FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 16, 2008
Contact: Sarah E. Sumners, CHAMPS project manager
Roger F. Wicker Center for Creative Learning
(662) 241-6088
www.muw.edu/ccl/champs

Local educators learn new strategies at meeting and exposition in Salt Lake City

COLUMBUS, Miss. -- Fifty-five math educators from the MUW Roger F.
Wicker Center for Creative Learning CHAMPS Mathematics and Science
Partnership joined thousands of math educators from around the world to
share and learn new concepts, strategies, and techniques in math
education at the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) 2008 Annual Meeting and Exposition, in Salt Lake City in April.

Participants included Suzan Riddle, Nicole Sparks and Leigh Stanford
from Amory School District; Charlotte Creekmore, Ruby Grace, Carolyn
Quinn and Bernard Taylor from Columbus Municipal School District; Lynne
Hester, Angela Miller, Joyce Shook and Linda Turner from Lee County
Schools; Janet Sharp, Robin Thompson and Marion Winters from Louisville
School District; Ashley Allen, Debra Baucom, Sandy Dyson, Paula
Gonzalez, Sandra Murphy, Cathy Rhodes, Kay Stokes, Dana Walker and
Sheila Westbrook from Lowndes County Schools; Charlotte Wilson from
Monroe County Schools; Tanya Pearson from Nettleton School District;
Barbara Lucas from Okolona School District; Lawyer Gee, Yolanda Harris,
Margaret Jordan, Kristy Moore, Pamela Perry, Carlton Rhodes, Edith
Stallings and Alfreda Yarbrough from Oktibbeha County Schools; Carol
Cannon and Penny Chaney from Philadelphia School District; Jennifer
David from Annunciation Catholic School; John Thurmond from Oak Hill
Academy; Elaine Carson, Chad Sorrells and Debra Williams-Carter from
Starkville City Schools; Sarah Brown and Deborah McCoy from Tupelo
Public Schools; Vanessa Avant, Karen Ketchum, Katina Pickens, Carolyn
Richardson and Denise Taylor from West Point City Schools; and Kate
Brown, Debbie Fancher, Richard Holden, Jeanette Jaudon, Gail Knox and
Sarah Sumners from MUW.

NCTM’s Annual Meeting and Exposition is the largest gathering of math
educators in the world. The conference featured more than 740
presentations, covering all grade levels and major math subjects-led by
national and international education experts-with an emphasis on helping
teachers strengthen skills and teaching methods necessary to prepare
their students for the 21st century.

“The 2008 NCTM Annual Meeting and Exposition enables teachers at all
stages of their careers to gain knowledge about new research and practices, explore the latest products and services and share their experiences with colleagues from around the world,” said NCTM
President Francis (Skip) Fennell. “By attending the annual meeting,
attendees have demonstrated their commitment to the improvement of
mathematics education, and more important, to meeting the needs of all
students.”

Fennell welcomed attendees to the council’s 86th annual conference,
“Becoming Certain about Uncertainty,” on Wednesday evening. Keynote
speaker Malcolm Gladwell, New York Times best-selling author, discussed
his latest book, “Blink,” which describes how the unconscious mind
makes decisions in a split second. He went on to discuss how teachers
can use this insight to teach their students.

Other sessions offered a wide variety of subjects, ranging from making
math relevant to minority students, to teaching algebra from pre-K
through the eighth grade, to integrating literature and modern culture
into mathematics to make it relevant for all students.

An inspirational presentation by Olympic track star Billy Mills concluded the conference. Mills is the only American to win an Olympic gold medal in the 10,000 meters. His talk, “Winning Spirit,” explored the personal qualities and values that remain constant in an ever-changing world and how they can prepare individuals for success in life.

With more than 100,000 members and 230 affiliates in the United States
and Canada, NCTM is the world’s largest organization dedicated to
improving mathematics education for all students from pre-kindergarten
through grade 12. The council’s Principles and Standards for School
Mathematics provide guidelines for excellence in mathematics education.
Its Curriculum Focal Points for Prekindergarten through Grade 8 Mathematics, released in 2006, identifies the most important mathematical topics for each grade level.