Mathematics Coaches Institute

July 13 - 18, 2008

North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics

Funded by the Burroughs/Wellcome Fund

The First Coaches Institute

The First Coaches Institute was held from July 13 - 18, 2008 at the NC School of Science and Mathematics. Forty teachers from all across North Carolina gathered for a week of problem solving and strategizing. Their goal was to increase opportunities for the students in North Carolina schools.

The instructors for this workshop were Dr. Harold Reiter of UNC-Charlotte, Archie Benton of North Buncombe High School, Marcia Thompson, retired from Buncombe County Schools, Tonya McLawhorn of Arendell Parrott Academy, and John Goebel, the Chair of the State Math Contest Committee.

Twenty-three of the participants teach at the middle school level, and their focus for the week was MATHCOUNTS and the AMC-8 Contests. The middle school teachers learned about the parts of the MATHCOUNTS contest along with many mathematics topics to sharpen the skills of middle school students.

The remaining seventeen participants teach at the high school level. Most of the week these teachers reviewed and learned mathematics topics that will not only be useful in coaching high school mathletes, but will also be useful in the regular classroom.

Participants received 3 CEUs, a $250 stipend and over $200 worth of materials to help them coach their math teams. In additions, minigrants will be available to participants to start or expand math teams at their schools.

We hope that we can continue this workshop each summer as long as we have applicants. This past summer 65 teachers applied for the 40 positions.

The workshop was run by the State Mathematics Contest Committee, hosted by the NC School of Science and Mathematics and funded by the NC Science, Mathematics and Technology Center, Dr. Sam Houston President and CEO.