College of Charleston

News College Hosts WWShare Program for Pre-College Teachers July 17, 1998 The State Frameworks and Standards have been formulated and are being disseminated to all schools with the very real expectation that schools will address the need to provide stimulating, meaninful, effective programs in mathematics and science for all of its students. This summer twenty-six South Carolina Chemistry teachers participated in the WWShare Institute at the College of Charleston. The institute brought together some of the state's most effective teachers to examine the new SC Standards and to explore ways to work to meet those standards. WWShare stands for We Will SHARE! The summer institute allowed these teachers to share with each other many of the "best practices" that have proven successful in programs across the state and nation. It also allowed them to become acquainted with the Standards as they are presently written and to contribute their ideas to the State Department of Education on the differentiation between Exit Exam expectations and End Of Course expectations. From the participants in the summer Institutes in Chemistry, Biology, Physics/Physical Science and Mathematics, eight interdisciplinary Teacher Resource Teams have been formed across the state. These teams are available to work with schools, districts, Hubs, and other groups that are seriously looking at the challenges of Standards-based testing and that are seeking methods and materials that have proven successful in actual classrooms. The development of these teams is built on the belief that one of the most dynamic and meaningful ways to reach teachers is through other teachers. The TRTs(Teacher Resource Teams)are available to work with groups of teachers as "teachers teaching teachers", a powerful method for creating communication and networks between classrooms and between schools. SCACT members serving as Lead Teachers for the Institutes and as co-ordinators for the TRTS are: Norma Ashburn, Jo Killoy, Nancy LeMaster, Clarice Wenz and Betsy Martin for the Chemistry Institute; Denie Ravenel for the Physics/Physical Science Institute; and Linda Lentz for the Biology Institute. Participants in the Chemistry Institute and members of Teacher Resource Teams are: Beth Beckham, Serena Churchill, Bill Duvall, Dianne Earle, Murray Eicher, Lisa Gantt, Regis Goode, Lisa Hartley, Mary Hembree, Kenneth Leach, Michael McClure, Sandy McLeod, Linda Poteat, Rebecca Richardson, Elaine Smith, Kathie Brewer, Sue Spell, Cathy Thielen, Bob Trowell, Michael Varnadore, Ruth Wasserman, and Glenda Westbury.