Kentucky Teacher

The National Center for Earth and Space Science Education, the Arthur C. Clarke Institute for Space Education, and NanoRacks announce Mission 5 to the International Space Station – part of the Student Spaceflight Experiments Program (SSEP).

This STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education opportunity immerses grade 5-14 students in authentic, high visibility research, with the ability to design and propose real experiments to fly in low Earth orbit on the International Space Station.

Each participating school or district will be provided a real microgravity research mini-laboratory capable of supporting a single experiment, and all launch services to fly it to the Space Station in Spring 2014.  A nine week experiment design competition will be held September 9 through November 11, 2013 for student teams to design and formally propose real experiments vying for their community’s reserved mini-lab on Space Station. Content resources for teachers and students support foundational instruction on science in microgravity and experimental design.

SSEP is not designed for an individual class or a small number of students. All interested schools or districts are asked to assess interest with their staff and submit a letter of inquiry by June 30, 2013.

For more information go to ssep@ncesse.org or call contact: 301-395-0770.

The Kentucky Department of Education is excited to offer professional learning opportunities for Kentucky K-8 mathematics teachers.

Join math teachers from across the state in an interactive learning experience focusing on Number Sense and Algebraic Thinking in grades K-2, Conceptual Understanding of Fractions in Grades 3-6 and Understanding Ratios and Proportional Relationships in grades 6-8. During this six-hour online learning experience, teachers will be engaged with research-based strategies and rich mathematical tasks. Dates, times and registration information for each session are available through the links above.

If you have further questions related to these professional learning opportunities, please e-mail Krista Hall at Krista.hall2@education.ky.gov.

The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) is holding one of its 2013 Regional Conferences & Expositions, in Louisville Nov. 6-8.

This is the first time since 1992 that a NCTM regional will be held in Kentucky. More than 200 presentations will offer the latest on Common Core, assessment, differentiated instruction, 21st Century Learning in the math classroom, and more.

Whether participants are a classroom teacher, administrator, new teacher, or math coach, there’s something for everyone at NCTM ’s Regional Conference:

• Participate in hands-on workshops and collaborate with like-minded educators
• Collect free activities to engage and excite your students
• Explore an exhibit hall packed with excitement, learning, and giveaways
• Test the latest education resources and learn from industry leaders

Conference information is available online. Registration will open in early April.

If you’re interested in a rewarding experience that allows you to network with others in your field, sign up to be an onsite volunteer at the Regional Conference. To register to be a volunteer at the conference Louisville click on the link.

Holly Pitts teaches prepositions to her 7th-grade language arts class at Beechwood High School (Beechwood Independent). Pitts flips her classroom and has students watch short videos at home to aid in instruction. Photo by Amy Wallot, Feb. 13, 2013

By Susan Riddell
susan.riddell@education.ky.gov

Parents are routinely joking with teacher Holly Pitts about how they hear her voice in their homes all the time.

“The feedback I get from parents is actually great,” said Pitts, a 7th grade language arts teacher at Beechwood High School. “I love knowing that students are learning some concepts before I really go over them in class.”

Pitts is one of several Kentucky teachers who have flipped their classroom. In a flipped classroom, students are introduced to concepts at home prior to classroom work on the topic.

“I love teaching this way,” Pitts said. “Kids are so social media driven these days, it makes perfect sense to me.” Read the full story

The University of Kentucky and the Partnership Institute for Math and Science Education Reform (PIMSER) are hosting the third annual Meeting the Challenge Conference July 22-24 in Lexington. This year’s theme is Standards, Differentiation and Assessment.

Experts will offer their perspective on understanding the curricular implications of the Next Generation Science Standards; advancing the implementation of the Common Core Standards for Mathematics; integrating assessment and standards-based grading; and leadership skills for supporting the changing classroom.

Local practitioners including classroom teachers and leaders will present a variety of curricular, instructional and leadership strategies that have been effectively applied in schools and classrooms.

This conference is geared toward administrators, classroom teachers, curriculum coaches, district leadership team members and higher education STEM faculty.

Those interested can go to http://www.uky.edu/p12mathsciencefor a link to the conference website with complete information and registration.

Discounts are available for groups of five or more. Early Bird registration ends May 31.

Science teachers interested in connecting STEM curriculum to real world applications can attend a sustainable schools workshop March 13-14 in Covington.

Participants who attend will learn how one northern Kentucky district has developed innovative methods for using the school building to provide hands-on explorations and investigations connected to Kentucky core content. Teachers will find out how their students can:

• apply core mathematics and science content in new ways
• mathematically and scientifically analyze solutions to problems
• evaluate solutions to problems and create new ways of thinking

For the full agenda and more information go to http://www.regonline.com/HPSS2013or contact Pam Proctor at (859) 547-8008. Early bird registration ends March 1.

Nominations are now being accepted for the 2013 Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST) — the nation’s highest honors for K-12 mathematics and science teachers.

The awards alternate annually between K-6 teachers and those in grades 7-12. The 2013 awards honor 7-12 mathematics and science teachers. Nominations can be made here.

The nomination deadline is April 1, 2013.

By Susan Riddell
susan.riddell@education.ky.gov

Third-grade teacher Ryan Williams talks with First Lady Jane Beshear after he was announced as the newest recipient of the Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award at Mary Lee Cravens Elementary School (Owensboro Independent).
Photo by Amy Wallot, Dec. 11, 2012

Growing up, Ryan Williams wanted one of three careers: teacher, NBA star or game show host.

“I really thought I’d be 6-foot-9 and 240 pounds,” Williams joked. “But it didn’t quite work out that way.”

Luckily, Williams has not only been an educator the past 14 years, but he has found a way to incorporate the two professions he never achieved into his classroom at Mary Lee Cravens Elementary School (Owensboro Independent).

“He’s definitely a risk taker,” said Cravens Elementary Prinicpal James Lyddane said. “But the risks he takes are all about engaging the kids.”

Those risks have paid off, and Williams, who taught 1st grade for 11 years before switching to 3rd grade three years ago, was recently named Kentucky’s latest Milken Family Foundation Educator Award recipient.

“He’s a cornerstone to this school,” Lyddane said of Williams, who teaches mathematics. “He creates a strong culture at this school based on challenging lessons, problem-solving and true critical thinking.” Read the full story

By Susan Riddell
susan.riddell@education.ky.gov

Special education teacher Stephanie Karl and mathematics teacher Sara Matthews co-teach at Caverna High School (Caverna Independent).
Photo by Amy Wallot, Sept. 18, 2012

Last year, Michelle Gross, a mathematics teacher at Spencer County Middle School, co-taught with a special education teacher who was in her mathematics classes for a half-day. The teacher, Angela Walters, then went to Spencer County High School to co-teach for the remainder of the day.

Gross said many of her students had a negative attitude about mathematics and school in general.

During a geometry lesson, Walters shared what the high school geometry students were learning and how what the middle school students were currently learning was so essential to what they would learn in high school.

“I think that lesson really helped our students see a perspective beyond our classroom,” Gross said.

Gross said that is one example why co-teaching (short for collaborative teaching) has really paid off in her classroom. This year she is co-teaching a mathematics intervention class along with Daniel Cox, another mathematics teacher at the school.

“We both bring different perspectives to the class,” Gross said. “Mr. Cox may be able to show a strategy that I didn’t think about using.” Read the full story

By Susan Riddell
susan.riddell@education.ky.gov

Julie Bunnell explains the procedure for a science experiment testing pH levels of local water sources to 4th-grade students at the CELTIC Academy (Glasgow Independent). Photo by Amy Wallot, Sept. 18, 2012

They miss out on regular class time, but students attending the Creating Enriched Learning Through Innovative Curriculum (CELTIC) Academy say the out of class time is  worth it:

“We learned ahead of our grade level.”

“Here, we listen and do.”

“It helped me learn more about things we only studied for a short time.”

“It teaches you like (regular) school, but with higher-level questions.”

“It enhanced our content areas.”

“You got to learn things in a different way than you would in (regular) school.”

Enhancing learning and giving higher-achieving students an opportunity to dig deeper into content were key motivators in the creation of the academy, according to director Tina Steen. Read the full story