EducationNews.org

Truman Bell is Senior Program Officer, Education and Diversity Global Community Relations of Exxon Mobil Corporation. In this interview he responds to questions about the recent National Town Hall Meeting with Phil Mickelson and Margaret Spellings.

1) I understand that Margaret Spellings, together with Phil Mickelson and his wife Amy recently conducted a "National Town Hall Meeting". What is this all about?

U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings, ExxonMobil, pro-golfer Phil Mickelson and his wife Amy, the National Science Teachers Association and Math Solutions conducted an hour-long National Town Hall meeting to discuss the current state of math and science education in the United States at the 2007 Mickelson ExxonMobil Teachers Academy.  The Town Hall was facilitated by Mark Boudreaux, Manager of Corporate Citizenship and Community Investments for Exxon Mobil Corporation.  

Many of the issues they addressed stemmed from the findings and action items that were published as part of the study, Rising Above the Gathering Storm, and additional reports that highlight the critical need to support math and science education in the United States.

I have attached the executive summary of the report for your review. 

2) When did it take place?
 
The National Town Hall meeting took place Monday, July 23, 2007.

3) What exactly is the Mickelson ExxonMobil Teachers Academy?
 
The Mickelson ExxonMobil Teachers Academy is a one-week intensive professional development program for 200 third- through fifth-grade teachers from across the country that is designed enable them to discover innovative ways to teach science and math and to inspire their students.

The Academy is a joint effort of Phil and Amy Mickelson, ExxonMobil, National Science Teachers Association and Math Solutions. Based on the success of the initial two years, the Academy has been expanded to three sessions: one each in Baton Rouge, Houston and Fairfax.

The five-day session equips teachers with innovative methods for teaching science and mathematics to students. From egg drops to pendulums, teachers will be learning new ways to excite and inspire their students about math and science.

4) Where did all of this take place?

Mickelson ExxonMobil Teachers Academy
ExxonMobil Downstream Headquarters
3225 Gallows Rd
Fairfax, Virginia 22037 
 
5) Who were some of the participants?

The Mickelson ExxonMobil Teachers Academy participants include 200 third- through fifth-grade teachers from across the United States, as well as experts from ExxonMobil, National Science Teachers Association, Math Solutions and Phil and Amy Mickelson.  The teachers come from tournament communities on Phil's schedule and from communities where ExxonMobil employees live and work.

The curriculum for the program was developed by the National Science Teachers Association and Math Solutions. The National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) is the largest organization in the world committed to promoting excellence and innovation in science teaching and learning for all, and Math Solutions is a math-based professional development organization with a strong commitment to improve the quality of math education nationwide. 

Together, instructors from each organization lead the classroom exercises to help draw the correlation between math and science and solidify the teachers' understanding of key math and science concepts. The classroom exercises are designed to be hands on and encourage the teachers to explore and experience math and science concepts using the themes of force and motion.

6) Why the concern about math and science education? Why is math and science education so important?
 
Excellence in math and science education in the United States has a direct correlation to the country's ability to compete successfully, to prosper and to be secure in the global community of the 21st century. The technological innovations required to meet key challenges in the years ahead -- to pursue medical breakthroughs, to provide cleaner energy, to meet pressing environmental challenges - will require an American workforce that is highly skilled in fields employing math and science. 

ExxonMobil is a science- and technology-based company and employs more than 14,000 scientists and engineers. We understand the importance of encouraging math and science interest early on in today's youth in order to ensure a sufficient number of future scientists and engineers.

By supporting these subjects with professional development programs like the Mickelson ExxonMobil Teachers Academy, ExxonMobil strives to support math and science education as building blocks of careers that lead to discovery and innovation.

7) What did they hope to accomplish via this town meeting?

Secretary Spellings, ExxonMobil and Phil and Amy Mickelson discussed the current state of math and science education and raised awareness for the need for improvement in these subjects.

8) Why is ExxonMobil involved in this educational endeavor?
 
As a math- and science-based company, ExxonMobil has a long history of supporting programs that focus on the improvement of teaching and learning of science and math from pre-school through higher education. The Mickelson ExxonMobil Teachers  Academy is another step in ExxonMobil's long-term, strategically focused effort to strengthen the quality of education to build the next generation of math and science leaders. 

9) What question have I neglected to ask? 
 
Why third- through fifth-grade teachers?
 
Third- through fifth-grade is a crucial stage in life for the educational development of children.Children in this age group begin to form ideas mentally, and they can group things together.  The next level of mental development is sequencing and ordering, preparing the way for math skills, making them an ideal group to focus on to inspire interest in math and science education. 

Today's elementary school teachers tasked with teaching multiple subjects do not always have math or science background and face the additional challenge that math and science taught in today's elementary schools are far more advanced.

Published August 21, 2007