Teaching conference focuses on math, science education
Crossroads teachers are invited to a conference Nov. 5 hosted by the University of Houston-Victoria to learn the latest ways to teach students math and science.
The Victoria Crossroads Council of Mathematics Educators Conference will feature math and science presentations for education students, teachers and parents, as well as a luncheon speaker. The conference will be hosted by the UHV School of Education, Health Professions & Human Development and is modeled after the Conference for Advancement of Mathematics Teachers.
“This is a great opportunity for experienced educators to come and help future teachers and student teachers,” said Barba Patton, a UHV professor of mathematics education. “In addition, the presentations will help current teachers grow their own skills and improve their teaching methods.”
The biannual conference will be from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at various locations on the UHV campus, 3007 N. Ben Wilson St. It is open to parents and educators, including pre-kindergarten to 12th-grade teachers in area public and private schools, as well as homeschool educators. Registration costs $15 before Monday and $25 after.
The conference will feature presentations on different teaching methods. Most of the presentations will focus on mathematics, but 10 of them will be about science education. Conference attendees will be able to earn seven hours of continuing education credits.
“Continuing education credits can be difficult for teachers in the Victoria area to get without driving at least 100 miles to one of the larger cities,” Patton said. “By offering this training opportunity, we want to help teachers fulfill their training requirements and remind them of what UHV has to offer in terms of graduate programs. The university has an array of nationally recognized Master of Education programs to benefit area teachers.”
Many of the presentations offered during the conference will be given by UHV graduate and undergraduate students from the School of Education, Health Professions & Human Development. The school will bus participating UHV students who live in the Katy area to the Victoria campus on the day of the conference.
“UHV is excited to host another teaching conference,” said Fred Litton, dean of the UHV School of Education, Health Professions & Human Development. “Excellence in education is one of our top priorities, and the university will continue to offer opportunities for teachers at all levels to improve their skills and share ideas and techniques.”
Randy Vivian, CEO and president of the Victoria Chamber of Commerce, will give the morning welcome. During lunch, attendees will listen to a presentation by Carl Juenke, a graduate math education student at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. He will talk about the importance of math and education in his life and why he chose to pursue a career in education.
The conference will close with a presentation by Greg Bonewald, Victoria Independent School District executive director of human resources, who also will give out the conference completion certificates.
Attendees are asked to register before the day of the conference. A limited number of spots will be available on the day of the conference. Those interested may register online at uhvconnect.org/event/MathDay or by contacting Patton at pattonb@uhv.edu to receive a brochure with a sign-up form.
The University of Houston-Victoria, located in the heart of the Coastal Bend region since 1973 in Victoria, Texas, offers courses leading to more than 80 academic programs in the schools of Arts & Sciences; Business Administration; and Education, Health Professions & Human Development. UHV provides face-to-face classes at its Victoria campus, as well as an instructional site in Katy, Texas, and online classes that students can take from anywhere. UHV supports the American Association of State Colleges and Universities Opportunities for All initiative to increase awareness about state colleges and universities and the important role they have in providing a high-quality and accessible education to an increasingly diverse student population, as well as contributing to regional and state economic development.
