Teacher Quality Grants at TAMIU Help with TEKS

Faculty at Texas A&M International University will insure area teachers have a deep understanding of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), and are able to pass that knowledge on to their students, thanks to the assistance of recently awarded Teacher Quality Grants.

Dr. E. Bing Lin, TAMIU professor and chair of the College of Arts and Sciences' Department of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, explained the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB), in collaboration with the Texas Education Agency, selected two TAMIU proposals for grant money totaling more than $150,000.

"One project will focus on middle school mathematics, part two and the other will focus on high school geometry. The grant money is designated under the federal No Child Left Behind Act and will provide professional development to area teachers of grades sixth through 12th," said Dr. Lin.

He explained six school districts, including United Independent School District, Laredo ISD, Zapata County ISD, Jim Hogg County ISD, Webb Consolidated ISD and Cotulla ISD, will participate with teachers applying to attend special classes at TAMIU beginning this summer.

"The deadline for both Summer modules is May 10, and information can be found online at www.tamiu.edu/coas/depts/pdmt for the geometry section and www.tamiu.edu/coas/depts/pmdmt for the middle school mathematics section. Each is a highly researched, state of the art module, one developed by Rice University, and the other by the University of Houston," explained Lin.

The project will involve many members of the TAMIU faculty, with Dr. Lin as the project director. Dr. Rohitha Goonatilake, assistant professor; Dr. Firooz Khosraviyani, associate professor; and Dianne Marquart, instructor; all of the Department of Mathematical and Physical Science and Dr. Juan Lira, Regents professor and chair of the College of Education Department of Curriculum and Instruction, are the project principals, Lin said. Dr. Fernando Quintana, associate professor in the College of Arts and Sciences Department of Biology and Chemistry is the principal evaluator.

Dr. Lin said he was thrilled with the grant awards, noting this is the first time TAMIU has hosted professional development for teachers funded by the THECB.

He attributed the grant proposals' success to the excellence of the University's faculty and administration.

"We are fortunate to have such educational activity which is very beneficial to our community," Lin said, "We hope we will be able to run the programs successfully so that we can continue to enhance sixth through twelfth grade education in the community and get funding in the future."

For more information, please contact Dr. Lin at 326.2567, visit offices in Dr. F.M. Canseco Hall, room 303 or e-mail elin@tamiu.edu.

University office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.