Re
flections from the ACTION Director
by Dr. Daniel Brahier
October is always an exciting month for ACTION. It is the first full month of recruitment and applications for a new cohort of scholars who will begin next year. It’s BGSU Family Weekend month where many of the families of our scholars return to visit campus, spend time together, and attend a football game. It’s also the month that the Ohio Council of Teachers of Mathematics (OCTM) will be hosting its annual conference, to be held this year at Kalahari in Sandusky.
Every few years, the OCTM conference moves to Northwest Ohio. When that happens, ACTION is engaged to help with the planning and volunteering for the event. Approximately 1,200 teachers from around the State of Ohio will be in Sandusky on October 24-25 to learn the latest best practices in mathematics education. One ACTION scholar has served for the past year on the planning committee, and dozens of others will serve as volunteers and attendees at the two-day event. Some of our scholars, including alumni, will make presentations at the conference, and we are proud to announce that two of our alumni are being honored at the Awards Luncheon for exemplary teaching in Ohio. Only 16 teachers receive this prestigious award each year, and 2 of them are graduates of BGSU and alumni of ACTION. Look to next month’s newsletter for photos and details on the conference and the awardees.
October for ACTION also includes our annual Fall Seminar. This year, scholars can choose among three sessions that will feature discussions of the Ohio Assessments for Educators (OAE exams), Surviving Methods and Student Teaching, and Building a Resume for Success. We look forward to hosting guest speakers, including alumni, to make presentations at this event that will take place on October 15.
Meanwhile, we ask you to help us to recruit another strong freshman group – Cohort 12 – who will join us with Summer Bridge next July 12-31. Application materials are available at the ACTION website (bgsu.edu/action), with a deadline of January 15, 2020. You can help us to spread the word by talking to students, guidance counselors, and administrators in your area. We will also have a Preview Day table on Saturday, October 19, to promote the program – yet one more activity for ACTION this month. Have a happy and wonderful October!