2006 Shackleton Memorial Symposium
CT Department of Education Awards Grant to PIMMS for Middle School Science Teachers
Wesleyan University’s Project to
Increase Mastery of Mathematics and Science has been awarded a three-year
grant to work with teacher-leaders in middle school science in three
Connecticut school districts. The New Britain Consolidated Public
School District is the lead partner in the program which is funded through the
US Department of Education’s Mathematics and Science Partnership (MSP)
program. The project, Leadership Academy for Middle School
Science (LAMSS), was one of two such programs to be fully funded in a
state-wide competition. The partnership includes New Britain, Stratford,
and Waterbury schools; Central Connecticut State University, the
Connecticut Science Center (CSC), PIMMS, and
Wesleyan University.
Mike Zebarth, Director
of PIMMS, cited the award as an example of the State’s commitment to
maintaining the competitiveness of its workforce through improved
instruction in mathematics and science.
The LAMSS project began its first full-year of training in September 2006 with two days of workshops in the use of software (Edusoft) that enables teachers to gain immediate access to teacher-made test results which can more easily allow assessment to drive instruction. Three days of training followed in November and December with workshops introducing the CT-designed Embedded Science Tasks. Teachers will complete their Year 1 training with a graduate course in the spring (2007), "Content Area Reading in Science for the Middle Grades," a one-week "Institute for Inquiry" workshop conducted by the CT Science Center in early summer, as well as a 2-day introduction to "Cognitive Coaching."
Training for Years 2 and 3 will include in-depth exploration of science topics in three 30-hr workshops focusing on physical, earth & environmental, and life sciences. Also planned are a 30-hr course on instructional strategies for the science classroom and an additional 36 hours of coaching training in "Cognitive Coaching."
The first year of the grant provides over $200,000 in funding for the program. Years two and three are budgeted at an additional $450,000. Graduates of the 3-year project will earn the PIMMS Fellow designation.
In the past three years, Wesleyan has been awarded six MSP and two Teacher Quality Partnership (TQP) grants by the CT Department of Education and CT Department of Higher Education. PIMMS recently completed work on four grants that were awarded in 2004, three in mathematics which involved over one hundred teachers in Ansonia, Hamden, Shelton, Hartford and the State’s Technical High Schools, and one grant for high school biology teachers in Waterbury. In addition to the LAMSS project, PIMMS is currently working with Hamden and Ansonia Public Schools in a partnership with Southern Connecticut State University and 12 additional districts to train mathematics teacher-leaders in middle school and high school.
2006 Shackleton Memorial Symposium: Manya: A Living History
The 2006 Shackleton Memorial Symposium presentation took place in the beautiful, newly-renovated Memorial Chapel on the campus of Wesleyan University. The audience was treated to a spell-binding, one-woman dramatization of the life of Marie Curie, highlighting her life struggles and triumphs, her tenacity, and her passion for science. Madame Curie was the first European woman to earn a PhD and was awarded two Nobel prizes for her discoveries of radioactive elements, their properties, and medical uses. The presentation also highlighted her scientific ethics and altruism, as well as her polish heritage and related struggles resulting from the political oppression of the times.
The dramatization was performed by Susan Marie Frontczak who shares a Polish heritage and passion for science with Marie Curie -- having worked as an engineer for fourteen years before pursuing storytelling full-time. Through her skillful and unforgettable presentation, Ms. Frontczak reveals the human behind the scientist while placing Madame Curie's life in a historical context.
Six individuals were recognized at the 2006 Shackleton Memorial Symposium for their significant contributions to the improvement of K-12 mathematics and science education in Connecticut. The Vanguard Book awardees were Richard Cole, Eloise Farmer, Susan Marie Frontczak, Sandra Justin, Steven Lecky, and Robert Segal. Each received a book containing a book-plate with a short tribute to acknowledge his or her notable contribution.
The texts of the book-plates are as follows:
Richard Creighton Cole, in
recognition of his diligent, effective, and imaginative
leadership as
President and CEO of the Connecticut Academy for Education in
Mathematics, Science, and Technology over the past 15 years, during
which he has advocated tirelessly for access to excellence in education
for all citizens of our State.
Eloise Farmer, in recognition of her boundless energy, invested in all aspects of educational improvement, which has made her a well-loved gadfly and successful missionary in our joint quest to make science and its technologies recognized as central features of our culture.
Susan Marie Frontczak, in recognition of her skill in bringing many people to appreciate science--literally, to understand, to value, and to apply science--and her talent in leading her audiences to appreciate scientists, as well.
Dr. Sandra Justin, in recognition of her dedicated service to science education in Connecticut, including over 20 years as PIMMS Vanguard Fellows, during which she has been a valued instructor in Biotechnology and other Institutes, a cherished mentor of students and teachers, and a lively and loved presence at all PIMMS functions.
Steven Lecky, in recognition of the way in which his love of mathematics, transmitted to students and colleagues--indeed, to all with whom he is associated--serves to make us see the subject as it was perceived in the golden age of Greece.
Robert Segall, in recognition of his devotion to the well-being of all students, so that, through his personal support and the stimulation of his excellent teaching, young people in his charge do, indeed, better fulfill their promise, achieving a fuller, more productive and satisfying adult life.
The annual Vanguard Fellows’ Book Awards, established in 1985, are funded by donations provided by the members of the first PIMMS Fellowship program of 1984-85.
Accolades for PIMMS Professional Development
Over the past year PIMMS has been very active in working effectively with school districts throughout the state. A few indications of the high rate of success PIMMS has achieved are recognized in words of praise from some of the districts involved:
"As we look at our year-end results for math testing, we found that your work with our fifth grade staff has already proven to be of great benefit. As a resutl of instruction, especially in our weaker framework strands, especially #25, we have noted increased student achievement. We are also generally pleased that math achievement, throughout the school, has maintained at an acceptable level in most areas and increasing in other areas. We still have a great deal of work aheadof us to continue this momentum.
Thank you very much for all you have done for us an for your persistence and dedication!"
Joanne Collins, Principal
Hebron Elementary School
"We are very pleased with the work [PIMMS] did in our middle schools last year and will be looking for more "coaching" activities and PD this year."
Martha Press,
Curriculum Coordinator, Stratford Public
Schools
An excerpt from Schoolhouse News,
Autumn-Winter 2005 at
http://www.cea.org/teachers/upload/Urban%20coaches%20score%20gains.pdf
Urban coaches scoring gains in student achievement
"When Bridgeport decided several years ago to try numeracy coaches to boost math achievement, it enlisted the help of the Project to Increase Mastery of Mathematics and Science, or PIMMS, a professional development agency affiliated with Wesleyan University in Middletown. With financial assistance from the General Electric Foundation, PIMMS consultants began conducting math workshops for Bridgeport teachers who signed up to become coaches.
The workshops and weeklong summer institutes, said Sandra Coelho, PIMMS director of the Bridgeport initiative, were conducted by veteran math teachers with as many as 25 to 30 years of classroom experience. The sessions focused on demonstrating creative lessons and proven teaching techniques. "The idea," said Coelho, a retired teacher with 29 years of classroom experience, "is that if you get key people trained, then you can make a difference."
PIMMS gets high marks from the Bridgeport coaches. "They were essential in teaching us questioning strategies," said Planas [a Bridgeport Coach]. "As part of the training, we role-played with our colleagues to practice…. PIMMS staff also provided training in curriculum development where they showed models of how to write units of instruction."
Mathematics Leadership Academies Begin Coaching Phase
PIMMS was awarded two Mathematics and Science Partnership (MSP) Grants from the CT Department of Education to conduct 12-month leadership academies for 50 teachers in 12 CT districts. The project is a partnership between lead districts, Ansonia and Hamden, Southern Connecticut State University and PIMMS Wesleyan University.
The two projects -- one for middle school and one for high school teachers -- began with a two-day technology workshop when teachers received laptops and training in Excel and PowerPoint for use in the classroom. During the summer (2006) teachers attended a 5-day workshop conducted by faculty from SCSU and PIMMS consultants to review key mathematics concepts defined in the CT Mathematics Framework.
Phase II of the project began in early fall with another two-day workshop to introduce concepts and methods for coaching and leadership. Participants then convened in Learning Communities with teachers from different districts and were introduced to their coaching mentors. These Learning Communities will meet throughout the remainder of the project as teachers proceed through each of four "Coaching Units." These units include planning and reflection meetings and classroom coaching sessions. Learning Community meetings give teachers the opportunity to share ideas, discus challenges, and propose solutions to problem situations with teachers from other districts and their coaching mentor.
The Mathematics Leadership Academies will conclude with a final, full-group meeting in Spring 2006.
