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Mickelson ExxonMobil Teachers Academy puts HISD on fairway to success

July 8, 2005 —It’s an educational “hole in one!” Ten HISD teachers will attend an all-expense paid science and math program in Fairfax , Virginia , thanks to pro golfer Phil Mickelson, ExxonMobil, and a partnership between the district and the Houston A+ Challenge.

The teachers, representing Benavidez, Sutton, and Tinsley, will join other instructors from 20 school districts across the nation to participate in the Mickelson ExxonMobil Teachers’ Academy July 17-22. While there, they will study under experts from the National Science Teachers Association and Math Solutions to learn the latest in lesson strategies.

Upon their return, the HISD teachers will train faculties at 13 HISD campuses included in the Houston A+ Challenge’s K-5 Math Initiative to use the new skills in their classrooms. Those schools are Anderson , Benavidez, Braeburn, Elrod, Foerster, Fondren, Milne, Red, Rodriguez, Shearn, Sutton, and Tinsley elementaries and Halpin Early Childhood Center .

The academy workshops will focus on principles of data and statistics, measurement, and force and motion. Attending instructors will build expertise in promoting student learning through problem-solving, strengthening teacher networks, and in broadening their classroom teaching techniques.

HISD teachers selected to participate are:

Benavidez Elementary School: Edna L. Chavez, Marilena Marroquin, Betzabe Parra

Tinsley Elementary School: Angela Sarreal, Julita Perez, Glendora Chambers

Sutton Elementary School: Afiong Etiese, Christina Estes, Carlos Correa, and Silvia Osuna (Team Coordinator)

“As someone who uses math and science every day in my career, I recognize the importance of encouraging children’s interests in math and science and equipping educators with the tools and resources they need to succeed in the classroom,” said Phil Mickelson. “The Academy is an opportunity for Houston teachers to share best practices with colleagues and pick up tools to positively impact the science and math education students receive.”

“We need strong, innovative teachers to provide students with a solid grounding in math and science,” said Lee Raymond, Chairman and CEO of ExxonMobil Corporation. “The Mickelson ExxonMobil Teachers Academy is one more step in ExxonMobil’s long-term effort to strengthen the quality of education globally and to build the next generation of math and science-savvy citizens in this country.”

The K-5 Mathematics Initiative, which began in 2000, places math specialists in 13 HISD elementary schools to co-teach in the classrooms. The goals of the initiative are to ensure that all children are making sense out of the numbers they see and to create opportunities in the classroom for each student to acquire more than a basic memorization of mathematics. Details may be found online at www.houstonaplus.org/k5math.htm.