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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Aug. 9, 2006
Contact: Kate Brown, CHAMPS Project Director
(662) 329-7676
Teachers from across the state participate in institute
hosted by MSMS, MUW
COLUMBUS, Miss. -- Twenty-two middle school teachers from 18
public schools across the state of Mississippi recently
attended the CHAMPS (Creating High Achievement in
Mathematics,
Problem-Solving, and Science) Institute hosted by the
Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science and
Mississippi University for Women.
The two-week, residential institute was held at Plymouth
Bluff Center July 9 – 21. Participants attended sessions
covering problem-based learning, outdoor mathematics and
science instruction, grant writing, IMPACT Leadership
activities and gifted studies.
The institute was funded by a Jacob K. Javits Grant for
Gifted Education through the U.S. Department of Education
awarded to MSMS in 2002, which provides professional
development for fifth through eighth grade regular classroom
teachers of math and/or science.
One of the goals of the CHAMPS Institute is to develop an
awareness of the unique social, emotional, personal and
educational needs of gifted learners.
Dr. Gil Katzenstein of MSMS was the lead instructor for the
problem-based learning sessions. He guided the teachers
through the creation of several problem-based projects to
use with their students.
This year, a new component was added to the CHAMPS
Institute. The teachers were given the opportunity to
practice what they learned during the institute with a group
of gifted learners. Students from Summer Discovery, a
weeklong enrichment program held at MUW, traveled to
Plymouth Bluff for a day where they utilized the Outdoor
Mathematics Laboratory and the MUW Explorer, a floating
environmental science laboratory. CHAMPS participants led
the students through outdoor mathematics activities and pH
testing.
“I think this was one of the most critical pieces of the
institute,” said Ivey Ivy, project manager for CHAMPS. “It
was a way for the teachers to solidify what they were
learning by putting it into action.”
Dr. George Betts, author of the Autonomous Learner Model and
national leader in gifted education, was the keynote
speaker.
He was instrumental in creating an atmosphere of learning
and professional growth, according to Ivy. His experience
and insights helped the participants understand the
importance of getting to know their students as individual
learners.
One participant said, “The close-knit community that was
created was incredible. Every presenter had something
different and valuable to offer.”
Another participant noted, “I believe that the CHAMPS
Institute is going over and beyond making positive impacts
in the lives of teachers and learners.”
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