Once a week, Margaret Ann Ervin, kindergarten teacher at Seventh Street Fine Arts Elementary School in North Little Rock, cooks meals with her students and a fellow teacher as an enjoyable, hands-on way to teach math, science and literacy. She initiated the ELLA (Early Literacy Learning in Arkansas) program at Seventh Street, helping teachers in grades K-2 implement instructional techniques that support emergent readers. She also developed a phonemic awareness program, providing opportunities for at-risk students to study and experience spoken language as a foundation for developing reading and writing skills. Mrs. Ervin is a trainer in TERC (Technical Education Research Center), a research-based program adopted by the district to teach elementary math. She is also part of a team revising the district's kindergarten math program to meet the state's "Smart Start" standards.
1983 University of Arkansas System, B.A.
