June 4: The Alabama Math, Science and Technology Initiative at Troy University will open its Summer Institute Monday at 8 a.m. in Claudia Crosby Theater on the Troy Campus.

The Institute runs from June 4 – 15 at Troy Elementary School.

Speaking during the opening program are: Dr. Ed Roach, Troy University executive vice chancellor and provost who will moderate the program, TROY Chancellor Dr. Jack Hawkins Jr., Troy Mayor Jimmy Lunsford, Mr. Geoffrey Spann, principal of Troy Elementary School, Ms. Betty Peters, state school board member (District II),  Mr. Steve Ricks, AMSTI State Director for the Alabama Department of Education and Ms. Nadine Scarborough, director of AMSTI-TROY.

In addition, Troy Elementary teacher Denise Barron, and students Lizzie Orlofsky and Cole Wilson will provide remarks about participating in the program.

Following the opening program, the Institute will reconvene at Troy Elementary School, where the Institute will conduct in-service training daily from 8 a.m. 3:30 p.m. through June 15.

Media are invited to cover the opening session on June 4. Please be in place by 8 a.m. Additionally, media may cover the Institute training at Troy Elementary School during the term. Please contact the University Relations Office if assistance is required in facilitating this coverage.

ABOUT AMSTI

The Alabama Math, Science, and Technology Initiative, commonly referred to as AMSTI, is the Alabama Department of Education's initiative to improve math and science teaching statewide. AMSTI was designed by a Blue-Ribbon committee comprised of K-12 educators, higher education representatives, and business leaders. The committee pursued every step possible to design the most effective statewide initiative for improving math and science teaching. AMSTI is research-based and incorporates best practices for math and science teaching.

The initiative provides three basic services: professional development, equipment and materials, and on-site support. Schools become official AMSTI Schools by sending all of their math and science teachers, and administrators to two week Summer Institutes for two summers. At the Summer Institutes teachers receive grade and subject specific professional development that is highly applicable to their own classrooms. Instruction is delivered at the Summer Institutes by "master" teachers who have been certified as AMSTI trainers after successfully completing AMSTI trainer workshops.

AMSTI sites provide AMSTI School teachers with essentially all of the equipment, supplies, and resources needed to effectively engage students with hands-on, inquiry-based learning. Examples of equipment include labware, chemicals, global positioning devices, plants with growth containers, and many other items. The resources arrive packaged in "kits" ready for immediate use. Each kit is customized for the specific activities that will be taught. Once students complete the activities from a kit, it is returned to a materials center where it is refurbished to "like new" condition. Another kit targeting the next activities to be undertaken is delivered to the teacher and the newly refurbished kit is sent to another teacher.

AMSTI sites also provide extensive, on-site support and mentoring. Once teachers complete the Summer Institute, math and science specialists from the site regularly visit the schools where they serve as mentors, helping teachers implement what was learned during the summer. Such support is vital for teachers to become comfortable and skilled at inquiry-based, hands-on learning.

AMSTI’s success is seen in both the hard numbers that show students in AMSTI Schools making tremendous gains in math, science, and reading from the support and praise the program receives from teachers, students, and administrators. AMSTI is now the focus of an unprecedented study being conducted with funding from the United States Department of Education and is being used as a model in other states.