Staff Development for Educators Tapped to Manage Professional Development Activities for Pilot Program of Singapore Math in North Carolina

Grant from the Burroughs Wellcome Fund Supports Math Program Integration and Teacher Training Initiative

PETERBOROUGH, N.H (PRWEB) November 09, 2011

Staff Development for Educators (SDE), one of America's leading providers of professional development for pre-K through grade 12 educators, has announced that it has been selected to provide comprehensive curriculum training to support the implementation of the Singapore Math pilot program in six North Carolina elementary schools. Burroughs Wellcome Fund (BWF), an independent private foundation, funds the immersive teacher training enterprise as part of the Singapore Math Pilot, a partnership between the North Carolina State Board of Education, the Department of Public Instruction and BWF.

The schools selected to participate in the pilot program are: Eastfield Global Magnet School (McDowell County), Gallberry Farm Elementary School (Cumberland), Murphey Traditional Academy (Guilford), and North Wilkesboro Elementary School (Wilkes). Also receiving a grant is the Bladen County School District for Elizabeth Primary School and East Arcadia School.

“This pilot will transform the lives of hundreds of children, serve as a vehicle to bring engaging mathematics curriculum into classrooms, and network teachers, parents, local school boards, and other community stakeholders dedicated to helping the students excel academically,” said John Burris, president of the Burroughs Wellcome Fund.

Consultants from SDE began training first and second grade teachers at the onset of this academic school year. Third and fourth grade teacher training will follow in the 2012–13 school year. SDE will then deliver professional development guidance for fifth and sixth grade teachers in 2013–2014. In their role as the training experts, SDE provides independent professional development on Singapore Math methodology, its principles and strategies including: teach in depth, teach to mastery, teach for understanding.

“The teacher is the single most influential factor in successfully implementing Singapore Math,” said SDE President Gerald Hughes. “We are pleased to serve the role of training and preparing these teachers to implement the powerful instructional strategies in Singapore Math, which are designed to drive gains in student achievement.”

Added Dr. Burris, “BWF is committed to increasing the pipeline of young people interested in pursuing careers in the sciences. We recognize that mathematics is the foundation for a solid education in the sciences, therefore supporting efforts in our home state of North Carolina to offer elementary students a better understanding of numbers, word problems, and application through Singapore mathematics modeling aligns with our funding strategies.”

BWF has helped fund study visits to Singapore by key North Carolina education policymakers and stakeholders on two separate occasions. The outcomes of these study visits have demonstrated a need to improve 1) the quality of professional development for teachers in North Carolina, 2) the quality of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education preparation for students, 3) alignment of education values among policymakers and the community at large, and 4) focus on a vision for educational advancement, particularly in science and mathematics. Many members of the study teams, having seen the impact of Singapore Math on student performance outcomes, supported incorporating this quality of learning into North Carolina schools.

SDE is uniquely positioned to be the perfect provider to train educators in North Carolina in Singapore Math. SDE was the first professional development company to bring Singapore Math to the United States and is the only company to offer independent, comprehensive Singapore Math training. During the duration of the six-year pilot program, SDE's certified trainers will be working very closely with the North Carolina pilot schools to ensure these educators achieve content mastery and receive ongoing support as Singapore Math is fully implemented in their classrooms.

“Educators are looking to help students successfully compete in the globally competitive 21st century,” said Hughes. “Clear and comprehensive training offered by SDE, helps to meet this need, thoughtfully raising the bar for students and teachers. We are proud to partner with BWF in making Singapore Math a reality in North Carolina classrooms.”

For more information about Singapore Math or SDE's Singapore Math offerings, please visit http://www.sde.com/singapore-math.

About Staff Development for Educators
For more than two decades, Staff Development for Educators (SDE) has served the professional development needs of schools, districts, and educators from across the country and around the world. To learn more about SDE's professional development seminars, conferences, on-site consulting services and online learning programs, or to register for any of the five national conferences, please call 1-800-462-1478 or visit http://www.SDE.com.

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For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/prweb2011/11/prweb8950307.htm