UAS Partners with Juneau School District to Pilot Nationally Recognized Program to Boost Math Skills

Project SEED (Special Elementary Education for the Disadvantaged) uses the Socratic method of instruction to teacher higher level mathematics to low achieving students.

Juneau, Alaska

Date of Press Release: January 31, 2008

The University of Alaska Southeast Mathematics program and Dzantik’i Heeni Middle School have arranged a visit from representatives of a nonprofit educational organization, Project SEED, to explore a possible partnership with the Juneau School District and UAS. This visit was made possible through a Chancellor's Fund Grant.

Project SEED (Special Elementary Education for the Disadvantaged) uses the Socratic method of instruction to teacher higher level mathematics to low achieving students.

Project SEED is a nationally recognized program that has been in existence for more than four decades. Project SEED methods have been shown to significantly raise math scores and increase the number of students taking higher level math in high school. Students who take the highest level math courses in high school are more likely to go to college.

Project SEED representatives will give a talk in the UAS Egan Lecture Hall at 7:00 p.m. on Monday February 4, 2008.
This talk is open to the public.

Anyone who is interested in education at any level and in any subject area (particularly mathematics) is encouraged to attend. This presentation will be an informative discussion on Project SEED and how it can benefit students and educators.

Two Project SEED specialists, Helen Smiler and Howard Baker, will provide a week-long classroom demonstration of Project SEED techniques at Dzantik’i Heeni Middle School Monday February 4 through Friday February 8.  The demonstration lessons will be followed by an opportunity to discuss the lesson and meet with Project SEED representatives. Interested individuals are encouraged to attend as many sessions of this demonstration as possible to gain a better understanding and/or appreciation of the effectiveness of the techniques demonstrated.

Project SEED National Director Hamid Ebrahimi and National Science Foundation liaison Wayne Patterson will be available to meet with interested UAS and School District faculty and administrators to discuss the scope and possibilities for such a partnership as well as possible funding opportunities.