PIMMS in the News

PIMMS Professional Services

Mathematics Recovery and PIMMS

Friends of PIMMS

289 Attend Summer Institutes

CAMPY Moves Ahead

Math for Little Kids

PIMMS Goes Online

Accolades

Previous Issues:
Spring 2002, Issue #20
Fall 2000, Issue #19
Fall 1999, Issue #18

PIMMS on Radio and TV
     New Haven’s Channel 8 News filmed Bridgeport teachers in two PIMMS elementary science workshops. The six o’clock news featured PIMMS participants actively engaged in learning science through a Bubbleology experiment in Pat Grondin’s Great Explorations in Mathematics and Science class. Newscasters showed teachers actively engaged in learning science. Interviews focused on the importance of inquiry-based science instruction and the challenge of making science interesting and motivating for elementary students.

     In addition, CEA engaged Strauss Radio Strategies, Inc. from New York City to develop a series of 30-second radio announcements that would be distributed to stations in the New Haven, Bridgeport, New London, Danbury, Waterbury, Stamford/Norwalk, and the Greater Hartford areas. Sean Amore, Senior Executive for Strauss Radio, interviewed Dan Dolan, Director of PIMMS, and several One-Week instructors. Text was written and several quotes from each of the interviewees were recorded and sent to the local stations.Each station then selected a quote of the teacher from the local area and inserted it into the written text for local broadcast. These were heard throughout CT during the summer.   The broadcast in the Stamford/Norwalk area is printed below.

     With summer vacation in full swing, many of Connecticut’s educators including several local teachers are taking advantage of their summer break to attend classes themselves—with benefiting students in mind. 

     One of many programs that teachers spend their summers immersed in is PIMMS or the Project to Increase Mastery of Mathematics and Science. PIMMS, now deep into its summer Institute session, has about three hundred teachers from around the state including several from the Norwalk/Stamford area.  Director Dan Dolan explains that teachers, like all professionals, need to occasionally play the role of student. 

     PIMMS primary role is to provide high quality, professional development for mathematics and science teachers K-16. Teachers, just like lawyers, doctors, or any other professional, need constant upgrading to maintain their skills and the quality of their profession.

      PIMMS predicts that about 1500 teachers will participate in its seminars, institute sessions, and workshops this year—benefiting almost 150,000 CT students in the process.

     Heather Giancola, Elementary Mathematics Coordinator from Darien, a PIMMS Fellow who works with teachers from around the region and the state, says that the spirit of PIMMS and the spirit of participants all benefit local students. You walk out of a PIMMS class feeling like you have a lot of new people that you can work with and if you get stuck on something, you can contact any one of them and they’ll all be right there to help you out.

Respect Teachers As Lifelong Learners By Stan Decoster        Gary DeBrizzi, who took a 50 percent pay cut five years ago when he moved from corporate America to a Bridgeport classroom, sat in a lecture hall on a hot summer’s day and learned about new ways to challenge his students at the start of the new school year.       DeBrizzi and more than 90 other Bridgeport teachers participated in a week-long PIMMS workshop in June, less than two weeks after the school year ended. PIMMS stands for Project to Increase Mastery of Mathematics and Science.        When students go home for the summer, many Bridgeport teachers return to the classroom as students and do their best to bury the stereotype that teachers spend their entire vacations working on a tan or shaving strokes off their golf game....  DeBrizzi said that, on school days, he regularly doesn’t leave for home until 5 or 6 in the afternoon, and then does work at home after dinner. …        PIMMS shows math and science teachers how to get away from the lecturing format and to have their students learn through innovative hands-on techniques. For the earlier grades, it’s all about challenging children through practical exercises.  Ruth Garth, an eighth-grade math teacher at James J. Curiale School, has been working in the Bridgeport system for 16 years and has attended PIMMS summer workshops for at least 10 of them.  “It shows you ways to reach kids that you otherwise wouldn’t be reaching,” Garth said.      Herminio Planas is a math resource teacher, or someone who coaches innovative techniques to other teachers. He estimated this one PIMMS workshop would give him enough material to conduct three or four workshops when the 2002-03 school year begins....“For me, summer is the time for learning,” he said. “I go to workshops all summer long. During the school year, your mind is occupied by other things. I’m more relaxed now and my mind is more receptive.”        Tisha Markette, a fourth-grade teacher at John Winthrop School, said she learned from the PIMMS workshop and planned to attend yet another workshop later in the summer. She said she never lectures to her classes, and almost always breaks them into groups of three and four students.  For her, the school year never really ends.     Back to Top

PIMMS Professional Services The professional services  program at PIMMS provides  customized on-site professional development at the request of a school or district. This may include workshops on mathematics and/or science content, innovative instructional strategies, use of performance assessment practices, and use of technology to enhance instruction. PIMMS consultants also conduct demonstration lessons for teachers, co-teach a class with a teacher, or work with staff in a mentoring role. All programs are tailored to meet the specific needs of school or district staff.      PIMMS professional services have seen a dramatic increase since Shelly Jones joined the staff two years ago. In Hartford, she presented 12 workshops for the Hartford Numeracy Team; approximately 35 teachers attended each meeting. The sessions focused on effective instructional strategies for teaching selected CMT objectives. Team members then presented workshops on the same topics for their teachers.  Ellington elementary schools adopted a new standards-based mathematics program and were evaluating a similar program for the middle school. She facilitated a series of meetings of middle school teachers as they reviewed new textbooks and presented workshops on the areas of interest on CMT and CAPT.       Shelly met with Colchester elementary and middle school teachers for nine sessions to provide (1) demonstration lessons, (2) after-school debriefing sessions, and (3) follow-up sessions two weeks later. The debriefing sessions allowed teachers to discuss evidence of student learning, areas of confusion, and strategies to overcome student confusion. The follow-up sessions provided time for teachers to try specific activities in class and to collect student work to be analyzed.      Last year, Shelly worked with K-12 mathematics teachers and administrators in Ansonia over a five-month period as they also reviewed curriculum for adoption. This year, the district contracted for 90 days of professional services to assist the staff as they implement the new program. Shelly will provide demonstration lessons, observe classroom instruction, and collect evaluation data on the implementation process. Back to Top

Friends of PIMMS The Friends of PIMMS was initiated at the end of 2001, inviting those with connections to PIMMS to join in furthering our educational mission by providing financial support.      As we approach the first anniversary of the creation of the Friends program, we have received approximately $32,000 from 162 individuals, including a $10,000 matching grant from Michael Zebarth, a member of the PIMMS Advisory Council.  This substantial total has a double effect: in a practical way it helps balance our budget, and in a psychological way it represents the strong endorsement of many people of the value of PIMMS work, thus renewing our own commitment to our efforts. Sincere appreciation from the entire PIMMS staff to all Friends of PIMMS! Back to Top