Image provided by: Texas A&M University
About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 23, 1983)
; >:y ■ • local Battalion/Page 3 February 23, 1983 Big demand in math, science A&M easing teacher decline ■to types anii stories. (Hi : oncecol I by Scott Griffin Battalion Reporter Many educators say our na tion is faced with a shortage of qualified math and science teachers in high schools and Texas A&M University is one of only a handful of schools nation wide that has taken action to re duce this shortage. The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics re ported in December that there has been a 77 percent decline in the number of high school level math teachers coming out of the 600 nationwide teacher training programs. The council also reported that only 20 new math teachers graduated in Texas last year and only seven of them chose to teach. The National Science Board reported in October that from 1971 to 1980, student teachers in science and math decreased — threefold in science and four fold in math — and only half of them have entered the teaching field. Texas A&M is one of only three state schools to show an increase of graduates in secon dary math and science educa tion since 1975. Texas A&M had an increase of 16.9 percent, Southwest Texas State Universi ty had a 16.1 percent increase and the University of Texas at El Paso showed an increase of 2 percent over the same time span. Sixty-eight students are cur rently enrolled in secondary math teaching areas, the largest enrollment in the state, and 112 in science at Texas A&M. This represents more than 40 per cent of the students seeking secondary education certifica tion at the University. This number also represents about 20 percent of the total en rollment in the College of Edu cation. Dave Armstrong, head of secondary education at Texas A&M, says the University has shown an increase in these areas because of the nature of the school. Many of the secondary education students at Texas A&M are transfer students from technical-oriented areas such as engineering, physics or science. One reason many students are leaving technical curricula, says Armstrong, is because many schools offer better salar ies for qualified teachers. The base salary for a first- year teacher is now about $11,100 in Texas, he says. However, Armstrong says, these salaries are often augmented by as much as $6,000 in school dis tricts where heavy industries provide numerous tax dollars. In addition, the House Com mittee on Education and Labor this month approved a $400 mil lion to reduce the shortage of math and science teachers in elementary and secondary schools. The secondary education program here also is becoming more popular because of a suc cessful placement record by the University, Armstrong says. Ab out 93 percent of the Texas A&M secondary education gra duates have a job in their field. Many of these students receive multiple job offers upon gra duation, he says, and other de partments find it difficult to match this record. One reason for the successful placement record is that stu dents here are qualified within their fields of study, Armstrong says. Students in the secondary education program must com plete a curriculum of one 48- hour specialization, such as math or science, or a two 24- hour course curriculum, which will lead to certification in two subjects. Education majors must main tain a minimum GPR of 2.25, he says. As for the future of secondary education, Armstrong says, the government is predicting a wide-spread shortage of teachers by 1985, which means better opportunities for qual ified graduates. staff photo by Irene Mees Vice-consul Liora Herzl speaks about Israel Tuesday on the Texas A&M campus. rican disc] ■ newfound “oizadonol >r more $ >me upv fhat alreacl pment rf t act of a:;" Israel struggle For peace told by Patrice Koranek Battalion Staff ■he people of Israel are trying to achieve security and normalization in their country, the vice-consul of the Consulate General of Israel for the South west said here Tuesday. ■The vice-consul, Liora Herzl, who acts as an information offic er for the consulate, travels throughout the Southwest speaking to college classes, com munity organizations and church groups to bring the Israel perspective to the Amer- ican public. She visited the Texas A&M campus to speak to several classes and to hold meet ings with student groups. I!Herzl said there are two ways to approach the problems of the Middle East — through military action or through negotiations. ■ She also said the Palestine Liberation Organization, based in Lebanon, is using military tac tics to try to erase Israel. ■The PLO won’t recognize Israel as a state that is different but equal to other countries of the world,” she said. The peace plan developed at Camp David between Israel and Egypt is an example of peaceful negotiations designed to end the conflict over Israel, Herzl said. The borders between the two countries are open to commerce and tourism she said, and slowly the peace process is working. “Both sides don’t have to change their plans, but they . w have to be willing to come to the ™***-*^ J peace table and listen,” she said. “That is what happened at Camp David.” ■$V»N«,\v. The United States is the only country that can influence both ■•iv*?!'!' sides involved in the conflict, she said, because it is the only one than can gain everyone’s sup port. The Soviet Union could not work out peace negotions because it couldn’t gain Israel’s support. “If the Soviets can’t get some thing through positive efforts, they get it negatively,” Herzl said. When the Soviets can’t take over something, they jeopardize the work of others. ft flVJCO 8 ** * IVggie blood drive to be evaluated ACS Representatives from Stu- Jdent Government, the Wadley ( Blood Bank andTled Cross were 'scheduled to meet this morning at 9 in Rudder to evaluate the Texas A&M blood drive program. i) Since the mid-1950s the Uni versity has contracted with Wad- ley Blood Bank to hold three campus blood drives each year. I But the Brazos County Red Cross claims that it should be the blood drive sponsor, since Texas A&M students and faculty who need blood deplete the Red Cross supply in local hospitals. |i Phyllis Swanton, administra tor of the Central Texas Red Cross Blood Center, and Chris Lang, chairman of the Brazos County Red Cross, were to rep resent the Red Cross at the meeting. Dr. Norwood Hill, president of Wadley Blood Bank, and Bob Mahuirn, the Wadley representative who helps the Student Government organize the blood drives,, were to represent the Wadley Blood Bank. Representatives from the Stu dent Government and from two service fraternities, Alpha Phi Omega and Omega Phi Alpha, also were scheduled to attend the meeting. & me else' 8 '; please ^ 109. It*' cash re Climb Aboard For Family Value! INTRODUCING Swensen’s Cable Car Kid’s Meal ■rand'"? 16, P®* es contart ' ental ^ Mark^ i/valle { >a turd L •d my 11 >r pe rS °!!' ,lease c Served in unique cable car toy box. • Kids Sandwich* • French Fries • Plus Ticket For A FREE Ice Cream Cone All For Only CONCERT With Special Guest THE BELLAMY BROTHERS THURSDAY, MARCH 3rd 8:00 ROLLIE WHITE COLISEUM Tickets- $7, $8, & $8.50 MSC Box Office 845-1234 Feb. 7-11 Feb. 14 ‘Swensen’s Cable Car Kid Meal - $ 1.39 or less depending on sandwich available in market. Hamburger or Grilled Cheese Culpepper Plaza-College Station America's Favorite Old Fashioned Ice Cream Parlor v T , ktiVA'D $ M ft