Southeastern NEWS

                                                       Southeastern Louisiana University
                                           Public Information Office
                                           SLU 880, Hammond, LA 70402
                                           504/549-2341/fax 504-549-2061
    Date: 2/21/96
      Contact:                           Carol Dotson  42                   

Editors: Photo accompanies release
CLAUSEN VISITS AMITE HIGH TO OBSERVE COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT IN
ACTION
     HAMMOND - Southeastern Louisiana University president Dr. Sally Clausen visited
Amite High School on February 19 to observe a new pilot program designed to reduce the need
for developmental education in college. 
     The pilot program, which includes high school courses in math and English, gives
students  an opportunity to complete their remedial work before their first year of college.
      Eight high schools in three parishes are participating in the pilot project. Participating
schools are:  Amite High (Tangipahoa Parish), Fountainbleau, Mandeville, Northshore, Pearl
River, Salmen and Slidell High (St. Tammany Parish) and Walker High (Livingston Parish).
     Clausen said Tangipahoa Parish Superintendent Virgil Allen has been very instrumental
and supportive of the program. " Thanks to his forward thinking and the excellent assistance of
superintendents in St. Tammany and Livingston parishes, Southeastern is collaborating with high
schools throughout our area."
     Students in both programs will prepare a portfolio of work from the class which will be
reviewed and graded by a university committee.  "We want them to exit developmental and go
right into a regular course," said Dr. Sarah Spence, one of the SLU developmental English
instructors who is working with the project.
      "This high school English class gives the students more in-depth writing experience,"
said Angela Biandolillo, who teaches the pilot version of English IV. "Other English classes
emphasize literature, but this course is adapted to emphasize the writing process more. They're
still learning the literature, but they're using it to write summaries or character analysis. It gives
them a chance to learn and use the skills that they are missing."

                    --more--


PILOT PROJECT/ADD ONE

     During Dr. Clausen's visit to Biandolillo's class, students were busy with an exercise in
which they learned to follow directions and understand the importance of using specific details
and examples in writing. At first, the students found silly the idea of looking at strange shapes
and figuring out how to draw them, but as they continued, the project began to make sense. 
When time was up, the students exchanged instructions and had to follow another groups' written
instructions to see if they could create the shape.
     After watching the results of the assignment, Dr. Clausen said, "I sensed you enjoyed
what were doing and that your teacher has prepared you to work with each other.  You had fun
and the more you got into it you saw it was pretty significant." 
     "You will find that one of the most important things in life is trying to convey something
to someone else in a way they'll understand," said Dr. Clausen.  "That's what I do. I convey why
it's important to go to college, to have an education.  Following directions is equally important as
giving direction. You may not realize how significant what you're doing is. What you're doing
has a lot to do with life."
     Dr. Clausen also encouraged the students to continue their education. "Go to college. You
have an opportunity that many people of past didn't have," she told the students.    
     Dr. Clausen also visited teacher Ivy Alford's "Math For College" course. "The emphasis
here is on steps and procedures," said Alford. " Math For College presents a problem and gets to
the answer in numerous ways. It's teaching them that math is not that bad and they're having fun
with it."
     Alford is working on the students' math attitudes by giving confidence building
assignments to help get them into the process.  The Math For College course uses the same text
as the remedial math courses at SLU.
     "These kids are making a big step. They came into this class not sure what they were
getting themselves into. They were really scared about math, now they're more relaxed. Some
still have anxiety  but they're finding math really does relate to everyday life," said Alford.
     Both Alford and Biandolillo are positive about the project and are encouraging their
students to take advantage of the opportunity to begin their college careers with their remedial
work at SLU already completed.                                                
                      
                         -SLU-