draw inspiration from the lessons. They place their thoughts and ideas in a personal sketchbook and process them in weekly "Studio Sessions." These sketches are then evolve
into an individual or a collective creative idea which the students pursue as a project or an initiative. The Season ends with a "Studio Period" in which the students generate their creative work, in any field or medium they choose, while working in teams and improving their presentational skills and their critical discourse abilities.
Studio Ankori promotes freedom of creation and thought. In order to study the artistic and social environment students meet leading artists in each field, go on tours, participate in training sessions,
watch performances and go to exhibitions.
How does the Studio System Work?
In order to learn to create in a changing, dynamic social and technological environment, the students must acquire skills in gathering and organizing of information, learn to express themselves, maneuver between different fields, to work and create in a team, perseverance and to learning to deal with situations of uncertainty, failure and success.
How many years of study? How many days a week? How do the students study?
The junior high and high school operates in a 6-year format; for students from the 7th to the 12th grade, in order to create educational continuity. Studies are held 5 days a week, between 09:00 and 15:30, on Tuesdays until 14:30.
Studio Ankori follows the tradition of Ankori Educational Network's small schools, which are based on an educational approach that focuses on the individual. In the Ankori schools students enjoy intimate classes of up to 25 students, within small and communal schools, in which everyone knows everyone.
Which art disciplines are taught in the school?
Art is a broad title therefore it is important to keep in mind we view the various artistic fields as tools for developing thinking, and not as goals by themselves. Over the years students are exposed to different artistic languages, including Gaga, modern dance, steps and choreography, drawing, photography, illustration, design, video art, editing, performance, installation, solfeggio, theatre music, acting, playwriting, working with and in front of the camera, vocal pedagogy, the art of storytelling, set and lighting design, props and puppet design, circus arts, screenwriting and film, television, newmedia, theory and history.
Inseparable from the creative world will be working within the educational framework, encouraging and developing creativity and initiative alongside teaching the production professions of budgeting resource management, staging and curating.
Who are the teachers?
Our faculty of Studio educators and instructors is made of people whose views and professional training are multidisciplinary. They all share the ability to shift between and to work in several languages simultaneously, and they are qualified to instruct students in several fields. Some of them are senior Ankori Educational Network teachers, professional leading teachers and artists in their fields in Israel. The faculty is guided and supervised by the, studio’s artistic director Yehezkel Lazarov.
How is Studio Ankori different from other art schools?
The Studio Ankori team believes that students should not be forced to choose one field of expertise at such an early or stage of their lives. In our view, acquiring multiple skills and practicing a wide variety of creative and thinking languages will enrich the students in any field they will choose to
practice in the future. The studio team does not aspire to promote brilliant performers and does not select students based on auditions and entering examinations that require previous artistic knowledge. The curriculum is built so that it allows the students who wish to focus on a single discipline, or any other field, to become integrated in other frameworks while being supported other diverse activities.
Who is the studio designed for, and what about acceptance?
Studio Ankori is built / designed / aimed for kids and parents who feel that the teaching methods, contents and dialogue in the public educational system are no longer satisfactory. It is for those who believe in experience and search for an educational framework that is flexible and up-to-date. A framework that enables the kids to become critical thinking, creative individuals while providing them with all the skills required to successfully pass their matriculation exams. Studio Ankori is for students who have the desire and willingness to acquire multiple skills, who are naturally curious and creative and are able to work and create in a team. The application process includes a personal interview and a meeting with the faculty members.
Founders
Osnat Haber Koton, CEO of Ankori Educational Network, holds a B.A. and an M.A. in Art and Contemporary Art Theory and Criticism from Goldsmiths' College, London and the Jan Van yck Academy, Maastricht, has taught Visual Art and Art History and Theory at the State University of New-York.
Yehezkel Lazarov, Artistic director of Studio Ankori. Graduate of The Actors Centre, London in Theatre Studies, multidisciplinary performer and creator. Dancer at Bat-Sheva Dance Company, actor and choreographer at the Gesher and Cameri Theatres, active curator and initiator in the field of Visual Arts, photographer and Video Art creator, writes and directs for theatre and film.
Miri Bergstein, director of Studio Ankori. Miri is an educational consultant, facilitator teaching staff and management staff at Ankori since 2007. Miri is a graduate of the Management of the Network course. For years Mir was a member of the management team of the Ankori Rishon Letzion Campus, and recently was recruited to accoompany the educational staff and management of campus Ankori Tel Aviv.
The Ankori Educational Network was founded in 1948 by a charismatic teacher named Chanoch Ankori, in his own living room on Ben-Yehuda St Tel-Aviv. It has been over 65 years since, in which the network's teams have guided dozens of thousands of students from high school to the University gates, have written books, initiated projects, developed new fields and became well known nationally.
The network's management insists on constant renewal and educational innovation, while maintaining a homogeneous and consistent moral line over the years. above it operates by right of authentic and respectful dialogue between parents, teachers and students, while keeping a flexibility of thought and management that places the individual at the centrum of educational work. The Ankori Educational Network was the first in the world to publish a social media policy, which defines teenager-adult relationship in educational systems [2011], and 3 of its campuses were titled as "Morally Revolutionary" and were included in the Ministry of Education's index of the most ethical schools.