OUR IMPACT
NCTM CONFERENCE (The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics)
The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) is the world's largest mathematics education organization throughout the United States and Canada. This is the largest national math conference in the country and we are very excited to be in attendance to learn more about instructional strategies, techniques, technology tools, real-world applications, and how best to increase student interest and achievement in the area of mathematics.
The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) - Ms. Karla Yulo and Mrs. Sabitha Chanduri
“ Thank you so much to all members of our foundation for making this happen! The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics- NCTM conference was amazing!!! It is the best conference that we went to after National Science Teacher Association NSTA conference!
I was able to attend the speaker, Jo Boaler’s session! Jo Boaler is a British education author and is a professor of Mathematics Education at the Stanford Graduate School of Educator. Just hearing her talk about how teachers can mentor students to love mathematics was inspiring! I also was a able to attend another speaker’s session, Robert Kaplinsky. He trains educators all over the world who wants their students to be better problem solvers! This wouldn’t have happened without the help of our sponsors and our amazing team members of the foundation.
I just wanted to thank the foundation team and also sincerely thank our sponsors for making this happen!”
CUE CONFERENCE (Computer Use in Education)
The experience the teachers gain from these conferences inspires them to apply new teaching techniques and programs that serve one purpose: to have an engaged faculty that provides an enlightened approach to the newest teaching innovations that improve the learning experience and education of every St. Cyril student, all while supporting the School’s most valuable asset: its teachers.
“I wanted to take a moment to thank you all for sending the faculty and staff to the CUE conference. I just returned home from an amazing few days. I am very excited to implement some of the new things I learned. Mrs. Z and I are already planning a cross curricular project based on one of the sessions we attended and the program we learned about. There were so many wonderful sessions I attended and I learned so many new things that I can begin implementing as soon as Monday! Thank you for giving me the opportunity to participate in such a great conference. It was a few days of incredible learning, personal and professional growth, and fun bonding with my peers.”
ACADEMIC DECATHLON TEAM
2017 Academic Junior High Decathlon, CSULB Walter Pyramid
“Academic Decathlon is an extra-curricular program offered for students who are seeking an additional academic challenge. The team works hard in preparation for a competition in early March against over 100 other schools of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. St. Cyril of Jerusalem School participates every year and has been achieving success each time. Last year, the team improved from 18th place to 7th place overall.
The Foundation for Saint Cyril of Jerusalem School is a major supporter of the Academic Decathlon Program. Funding from the Foundation totaling more than $2,000 helps to cover the cost of the team registration, program ad, books, study guides, and other incidentals. Due to its continuous support, the students on the Academic Decathlon team, over the course of six months, learn key life skills such as: time management, self-discipline, responsibility, critical thinking, problem solving, and team work among others. The Academic Decathlon program acknowledges and values the loyal support of the Foundation for Saint Cyril of Jerusalem School as it endorses the St. Cyril student Schoolwide Learning Expectation of fostering educational excellence and the love of learning.
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STEM PROGRAM
“Through the generous donations from the Foundation for St. Cyril School, our Junior High students have had the chance to experience many different STEM opportunities during the course of their regular school day. The Lego EV3 Mindstorms kits give students the opportunity to build several different robot models and then use science, math, and technology to program them. The iOgrapher bundles couple with our student’s iPads and allow small groups of students to film, edit, and produce video announcements that benefit the entire school. These wonderful opportunities would not be available without the fundraising and donations made by the Foundation.
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MORE TO MATH LEGO EDUCATION PROGRAM
“The More to Math LEGO Education program is a hands-on educational tool used for teaching mathematical problem solving. This is a program that I was able to discover at a professional development, and was beyond thrilled that we could bring it back to SCJ. The main goal of LEGO Math is to ignite children’s natural desire to explore and discover; this is something that I have witnessed firsthand in all of my students throughout the last two years. The program helps facilitate an environment where students can feel free and motivated to explore using the familiar LEGO bricks that they have fun playing with at home. I believe one of the best aspects of this program is that students see it as “playtime,” and are more encouraged to explore and take risks without it feeling like a regular math class that can sometimes be challenging or overwhelming. When students are given a task in LEGO Math, they often jump right in without any worries because it is a fun, engaging way to think about math. I also love that when students make a mistake in a problem, they don’t just give up like they would in a traditional math setting using paper and pencils. I can’t count the number of times a student will raise their hand and say “I can’t do it” or “It’s too hard” in a traditional math class. Because of the structure of LEGO Math, when a mistake is made, students just tear down what they have built and start all over without reservations. They are happy to learn through trial and error how to tackle difficult situations with confidence.
I also think the LEGO Math program has helped our students tremendously with their collaborative, communicative, and team building skills. In the primary grades, we often pair students up according to ability level and let them investigate using real world skills that they can carry on with them for the rest of their lives. In this multidisciplinary program, students are able to work together to master subjects such as language, math, science, technology, and engineering more effectively while improving and developing their 21st-century skills like problem solving, collaboration, and communication. The kids have to work on communicating with each other, taking turns, encouraging one another, taking on leadership roles in a team, coming up to the Smartboard and explaining in words what they have done, etc. I also believe the LEGOS are a perfect manipulative for the tactile/kinesthetic needs of certain learners, and it is fantastic to watch students flourish in this nontraditional math setting. As a teacher, there is nothing more fulfilling than watching your students excited about learning, and that is what LEGO math has brought to SCJ! ”