Southeastern NEWS

                                                       Southeastern Louisiana University
                                           Public Information Office
                                           SLU 880, Hammond, LA 70402
                                           504/549-2341/fax 504-549-2061
    Date: 6/4/97
      Contact:                           Carol Dotson  61

SLU AWARDED ONE MILLION IN GRANTS FOR TEACHER REFORM
     HAMMOND -- Southeastern Louisiana University has received over one million dollars in
state grants to support education reforms on all levels in math and science. SLU, with five
math/science professional development and leadership projects funded, received more of the
competitive grants than any other school in the State of Louisiana.
     The Southeastern reform projects, funded by Louisiana Systemic Initiatives Program (LaSIP)
and Louisiana Collaborative for Excellence in the Preparation of Teachers (LaCEPT) grants,
received
a total of $1,085,871. Participants in the programs include teachers from St. Helena, St. John the
Baptist, Ascension, St. Charles, Washington, St. Tammany, Livingston, and Tangipahoa
parishes.
     The projects focus on helping teachers from kindergarten through college learn and use
different and more effective methods of teaching science and math.    
     The programs funded by LaSIP are: Project Prime- for teachers in grades K-4,  coordinated by
Dr. Dolores Simoneaux; Project M3 - for middle school math teachers in grades 5-8,  Susan
Jenkins
and Dr. Joe Walsh; Project Cypress - for science teachers in grades 7-12,  Dr. Gary Schaffer;
Nature
of Mathematics: Real World Applications of Abstract Concepts for secondary school math and
science teachers,  Rebecca Muller, Drs. Patrick Mitchell and Debra Dardis; Project Elms- a
leadership
program for teachers who have participated in previous reform projects, coordinated by Ernie
Simoneaux, Sharon O'Meallie and Dale Hair. The LaCEPT funded  project is Southeastern
Science,
Mathematics, and Technology Initiative (SSMTI) -for college level instructors,  Drs. Tena
Golding
and Elizabeth Gray, coordinators.
     All of the programs focus on curriculum reform in the math and/or science areas. The
Southeastern faculty involved all agree that these reform methods involve students more,
increase
their interest and as a result they will have better retention of the information.   
     Teachers who participate in these programs receive graduate credit, materials to take back to
their classrooms, and equipment. Teachers also continue to receive support throughout the school
year.  Project site coordinators act as a resource for the teachers. They observe classes, offer
support
and provide weekend workshops.  

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