More than 350 teachers, current students, faculty from education and chemistry, and alumni heard dynamic education speaker Harry Wong on Saturday in Chapel Auditorium.  He led a workshop, “Teachers Make a Difference,” with a message based on educational research that demonstrates that the only way to improve student achievement is through increasing teacher effectiveness.  The event was sponsored by Project CoMeT-R, a Title II Teacher Quality Recruitment grant. 

In 2006, Wong was listed on Instructor magazine’s poll for the most admired people in the world of education that also included Maya Angelou, Laura Bush, Bill Cosby, Hillary Clinton, Howard Gardner and Oprah Winfrey and he is highly sought after as a speaker. Wong's workshop included a powerful message from Chelonda Seroyer, a teacher who had used the strategies discussed in his book, The First Days of School, and how this has made a tremendous difference; she has also been recognized by her high school campus and school district for her excellence in teaching.  Each participant received a copy of the First Days of School book, which is a national best seller.

Dr. Jerrie Jackson, project director, said:  “It was amazing to see teachers arriving an hour before the workshop to get a front-row seat.  We had to wait almost two years to get on his speaking calendar but this was well worth the wait."

Dr. Jackson and Dr. Gadsden, co-director of Project CoMeT-R, would like to thank Doris Reeves, CoMeT-R Grant Assistant, the education students who volunteered and assisted with registration, the staff from Physical Plant who helped with all of the set-up and clean-up activities and the Police Department for their assistance with parking.