University of St. Francis offers ‘Making Math and Science Make Sense’ conference for educators
"Making Math and Science Make Sense"
will be offered by the University of St. Francis
to educators on Saturday, Dec. 7. The daylong
math and science conference is for educators in
grades K-8 and will feature "Science and
Math: What Scientists Value" as the keynote
address.
The
conference is from 8:15 a.m. to about 4 p.m. in
the university’s Moser Performing Arts Center.
Continuing professional development units may
be applied. The conference fee is $75 for those
registering before Nov. 15; registration after
that date will be $95. For information, call 815
740-1311.
Keynote
speaker Marjorie G. Bardeen, who has led the Education
Department at Fermilab in Batavia for nearly 20
years, will be the keynote speaker, addressing
"Science and Math: What Scientists Value."
Bardeen developed the International Science Education
Center, including the planning and development
process for regional science education programs,
program evaluations and educational grant proposals.
She also supervised the design and implementation
of Fermilab pre-college educational programs.
She has been a teacher of the talented and gifted
in public school settings and has authored many
papers in science education.
Break-out sessions will address the following:
- "AIMing
for Excellent! Activities Integrating Math and
Science" will be presented by Diane Saunders,
a national presenter for AIMS (Activities Integrating
Math and Science) Education Foundation and a
middle school educator in the Plainfield School
District.
- "Seeing
Science Where it Happened" will be presented
by Yvonne Twomey. Twomey arranges educational
tours to Europe for teachers interested in the
history of science. She is a docent at Fermilab,
has taught chemistry in the Naperville School
District and has worked as an industry chemist
in the United States and abroad.
- "The
Games We Play: Fooling Around with Math and
Science!" will be presented by Tamra Hack,
a presenter for Britannica’s National Science
Foundations-funded Math in Context programs
and a middle school math and science educator
for Plainfield schools.
- "Map
Threads Throughout Science" will be presented
by Felicia Svoboda and Bernie Wysocki. Svoboda
has taught biology and physical science and
is a docent at Fermilab. Wysocki has taught
chemistry for many years and has complied a
laboratory manual that integrates math and science.
- "So
How Do We Know?" will be presented by Ed
Moyer, who taught math and science for the Illinois
Math and Science Academy and is presently the
district learning team director for Plainfield
schools.
- "Exploring
the Illinois Prairie: An Integrated Math, Science
and Social Studies Lesson for the Middle School"
will be presented by Mary Jo Murphy, who has
taught at the middle school level, is a docent
at Fermilab and is a master gardener for the
University of Illinois Extension Service in
Kane County.
- "Middle
School Problem Solving" will be presented
by Cynthia Borio, who has taught middle school
math for 15 years, facilitated the All Learn
Mathematics Project and the University of Illinois
at Chicago. She is presently an assistant professor
at the University of St. Francis in the College
of Education.
- "Tips
and Strategies for Modifying and Adapting Materials
for Diverse Learners" will be presented
by Paulette Dominak, a certified learning and
behavior specialist. She has been a resource
and inclusion teacher and is presently an educational
diagnostician for Plainfield schools.
The
conference is presented by the university’s
Regional Academy for Educational Leadership (REAL),
which provides a variety of seminars and workshops
that address issues in education today as well
as other educational programs. "REAL offers
a seamless process of teacher education, from
pre-service teachers and the induction and mentoring
of new teachers to working with the needs of master
teachers. It’s a way to facilitate the teacher
development process from beginning to veteran
teachers," said John Gambro, associate dean,
College of Education. "We provide flexibility
and the ability to customize programs. REAL offers
a continuum of services—from single-day workshops
through graduate degrees."
The
University of St. Francis, at 500 Wilcox St. in
Joliet, serves more than 4,300 students nationwide.
More than 60 areas of undergraduate programs are
offered in the areas of education, business, arts
and sciences and nursing. Ten graduate programs
in education, health care and business are also
offered.