Development program to improve teaching

The goal is to improve elementary and secondary math and science teaching.
By HAROLD GWIN
VINDICATOR EDUCATION WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- More than 250 math and science teachers from public schools in Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties will participate in a $1 million professional development program designed to improve math and science education.
The money has been allocated to Youngstown State University to create the programs and comes in the form of two grants from the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.
Teachers in 47 school districts have signed up to take part in the program, which is a partnership involving YSU; the Far East Regional School Improvement Team of the Ohio Department of Education; the Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana County educational service centers; and the Youngstown City School District.
The goal is to improve the teaching and learning of mathematics in grades three through 10 and science in grades five through 10.
What's behind this
The grants are renewable for a total of three years, said U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan of Niles, D-17th, who was at YSU on Monday for the funding announcement.
This is the "nuts and bolts" of how this community will move forward, Ryan said, stressing the importance of math and science on both the world stage and in the resurgence of the local economy.
This is an investment in teachers and young kids, he said, adding the programs will help provide children with the education necessary to compete in a global economy.
Dr. David C. Sweet, YSU president, said the grants are symbolic of the university's efforts to form community partnerships.
The Ohio Department of Education secured a $5 million federal grant through the No Child Left Behind program and then invited universities and school districts to apply for funding.
YSU got $465,000 for a science program and $510,00 for a mathematics program and intends to apply for refunding of the programs for an additional two years.
Other details
The teachers will get 80 hours of professional development time through a workshop this summer and individual contact during the next school year. They also will get a 40-hour follow-up session next summer.
A total of 140 math and 120 science teachers have signed up.
Dr. Raymond Beirsdorfer, professor of geological and environmental sciences, and Dr. Gregg Sturrus, professor and chairman of physics and astronomy, will direct the science program.
Dr. David Pollack, associate professor of mathematics, and Dr. Howard Pullman, professor of teacher education, will handle the math program.
The grants are based on federal course content standards with the aim of increasing the content knowledge of teachers while finding new ways to introduce that knowledge into the classroom, Beirsdorfer said.
gwin@vindy.com