Bowling Green, Ky. - More than 40 teachers from across Kentucky have been at Western Kentucky University for a two-week mathematics coaching workshop.

The workshop has featured training specific to mathematics content and instruction, coaching strategies and techniques, and Kentucky mathematics initiatives. A similar workshop for 26 teachers was conducted at Northern Kentucky University.

“This is the first cohort of mathematics coaches statewide,” said Linda Sheffield, director of the Kentucky Center for Mathematics at NKU. “Nearly 70 school districts will have coaches this year.”

The Kentucky Center for Mathematics was established in 2005 after the General Assembly passed House Bill 93 to support mathematics teaching and learning in Kentucky. (For more on the center, visit www.kentuckymathematics.org)
The teachers participating in the workshops will spend half their day this year coaching other math teachers in their districts to improve math instruction, according to Wanda Weidemann, WKU math education professor.

The teacher-coaches also will participate in follow-up workshops, attend conferences and communicate with other teachers online. Each of Kentucky’s eight public universities will have regional coordinators who will work with the math coaches in their areas.

“We hope that participation in the program will grow next year,” Weidemann said.
The workshop at WKU began July 17 and ends July 28.

Participants in the WKU mathematics coaching workshop included the following (listed by school district):

Warren County: Alice Cantrell, Kimberly Estes, Cassie Martin, Jill Price, Renee Watkins and Rhonda White, all of Bowling Green.

Monroe County: Teresa Emmert and Cheryl Thompson, both of Tompkinsville.

Jefferson County: Ola Mae Appleton, Melanie Benitez, Ronnah Bogert, Patricia Boyd, Patricia Dermody, LaTonya Frazier, Rebekah Keiber, Staci Russell, Gretchen Scheldorf, Jeffries Smith and Georgia Taylor, all of Louisville; Carol J. Mills of Crestwood; Karen Scott of Shepherdsville.

Shelby County: Angela Deckard and Ronda Hunter, both of Shelbyville.

McCracken County: Bryan Wade Buchanan of Kevil.

Muhlenberg County: Penny Roberts of Greenville.

Green County: Myra Rodgers of Greensburg.

Trigg County: Karen Rogers of Cadiz.

Henderson County: Allison Whitson of Corydon.

Pendleton County: George D. Christoph III of Berry.

Kenton County: Jim Clark of Edgewood.

Erlanger-Elsmere Independent: Sally Walker of Erlanger.

Jessamine County: Karen Grace of Lexington.

Danville Independent: Helen Blevins of Lancaster.

Lincoln County: Jim Moore of Danville.

Grant County: Aliesa Mullins of Paris.

Franklin County: Bobbie Hines of Georgetown.

Raceland Independent: Denise Justice of Ironton, Ohio.

Lawrence County: Christy Moore of Catlettsburg.

Clay County: Jennifer McDaniel of Manchester.

Jackson County: LaDonna Woods of Manchester.

Bell County: Thomas A. Baker of Pineville.

Corbin Independent: Nicole Brock of London.

More WKU news is available at www.wku.edu. If you’d like to receive WKU news via e-mail, send a message to WKUNews@wku.edu.

For information, contact Wanda Weidemann at (270) 745-3651.

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