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News Clippings

published: 12/17/1998
posted to site: 12/17/1998
The Midland project submitted 7 articles that we were unable to gain copyright permission to post and so they are summarized here. These articles focused on two areas: (a) honoring teacher accomplishments and wards and (b) describing the approach taken by the project in conducting teacher workshops, and how that approach will affect teachers classroom teaching.

  • "Teacher learn new ways to teach science" Midland Daily News.
  • "That's life science for Midland school teachers" Midland Daily News.
  • "Teachers find learning isn't all that simple" The Saginaw News.
  • "MPS teacher Grzesiak goes to SPACE CAMP" Midland Public Schools Community Newsletter, Summer 1998.
  • "Grzesiak meets Clinton, Riley in Washington, D.C."
  • "Bonus lesson: A Midland teacher explains to her pupils what it means to win a $25,000 national award" The Saginaw News, September 16, 1988.
  • "Chestnut Hill teacher wins presidential teaching award" Midland Daily News

Four of the articles highlight the awards of two teachers: Kathie Grzesiak (Co-Principal Investigator) and Wendy Winters. Grzesiak was honored as Michigan's 1998 Teacher of the Year, received the Milken National Educator Award, and attended the ninth annual International Space Camp. During the eight day camp, she participated in simulated Space Shuttle missions and studied issues of space exploration, the environment, and international cooperation. Wendy Winters was named as a state winner of the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Science and Mathematics Teaching .

Three articles focus on a new approach taken in helping teachers to learn content. Beverly Curnutt, Project Director, states, "Teachers are taught by doing. Just like students, they learn that information stays with them longer if they ask questions and have to figure something out in order to come up with an explanation ("That's life science for Midland school teachers")." Sarah Lindsay, Principal Investigstor, states that "Elementary teachers normally don't have a strong background in science and scientific concepts. These workshops are designed so that teachers have to learn by making sense of the information for themselves, which is a big shift from having someone giving them the information ("Teacher learn new ways to teach science")." By learning more about science, the project believes that teachers will grow in confidence in teaching its concepts. Further, as one teacher says, "We experience the kids' struggle to learn and as adults, we learn how to teach kids. It's great hands-on learning ("Teachers find learning isn't all that simple")." Teachers are learning content through hands-on approaches in these workshops--approaches that they take back into their classes. By learning in the same way as they will then teach their students, teachers will have a greater understanding of the process which their students will go through and be better able to help their students learn.