Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2-1-2000
Abstract
UNIVERSITY, Miss. -- The Barksdale Reading Institute and The University of Mississippi will again receive national attention after a CNN story on the subject is aired sometime in the near future. CNN correspondent Brian Cabell arrived at Ole Miss Monday afternoon to interview Chancellor Robert Khayat and Dr. Martha Chambless, professor of reading education, about the Institute and its impact on Mississippi. He and his camera crew will remain at Ole Miss today to film some location shots. They will then travel to West Point and Brooksville to visit two elementary schools. Following their tour of the schools, the CNN crew will meet with Dr. Richard Thompson, superintendent of education for the state Department of Education, in Jackson. Later in the week, the CNN crew plan to interview Jim and Sally Barksdale, who donated $100 million to create the program. They hope the news piece will air at the end of the week, however it depends on the availability of the Barksdales, Cabell said. The gift from the Barksdales, believed to be the largest ever private donation aimed at promoting literacy, was announced in January. It is an historic partnership of private and public sectors, including Ole Miss, the state Department of Education and the state's seven other public university schools of education. The institute is designed to dramatically improve the reading skills of children through professional development of reading teachers. Kindergarten through third-grade teachers, as well as future reading instructors now enrolled at the eight major universities across the state, will learn the newest and most successful teaching methods. Headquartered at The University of Mississippi, the institute will award grants to colleges of education at Alcorn State University, Delta State University, Jackson State University, Mississippi State University, Mississippi University for Women, Mississippi Valley State University and the University of Southern Mississippi to employ additional faculty members. Classes will be offered at the eight universities and through long- distance, interactive sessions by these reading experts, who also will work with teachers in the field. The interview with the chancellor and Chambless lasted about an hour. Khayat told the newsman that he believes the program will serve as a model for other states to teach literacy. "A year from now, the story will be the success of institute and the positive effect it has had on our children," he said. Chambless agreed. "The focus will be teaching teachers the most effective way to teach reading," she said. "Experts tell us the key to learning to read is the teacher."
Relational Format
Newsletter
Recommended Citation
Lorton, Amy, "CNN Visits Ole Miss to Discuss Barksdale Reading Institute" (2000). University of Mississippi News. 8853.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/umnews/8853
Accessibility Status
Searchable text