The weeklong event opened July 19 at central offices of the county Board of Education at Cinderella, with participants exploring a variety of research-based assessment and instructional strategies.
Elementary Education Director Rita Ward said the teachers acquired the theoretical and procedural knowledge needed to organize, deliver and manage effective reading instruction in the focus areas of comprehensive and vocabulary.
Presenters were Stephanie Toney Clapham and Darissa Meade, experienced educators from Logan County. Both hold Master's degrees in Education from Marshall University and have had much experience in establishing and implementing quality staff development for teaching professionals.
Clapham and Meade placed high importance on data analysis as a tool for determining strengths and weaknesses of children and teachers. The two educators are dedicated to an enthusiastic and dynamic leadership approach which would foster a progressive, 21st Century-oriented learning environment.
Dr. Barbara O'Byrne, project director and principal grant writer from Marshall University, Huntington, has had extensive experience in literacy learning and instruction as an English and Language Arts teacher in the public school system. She also is the Literacy Education program director at MU.
As project director, Dr. O'Byrne will coordinate and participate in grant activities and visit the schools in the fall and spring to observe activities, collect data and analysis, and prepare the final grant report.
The Mingo County Summer Institute was made possible by a cooperative and partnership agreement with West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission/Improving Teacher Quality Higher Education Grants Program and Marshall University.
Ward said grant partners worked cooperatively to develop an elementary project that addressed West Virginia Content Standards and Objectives related to comprehension and vocabulary with the goal of improving achievement in Reading and Language Arts specifically in grade five.
Westest data confirmed there has been a decline in scores in reading comprehension and vocabulary.
A significant portion of instructional activities occurred this week, said Ward, however, the project activities, including follow-up class meetings and classroom visits, will continue throughout the 2010-2011 school year which begins for students on Aug. 23. The teachers are responsible for implementing activities in their classrooms and for assembling a portfolio documenting changes in teaching and learning related to comprehension and vocabulary.
It was noted that Mingo County schools have demonstrated their commitment to professional education for literacy instructors with the leadership of Elementary Education Director Ward.
During the past two years, Mingo County has funded a professional development opportunity that enabled county educators to become highly qualified in reading. Mingo County schools and Marshall University are to continue in collaboration to provide professional development that will improve teacher quality.
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