Week of August 25, 2008 xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Pizza in the lobby
Upper level graduate students coming out of Friday's qualifying exam joined new students for pizza in the lobby of Carver. Here, newcomer Youngsoo Seol enjoys meeting and talking with other new and returning graduate students. He recommends the vegetarian pizza.
Johnston and Johnston work to improve Iowa mathematics education
With the support of two grants from the Iowa Mathematics and Science Education Partnership ( IMSEP), faculty members Elgin Johnston and Gail Johnston are hoping to guide Iowa student performance in mathematics in positive directions.
Elgin Johnston was awarded $50,000 to set up a teachers' circle in central Iowa. Joined by collaborators Jean Krusi (Ames middle school teacher) and Gail Johnston, the target date is mid-October. Designed for middle school teachers of mathematics to meet monthly and participate in problem-solving activities, the team hopes to encourage teachers to incorporate these types of activities in the classroom.
Elgin Johnston and Krusi have been running a mathematics circle for students in Ames for the past eight years. In July, Johnston, Krusi and Johnston traveled to Washington, DC to attend a workshop on teacher circles hostedby American Institute in Mathematics.
In proposing the project, Johnston wrote, "Teachers and mathematicians involved in the circle meet regularly to discuss topics on mathematics appropriate for middle school age students, practice problem solving, and to discuss ways to incorporate these materials and activities into their classrooms. However, Teachers’ Circles offer more to the teachers involved than just material for the classroom. They also provide a strong sense of community among the teachers, forge a strong relationship between the participating teachers and the college/university sponsors, rekindle excitement in mathematics, and remind teachers of the joys of doing mathematics. Hopefully this excitement and joy will be carried to the classroom. In addition, it is felt that the community building will do much to retain good teachers in the profession, and that this renewed excitement about the subject will lead to fewer students losing interest in mathematics during the middle school years."
In the second project, Gail Johnston will collaborate with human development and family studies faculty members Susan Hegland and Carla Peterson to develop, implement and evaluate curricular materials for Pre-K classrooms in the areas of mathematics and science. The enhanced mathematics instruction will be implemented in ISU's child develop laboratory school, where practicum students benefit from the demonstration of optimal teaching strategies. ISU and UNI faculty will incorporate materials into coursework for early childhood teachers, the team will offer inservice training for pre-K teachers around the state and host a faculty summit to share instructional materials and strategies. The two-year project budget is $186,664.
Last year the Board of Regents, State of Iowa and the Iowa Legislature established IMSEP in an effort to address eroding Iowa student performance in mathematics and science. Specifically, IMSEP aims to improve mathematics and science perfornance of Iowa students, prepare more high quality mathematics and science teachers for Iowa's schools, promote statemwide collaboration and cooperation.
New snack prices
Effective Monday, August 25, prices for snacks will be 75 cents for candy bars (including M&Ms) and 50 cents for all other snacks (cookies, chips, crackers pop tarts, breakfast bars, peanuts, licorice, etc.).
Please pay when buying items. No IOU's please. give any item suggestions to the office staff.
Departmental photos next week
Wednesday, August 27 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in 398A Carver Hall. Walk in; no appointments. All new students, visitors and new hires should have their photos taken this day. Returning faculty and students: We will continue using your current photo; those who wish to have their photo retaken (or taken for the first time...) may participate as time permits.
Transitions
Graduate student birthdays this week:
8/26 Leslie Pearey, Xiaofang Guo
8/29 Cory Howk
Transitions is a new feature in Weekly Reader where announcements regarding life transitions, i.e., family, job, etc. of those associated with the Department may be published at the request of the individual. Send submissions to tuttle@iastate.edu
