Smithville High School
In 2010, when Truman State University was first exploring concurrent enrollment partnerships, Smithville High School in Smithville, Missouri, was one of the first two schools to sign up.
Shawn Logan, a mathematics teacher at Smithville, explained why he wanted his school to be an early adopter of a brand new model of instruction, Competency-Based Mathematics (CBM), “I was looking for an opportunity for MORE students to participate in college-level mathematics courses. The CBM program would allow us to expand the number of students we could serve with College Algebra, Plane Trigonometry, and Precalculus and add the opportunity to earn college credit.” Logan, a graduate of Truman’s Master of Arts in Education (MAE) program elaborated by saying, “I was also very enthusiastic to get to work with the Truman mathematics faculty who are all top-level great.”
In addition to being an alumnus of Truman, Logan is a 2005 recipient of the Christa McAuliffe Pioneer in Education Award, awarded by the Northland Chamber of Commerce. It is the top honor for a classroom teacher in the Northland suburbs of Kansas City.
Since launching the partnership, Smithville has also begun offering dual credit courses in Calculus I and Calculus II and Logan has been joined, at various times, by two other mathematics colleagues. Logan reflects that these experiences have broadened opportunities for his students, “Being able to offer both Calculus I and Calculus II to high-school students has opened doors for students to excel academically after their high school careers. From students who have attended Truman to those who have attended schools such as MIT, Princeton, and the service academies—all of them have said this coursework has made them well-prepared to have success going further in mathematics.”
Since its inception, hundreds of Smithville students have completed Truman mathematics courses.
Shawn feels that, when working with Truman faculty, he is encouraged to provide a true “university” academic experience for his students. He feels confident that he can implement high academic standards that will benefit his students when they graduate and pursue a college education.
“The Institute for Academic Outreach and mathematics faculty’s support has always been friendly, timely, and professional,” Logan says. “I know when I have questions or the students have concerns that I can always reach out to Truman for prompt attention to those matters.”
For more information on Truman’s partnerships with high schools throughout Missouri, email institute@truman.edu.