Athens, Ohio (July 13, 2007) – Better Mathematics through Literacy is a weeklong workshop for local educators that aims to overcome the great divide between “word people" and "number people" with activities, tips and resources for blending reading, writing and 'rithmetic in the elementary classroom.

The Literacy Center teamed up with Assistant Professor Tim McKeny (math education), Assistant Professor Linda Rice (English) and early language and literacy specialist Lisa Baker from OU Eastern to develop the proposed curriculum. The project was then awarded funding by the federal Improving Teacher Quality State Grants Program, administered here by the Ohio Board of Regents.

Megan Hines teaches first grade at Wellston City Schools in Jackson. She is a CEHS alumna and one of the 20 teachers who participated in the workshop at Baker University Center, July 9-13. Hines doesn't necessarily think math is harder to teach than other subjects, but "it's easier to get into a rut with math - just doing a workbook page a day."

Hines and her colleagues from Athens, Meigs, Morgan, Gallia and Washington counties came to the workshop in search of new ideas for being creative with math. They weren't disappointed, and they certainly didn't leave empty-handed.

Each teacher got to take home storybooks, workbooks, games and all kinds of materials that will get plenty of use in their classrooms come next fall.

"Out of a $103,000 grant, we spent $10,000 on manipulatives," Appalachia Reads director Carolyn Ervin says proudly. These manipulatives engage children in hands-on activities that help them visualize numbers and their relationships. For instance, teachers were introduced to a variety of games using Base 10 Blocks that will help their students learn place values. Kids can easily see how ten little cubes add up to one bar, and ten bars equals "a flat" of 100 cubes. Everyone took a set of the blocks back to his/her classroom.

It was like Christmas in July. Amy Konkler, a second-grade teacher at Morgan South Elementary, raved about the workshop facilitators. "They really looked at what we needed as educators. They made it doable for us, and gave us the materials to implement." It was a welcome change from staring at the glossy catalogs and dreaming about having the funding to buy this stuff, Konkler said. "I feel like I've been educated and refreshed!"

Participating teachers also appreciated the practical advice. "I've been told repeatedly to integrate my language arts with my math lessons," admitted Morgan Local School District teacher Kim Duskey. "But until you see it in practice, you can't do it."

McKeny and Rice both began their careers teaching in K-12 classrooms, so they were able to bring an effective blend of theory and practice to their joint presentations.

"If we can use stories and personal examples, students will connect to mathematical concepts," McKeny explains. "The anxiety over math evaporates. They can relate to it because they can visualize it. Math becomes fun!"

Upon completing the workshop, each teacher had a favorite new classroom activity. The Mathematician's Chair, Race to a Flat, and The Attribute Game all got rave reviews. But more than any one game or teaching tip, these elementary educators were most excited about having a "new frame of mind," as Duskey put it. They were energized by a new, innovative way of teaching that challenges students to explore, process and have fun. Teaching that allows for more than one right answer and more than one way to get from Point A to Point B.

By Amy Robison

Assistant Professor Tim McKeny knows: Math is Fun!

The workshop will be repeated at Ohio University's Eastern campus, July 23 - 27, for educators from Belmont, Guernsey, Monroe, Noble and Tuscarawas counties.

Follow these links to read local coverage of Better Mathematics through Literacy in The Athens Messenger and The Athens NEWS.