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Evaluations
Summer
2005 Mathematics Institute
Adventures in Problem Solving
Terry, I am
extremely grateful for the opportunity to be a part of this
class. I found the class to be extremely useful. I have
learned a lot. I have developed my problem solving skills
and have become a better teacher as a result of this
course. I appreciate your efforts to develop a course that
applies so well to me and is practical (as well as useful)
for us as teachers. I also appreciate how welcomed I felt
and the structure of the course. I really felt a part of
the class and never felt intimidated by the actions of t
hose I worked with. I am grateful to meet such a friendly,
humble group of geniuses with far greater experience than
I. I appreciate that they never allowed me to feel inferior
and were always willing to help. I really felt like a part
of the group. I am also grateful to build relationships
with a group of wonderful people. I really enjoyed this
class and had a lot of fun. Thank you for the opportunity.
I look forward to doing this again. Thanks again. Val
I am so
grateful to Dr. Jenkins for caring enough about mathematics
instruction in the state of Wyoming and offering such a
great institute for me and my colleagues to make us better
teachers.
I thoroughly
enjoy the interaction with my colleagues and the knowledge I
acquire during these 2-week sessions. I hope Dr. Jenkins
continues to offer such opportunities for me and the other
math teachers in this state.
Keep up the
good work. This institute makes me a better teacher.
Bill Adkins
Cody, WY
Terry, Once
again it is time to leave the most amazing two weeks
available to math teachers in the state of Wyoming. As
usual, I find myself with a strange paradox. I am mentally
exhausted while at the same time so mentally stimulated that
I have a difficult time falling asleep at night. My mind is
continually going over the problems and ideas from the
class, making new connections to the math I already know and
visualizing ways to help my own students experience the
wonder and logic of the world I have just been in. Where
but in your summer institute can teachers from around the
state find such stimulation that they are willing to come
back year after year to be continually stretched and
challenged? You keep us all being the fresh, exciting and
educated teachers our students deserve.
Thanks
again.
Bonnie
Schnorenberg
Terry, when
the e-mail arrives saying that you will once again be having
the Summer Institute, I smile with delight and mark the
dates on my calendar in ink. Anything else that comes along
must be scheduled around those two sacred weeks. And
anticipating them makes the February uglies, the spring
blizzards and the end-of-year craziness easier to bear.
People who
have never had an experience like the one provided by the
Summer Institute think I am crazy for looking forward to
living in a dorm room, eating in the cafeteria, and doing
several hours of math homework every day. To them, that is
a nightmare; to me, it is a vacation!
This year’s
topic, “Adventures in Problem Solving,” has provided me with
examples of problems giving a variety of problem solving
strategies that I can take back and use with my students
next year. (And problem solving is an area that the
students I will have next year need to work on!)
Even when
the mathematics of the Institute is far above the
understanding of my students and cannot be used directly in
my classroom, it is still valuable to me. It challenges me
to stretch myself to recall things I have forgotten or to
learn things I had no idea existed. Sometimes I find myself
frustrated because I don’t “get it,” but more often I feel
the satisfaction that comes from struggle, persistence and
success. Those experiences are things I always take back to
my students, and I believe my feelings about the “wonders of
mathematics” are communicated to my students. (For most of
them, math is second only to recess as their favorite
subject!)
The Summer
Institute is about more than mathematics. The topics
change; some are easier, and some are harder. (Although we
always know there will be some number theory lurking
somewhere!) What doesn’t change is the camaraderie among
the teachers attending. I have friends who live all over
the state from the Summer Institute. There is a special
bond that develops when a group of people share an
experience like this. Rituals emerge. Everyone meets in
the Union to do homework. Those of us who live in the dorm
have “our” table where we gather to eat. There is “girls’
night out” at Sweet Melissa’s, the vegetarian restaurant,
and the pool tournament on the last Thursday night.
Beyond the
social activities, the people in the class are incredibly
supportive of each other. “Going to the board” is far less
traumatic when you know that no matter what happens you’ll
hear that applause when you are done! The people who are
“regulars” in this class include some of the smartest people
I know. Any and all of them will cheerfully and patiently
help anyone who needs it! We are truly a learning
community. (This is also a model I can take back to my
students.)
One of the
perennial questions mathematics students ask is, “When are
we ever going to use this stuff?” It’s not always an easy
question to answer. However, the field trips you have
arranged over the years have gotten us “up close and
personal” with people in a wide variety of areas who put
what we teach to use every day. This provides answers to
those questions we could get nowhere else.
Of course,
the most important component of the Summer Math Institute is
you. It seems trivial to say that without you there would
be no Summer Math Institute. You had the idea and found the
money to make it happen (as I hope you will be able to do
for many years to come). There have been, however, a great
many ideas that have been funded and then faded away. The
fact that this year was the 17th Summer Math
Institute and the fact hat there are so many of us who come
back year after year is a tribute to your vision and the
work you have put into making the Summer Math Institute what
it is. You have given us a place and a time to do math
because we enjoy it, which helps us reconnect to the reasons
we became teachers of math in the first place, and sends us
back to our students refreshed and renewed.
I am
grateful that I have been able to participate in five Summer
Math Institutes, and I hope I will be able to participate
for many years to come. Thank you for all the great
memories!
Jan Truchot
This is my
third institute and probably the best one yet. The topic
“Adventures in Problem Solving” was thought-provoking as
well as rewarding! Having the opportunity to work with
other math teachers from across the state was very
beneficial. In addition to the course work—the sharing of
extra math problems from the individual teachers was
extremely beneficial for me. The field trip was very
informative—good for “real-life” applications for my Math
Modeling class.
To offer
this institute to math teachers with the benefits of 2 hours
of graduate credit, free tuition, free books and supplies,
and a field trip is a reaffirmation of teaching math. This
can only make me better at what I do. This has been
refreshing and exciting for the material I can take back to
the classroom and use this fall. I can only hope these
institutes can continue under the direction of Professor
Terry Jenkins.
Many thanks.
Janice Berry
East High
Cheyenne, WY
Terry, The
class was excellent. This course provided many
problems that I can immediately use in my classes. I
appreciate the camaraderie you foster among teachers across
the state and across the grade levels. It is a great
environment to come and learn and share. Our students
greatly benefit from our experience here. Thank you for all
your time and effort! I would like to thank the sponsors
also. Great job.
Amy Kassel
The topic
“Problem Solving” was very appropriate to being able to look
at a situation from several viewpoints—easy arithmetic,
general algebra or geometry to number theory or calculus.
This is one standard that teachers in Wyoming need to embed
in our classes at junior high or high school level.
Dr. Jenkins
encouraged all to present their thoughts at all levels and
always tried to get us to think at a higher level.
The field
trip to Sam’s Club gave us a peek at how Big Business is
taking “decision making” thoughts away from their basic
workers by controlling everything via computer and
satellite to a single hub in Arkansas. Workers are not
expected to do “math.”
Finally, the
opportunity to network with other math teachers from across
the state is a positive. We are one big family by the end
of the two-week session.
Suggestion
for field trip for 2006 class: Sierra Trading Post
warehouse in Cheyenne.
To Whom It
May Concern:
I have had the privilege to attend the University of
Wyoming 2005 Summer Math Institute, taught by Dr. Terry
Jenkins. The subject of the institute was problem
solving, using the text, CROSSING THE RIVER WITH DOGS.
At my school, Carey Jr. High in Cheyenne, Wyoming, our
school-wide math goal is to improve problem solving.
This institute has helped me to better meet that goal
and become a more effective teacher. I was challenged
and energized by the problems. The cooperation involved
in trying to solve the problems and present the solution
in class is not only fun but very useful in finding ways
to improve instruction in my classroom. My goal is to
foster the love of learning exhibited in this institute
in my own classroom.
The field trip to Sam’s Club will help me to relate to
my students’ future vocational needs. I can help them
understand when they may have to sue the math I teach.
I feel very honored to have been chosen to participate
in this class, my fifth institute. It is valuable to me
to see the curriculum and management techniques other
teachers around the state have found to be effective. I
am very thankful to the wonderful supporters of this
class.
Joy Hushbeck
This year’s
topic on problem solving was right in line with my school
district’s, Sweetwater #1, improvement plan. The networking
capabilities I have gained by taking this course has allowed
me to contact other teachers from around the state to seek
teaching support and advice. I am taking back to the
district expertise and complete knowledge of different
problem solving techniques. I know I will be a leader on
this topic within my department. I have been taking this
institute for the last four summers. It is unique in that
it is the only course that offers professional teachers of
mathematics the opportunity to get together to improve
content knowledge, share teaching ideas, demonstrate
teaching styles, and gain a support system within the
teaching profession. The field trips we have taken in this
course allows us as teachers to connect what we teach to the
professions and businesses that use it.
Thank you.
Rudy Stevens
Professor
Jenkins, I felt that the Mathematics Institute for 2005 was
excellent.
First, the
topic of problem solving is extremely relevant, as we
teachers want our students to use learned materials in
different ways to solve new problems. Additionally, the
wide variety of problems led to a multitude of solutions
utilizing a host of math skills; thus, the course was not
limited to 1 or 2 areas.
Second, the
presentations were excellent. Not only your presentations
(lessons) and suggestions for solutions, but also the many
ideas presented by the class numbers made understanding of
concepts and ideas truly possible.
Your
emphasis on encouraging all students to be involved with
math and that they can be successful re-ignited my belief
that success in math is possible for every student.
Thank you
for all of your effort and expertise.
Bob Casper
What an inspiring class this was! As always, my
memories of your courses are pleasant. I learned
pertinent mathematics, filled in some gaps of
understanding, found practical applications, and
networked with colleagues across the state. Amongst all
of this, there is a sense of camaraderie. Having the
privilege of attending your institutes before, I
expected nothing less than wonderful. I was not
disappointed.
I truly appreciate your efforts in obtaining funding for
the course. Receiving tuition, text, and supplies is
wonderful. Your topic and text selection could not have
been better. The problems presented in the text and the
ones you chose are varied in solution approach, interest
level, and difficulty. Although we joked about some of
the lengthy explanations in the reading sections of the
chapters, I believe these may benefit students who have
difficulty seeing how to do various problem-solving
strategies. I don’t see them reading the book cover to
cover, but using it as a reference on specific tactics
in filling their toolbox of skills. The book will
definitely serve as a reference in my own classroom.
I felt that the assignment length was appropriate, as I
was able to answer the majority of the problems each
day. This took some time management, but by isolating
myself from some of the casual chitchat and taking
advantage of snippets of time, I felt that my lessons
were adequately prepared. Unfortunately, I enjoy the
chitchat and social interactions, but my priority of
covering the material was met.
I regret I wasn’t able to share in study groups with my
colleagues as much as I’d like. However, sharing
solutions on the board is always a high point in the
institutes. Seeing 3 different solutions to the same
problem gives me a fuller understanding of mathematics.
I smile that some solutions were lengthy (exhaustive, it
seemed) and the next was equally elegant but short.
Seeing other solutions was a great way to review
concepts of mathematics, such as combinations, modular
numbers, etc. I know these but didn’t always choose
them as part of my solutions to the problems. By the
way, thank you for making certain every participant
presented at the board. I felt that this was done in an
encouraging and non-threatening manner.
Your wife and you are gracious hosts. What a wonderful,
welcoming feeling there is in both of your presences.
The reception at your home was delightful. Both Gail
and I admire your hospitality. As woodworkers and
carpenters, we enjoyed seeing your remodeled upstairs.
WOW!
Thank you for all your time, preparation, and efforts.
None of it goes unnoticed. Without it the institute
would not be the same.
Cyndi Moravek
P.S. Even after 2 weeks of long hours—late nites and
early mornings—I think I’ll miss the problems!
This was the
first mathematics institute I have had the opportunity to
attend. It has been a positive experience on several
levels.
1.
The topic of this year’s institute addressed many of the
same type of problems as those in one of my high school
classes.
2.
The field trip was extremely useful for answering the
question, “When will I ever use this?” We all gained
insight into a particular business and how it addressed its
problems.
3.
Talking and exchanging ideas with teachers across the state
has been particularly valuable. Sharing ideas and
strategies prevents educators from becoming stale and
ineffective.
4.
The institute provided meaningful course work toward renewal
of teacher certification.
5.
This has been a beneficial personal development experience.
Everyone should be life-long learners, and this institute
certainly provided plenty of opportunity for learning.
I hope Terry
Jenkins will be able to continue this program for years to
come.
Linda L.
Panopoulos
Cheyenne
East High
1.
Topic—Problem Solving—has been taught at our school as an
area to improve student scores. So it came at a very
convenient time for me.
2.
Presentation—Terry creates a very comfortable atmosphere in
the classroom. Students are allowed to make comments and
suggestions. At times when students disagree with concepts,
Terry allows for the communication to flow and does not
become defensive about his position. It is evident that the
course was very well thought-out and organized. I liked the
text that was used and will use it in the future as a
reference. The course was very challenging, and Terry did a
great job of meeting the needs of every student, from
elementary teachers through the college level.
3.
Field Trip—I learned that Sam’s Club is running its business
counterproductive to Education. They don’t want their
employees to think, while educators are training students to
be independent, thinking people who can contribute to
society.
4.
The networking with the teachers from other parts of the
state has been magnificent! Learning from others’ strengths
and offering your own strengths is a great way to grow
intellectually.
Thanks so
much for allowing a “rookie at 6th grade” not be
intimidated in your institute. One thing I learned is that
I have a lot to learn. Thanks for moving me in the right
direction.
Deb Durr
1)
Presentation by instructor—well organized; patient with
student questions; allowed and encouraged different ways of
solving problems; encouraged student participation.
2)
Topic—very important and relevant topic; textbook was
excellent; instructor’s knowledge of topic was evident;
topic ties in with National Math Standards in geometry,
algebra, numbers and operations.
3) Field
trip—Sam’s Club was a disappointment because they don’t use
math in individual stores, everything is sent to HQ and
decisions are made there; the effort of visiting a business
was appreciated.
4) Social
activities—WOW!; 2 lunches and 1 dinner, but just visiting
with my peers who teach math throughout the state was and is
just important; I was impressed that Terry made the effort
to talk to each participant daily and to get the new
people’s personal feelings.
Bob Zent
I have been
attending Dr. Jenkins’ Summer Institute for high school math
teachers since 1993, missing only 2 Institutes in those
years. I first came to the Institute because I desperately
needed math credits for certification; I was a chemistry
teacher so was short 5 credits in mathematics. I then
continued to come because the Institute offered rigorous
topics in mathematics, which stretched me as a teacher,
frustrated me with their complexity and finally rewarded me
with a level of understanding that I did not have at the
undergraduate level. I then came because I so enjoyed the
fellowship, networking and connections I made with other
Wyoming math teachers and because I grew so attached to our
wonderful instructor, Dr. Jenkins. Now I come because I
cannot imagine not going to Math Institute in the summer.
There is nothing more valuable I do to better myself for the
benefit of my students.
Jane Lynn
Lander, WY
Dear Terry,
Thank you for all your hard work and dedication to make
the 2005 mathematics institute a valuable professional
development opportunity for secondary teachers. I
appreciated the topic of problem solving. It has
provided knowledge, skills, and activities to
immediately implement into my own classroom. I feel
that the curriculum and standards will be complemented
with the additional problem solving skills gained this
summer. I also greatly appreciated the delivery of the
topic. The emphasis is always on sharing,
communication, and collaboration. The insight and
communications gained through study groups and classroom
delivery was enjoyable and valuable. The opportunity to
practice learning as a standard and teaching to peers is
a valuable piece of implementation within my class in
the future. Every year provides a networking of math
teachers to collaborate and unite with. The network
strengthens each year with new and old acquaintances and
friendships being built. The network provides the time
and place to practice professional exchanges of methods
and knowledge.
I always rate the institute as the most enjoyable and
valuable professional development I pursue year in and
year out.
Thank you!
Julie Her Many Horses
I learned
different problem solving skills this summer, including
hints for skills I already had, such as chart making and
including < > high/low.
Allowing us
to show the different strategies for the problems was very
enlightening. We do not all see math in the same way.
The field
trip to Sam’s Club was very enlightening. The goody bags
and treats supplied by Sam’s Club were nice. Being in the
real world is different from the school world.
The
discussion between teachers is made possible by the
welcoming night at Terry and Sharon’s and other social
events. Networking is so important.
I greatly
appreciate Terry’s hard work organizing this wonderful
event! The math institute allows teachers to work with
others who like math, compare teaching strategies, sharpen
math skills, and so much more!
Being a
student reminds us teachers of the different things we do
right or need to work on, such as I know that I speak too
fast and don’t allow the students enough process time.
Terry, thank
you for doing this class!
I enjoy
spending time with other teachers in the same discipline and
would not miss this class!
It is very
hard to sit down and write comments on this Summer Institute
experience because I know that in the future I will realize
another benefit of this class. It will be one I am unaware
of right now.
The two-week
“Problem Solving” Math Institute has been a very rewarding
and positive experience for me, not only personally but
professionally. I did not have the mathematical background
that the majority of the teachers who attended had, but I
never once felt inadequate. Everyone welcomed my
comments/questions, helped me understand the problems
better; and there were always numerous examples on solving
the same problem. The network of teachers I have met
throughout the state of Wyoming is overwhelmingly positive
and an excellent professional asset. I would never hesitate
to contact any one of them. I know I could ask for
help/opinions, not only at the professional level but also
personal. They are truly an extended family.
Terry
Jenkins is a wonderful professor who has made me more
interested in math. I only wish I could have taken classes
under him in college. I also would never hesitate to
contact him on a personal or professional level. He has so
much to offer, not only for a teacher, but for students who
may not be considering a profession that involves
mathematics. He is/would be a wonderful mentor.
The learning
atmosphere he projected was one that made me feel relaxed,
confident and welcome. One might spend the whole afternoon
thinking and completing an assignment but only got a
reward. We sometimes worked in small groups where the
atmosphere was electric with ideas on how to solve/approach
the problem at hand.
What I
learned will be passed on, not only to my students, but to
my colleagues. I feel renewed after a very hectic school
year.
Thanks seems
like such a small word for all that I have experienced.
Cheryl
Burnett
Dr. Jenkins,
I cannot find words that are adequate to express my
gratitude for this institute. I would have no other way to
meet with so many of the best math teachers of the state,
nor have I found a better way of expanding my mathematical
knowledge.
The topic
this year, Problem Solving, was especially timely, given the
guidelines of the North Central recommendations for school
improvement for my high school. I have been given a great
head start for my school.
Possible
topics for next year? How about integration of the grading
calculator in the advanced math?
Terry,
thanks again for a wonderful math institute, with the
opportunity to expand our knowledge, reunite with
colleagues, and meet other colleagues from around the
state. I was hooked at the first institute I attended in
2000, and have been at every institute since. I will
continue to attend for as long as you continue to teach
these institutes. They are a highlight of my summer.
“Adventures
in Problem Solving” was a great topic. Problem solving is
one of my school district’s North Central Accreditation
goals, so this topic and the knowledge I’ve gained are very
applicable to take back and use in my classroom.
Our trip to
Sam’s Club has helped my understanding of the problems
associated with the running of business, as well as the
problem solving strategies and solutions they have used.
The social
program is an important part of making connections with
colleagues. I hope the summer institutes will continue for
many more years. Thanks, Terry, for all you do.
Patricia
Urasky
As usual,
great class! Of the Summer Math Institutes I have attended,
however, this one has given me the greatest wealth of
material I can take back to the classroom—challenging
material that I feel the students will learn from and enjoy.
In addition,
the time spent with other teachers from around the state is
invaluable—networking with my colleagues is such a positive
experience. I really enjoy the positive environment of this
classroom. I actually look forward to the SMI and always am
a bit sorry to see it end. I feel I am investing this time
in my students.
I am quite
appreciative to the University and the sponsors—this course
is an excellent investment of time and funding—thank you!!
Finally,
thank you, Terry, for another great class and for your
wisdom in bringing us all together again, picking the topic,
and fostering such a positive environment. The class is
what it is because of you.
Hope to see
you next summer. Lori Gardner
Once again
you have organized another awesome institute. I believe
this has been my eighth time, and I can say it has been my
favorite. I think that this is largely due to the topic
being problem solving. I love working through these
problems, and I now have a notebook and textbook full of new
challenges for my students. It is healthy to be in the role
of student once in a while, because it makes me a better
teacher. Networking with fellow math instructors from
around the state is always a benefit too. There are no
other math enrichment programs for teachers like this that I
am aware of. You provide us all a great service that I hope
will continue for many, many years to come.
Thanks,
Terry!
This was my
first time attending the mathematics institute. I found
that my thinking was challenged and that I was provided with
new insights to problem solving. This happened through
struggling through some of the problems and also through
cooperative learning (“struggling”) with others in the
class. Each day provided a new challenge and kept my
interest after late into the evening.
I am
confident that I will be able to bring new techniques and
processes to my classes with the purpose of challenging and
enhancing my students’ higher-order thinking skills as a
consequence of the learning from the two weeks of the
mathematics institute. I was particularly impressed by the
“on the board” work by the other attendees and by Professor
Jenkins. I often learned simpler and easier ways to get the
answer that will be useful for my classroom.
I highly
recommend the summer institute and believe this is an
essential course for my professional enhancement going
forward.
Thanks for
letting me attend.
Bob Salazar
East High
School
Cheyenne, WY
I think the
topic was great. Problems. They provide a lot of
thought—and conversations.
So many had
different ways to the same solution. Others have so many
ways to solve them and get answers but not the best.
Anyway, I
feel right now, with medical-health problems, I appreciate
the mind-stimulating problems and the encouragement.
Thanks.
Sheryl Metz
East High
Cheyenne
Terry,
thanks so much for the time and effort that you have put
into this class. It has definitely challenged me, expanding
my boundaries, making me think from new perspectives.
I enjoy
meeting with the teachers across the state, renewing
friendships and making new ones as we stimulate one another
into thinking—using elbow grease—mentaling.
It helps me,
to feel like a student again. (I know how my students feel,
not only from the feeling of sitting on the other side of
the desk, the need to do my homework every night, the
hopeless feeling of occasionally being stumped (like the
pill bottle problem), but also the reward of getting that
aha feeling.
I’m glad
that you make us do problems on the board. It is easy to do
work on the board, with students where I’m confident, but I
still feel a little insecure when doing work with
colleagues.
Once again
it has been a very enjoyable experience. The topic was very
useful and appropriate for high school math teachers. I
thought there was a nice blend of problems. Most of the
problems in the book were pretty straightforward, although
some of the “Classic Problems” made us think. Many of the
supplemental problems were very challenging and covered a
very broad range of topics, which I thought was very
valuable. I had never seen some of the topographical
problems like the “fly and the spider.” The problems in the
book provide a great source of material that high school
students can reach, while the supplemental problems provided
a nice personal challenge.
It is great
to get a chance to visit with other math teachers from
around the state (some of whom have become old friends). It
is a rare and very valuable opportunity to talk to peers
about teaching strategies, textbook series, job
opportunities, etc. It is uplifting to work and socialize
with people who have so much in common. It is also
affirming to see how many bright, talented, and personable
math teachers we have in Wyoming.
As always
Terry’s skillful direction promotes an atmosphere of
cooperation and collaboration. Although there is great
diversity in people’s math backgrounds, I think nobody is
left to feel overwhelmed nor is anyone left unchallenged.
Thank you again for another great institute.
The above is
a true and accurate transcription of the original
evaluation.
______________"Signed"________________ time
\@ "MMMM d, yyyy" September 29, 2005
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