Experience.  The experiences and discoveries of our previous NSF supported work (Teacher Enhancement through Chaos and Fractals 1995 - 1998, Florida Atlantic University and Broward County School District) provided the cornerstones of this proposal.  Approximately 180 upper level middle and high school math and science teachers were trained.  A supplement to this grant extended the training to 35 teachers from grades 4 through 6 in the summer of 1998.  The content of this program was far broader than indicated by the title.  Selected topics from chaos theory and fractal geometry provided the connective tissue to interrelate and support many curriculum content areas in algebra, number theory, geometry, and current science problems.  Two elements that evolved during the previous work (a small cadre of dedicated, enthusiastic, and well-trained lead teachers; and immediate teaching experience at a camp as part of the summer institutes) play a critical role in the current program.

Goals.  The foremost goals of the program are to promote teachers as self-directed learners, and to promote the discovery method of learning for both students and teachers.

Based on the success, experience, and discoveries of our 1995-98 NSF project, our current program expands the geographic reach of the program to the eight urban and rural counties of south Florida: Broward, Collier, Miami-Dade, Hendry, Lee, Martin, Monroe, and Palm Beach.  These counties total 180,279 students in grade levels 6-8 and cover 139 middle schools with 2724 teachers.  This program focuses on the middle school, where the potential impact and the need for integrating science and math are the greatest.

The current program has two phases.  Phase one, which covers the first program year trains an initial regional cadre of 54 lead teachers in curriculum development and teaching in the subject area.  Phase two, which covers years two and tree of the program, trains 120 additional middle school science and math teachers each year.  Our target is to train a pair of science and math teachers from each middle school.  The lead teachers trained in phase one will help to train, coach, and mentor the teachers form phase two in teams of six.

The core activities of the program includes spring writing and development seminars, 3-week summer institutes, with instruction through lectures and hands-on workshops and a teaching camp with children, follow-up sessions, and small group mentoring thougtout the following school year.