Orly
Shapira

Orly Shapira is a PhD candidate in the Jamie and Joan Constantiner School of Education at Tel Aviv University under the supervision of Prof. Fadia Nasser Abu Alhija.

Orly’s research emphasizes the importance of interpersonal relationships in the educational process. It focuses on teacher– student relations and the ways in which these are reflected through dialogue in knowledge- building situations within humanistic studies.

Her mixed methods research follows teachers who have been classified by their principals and former students as relationship “experts.” Through classroom discourse analysis and episodic interviews with these teachers and their students, Orly seeks to understand the linguistic expressions and pedagogical practices they employ. She thus hopes to contribute to teachers’ training and professional development programs and to enhance teachers’ relational abilities in classroom interactions.

Orly obtained a BA in communication and social studies at the Open University of Israel (magna cum laude) and an MA in curriculum design and development at Tel Aviv University, where she also received an outstanding academic achievement award. She has been passionate about education her whole life and has worked as a teacher, professional development facilitator, program director, vice principal, and pedagogical consultant in Israel as well as in New York City. She is a former dancer and dance instructor and loves all arts. She also enjoys reading children’s books, especially those that encourage philosophical thought and discussion. She lives in Hod Hasharon with her husband and three children, who are her favourite reading partners.