While some of us enjoy the “lazy, hazy days of summer,” hundreds of teachers from around the region are attending the first ever “Math Academy” sponsored by the Professional Development and Resource Center at Broome-Tioga BOCES.The academy consists of day-long sessions for teachers in grades k-10, where they come together to “have an opportunity to develop their understanding of fundamental mathematics while practicing new instructional techniques with colleagues from across the region,” according to academy coordinator Gene Jordan, math professional development specialist at BOCES. These highly focused sessions allow about 30 teachers from each grade level (about 270 in all) to explore the new common core math models, study “math fluency” and learn instructional strategies designed to help students solve real world math problems.
The Math Academy is one of several summer-long professional development initiatives offered to teachers and principals from the 15 component districts of our BOCES.