Members of Eastern Oklahoma State College’s GEAR UP team and area math and science teachers recently attended the 2019 T3 International Conference in Baltimore, Maryland. The conference provided a unique opportunity for professionals to connect and engage with a global community of educators and thought leaders who share a collective passion for excellence in math, science and STEM education—and a commitment to instilling this same passion into young minds. The three days of hands-on professional development helped educators gain insight on new ways to engage students, how to troubleshoot technical issues, and widen their expertise.
Attendees chose from over 290 concurrent sessions presented by T3 instructors. Area teachers and GEAR UP team members presented six workshops to their colleagues from around the world. McAlester High School Math Teacher Tim Collier presented Spiral Review: Delivering Students to the Threshold of Critical Thinking. Collier explained that spiral review is not a new idea; but coupled with TI technology, it becomes a powerful way to think about curriculum preparation, classroom management, and student engagement.
Bret Lalli, McAlester High School math teacher, presented From Sudoku to Robots. Lalli provided direction to educators who are interested in learning how to start a robotics program and curriculum from scratch. Wilburton High School Math Teacher Lisa Goddard presented Running in Circles … or Triangles which offered activities to help students use algebra and geometry and see math in motion with the TI-Innovator™ Rover. Liz Belcher, Panama High School science teacher, presented Are We There Yet? No! But the TI-Nspire™ CX Navigator™ System and TI-Nspire™ CX Graphing Calculator Will Get You There. The session featured the TI-Nspire™ CX Navigator™ System with the TI-Nspire™ CX graphing calculator as the right vehicle to drive engagement and zoom past student boredom.
GEAR UP Professional Development Coordinator John Spiegel and Assistant to the Professional Development Coordinator Kathy Ramsey presented Invest, Assemble, Distribute, Mentor. Eastern Oklahoma State College GEAR UP built a STEM initiative into its last two grant applications that has quadrupled the technology provided to teachers in southeastern Oklahoma.
“T3 was an amazing opportunity to connect with educators from around the world,” said Taylor Smith, science teacher from Puterbaugh Middle School in McAlester and a member of the TI Teacher Leader Cadre. “This was an invaluable learning experience that improved my teaching.”
“I am so proud of our teachers,” said GEAR UP Professional Development Coordinator John Spiegel. “This conference provides an opportunity for professionals to network with educators from around the world. It is rewarding to see our teachers presenting to crowded rooms. The technology is only as good as the teacher using it. Our math and science teachers are rock stars! They have embraced the technology and are infusing it into their classrooms. They are leaders!”
