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Stimulating STEM Teacher Growth

This program aims to stimulate the growth of STEM teachers through initial certifications and incentives such as tuition waivers, scholarships, and forgivable loans. It also focuses on providing mentoring and professional development opportunities for pre-service teachers to ensure their success in the field. Data management and tracking are essential for monitoring program effectiveness and teacher retention.

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Stimulating STEM Teacher Growth

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  1. Stimulating STEM Teacher Growth Timothy P. Scott, Ph.D. Associate Dean College of Science, Texas A&M University

  2. Initial STEM Certifications by Flagship* *Data collected from State Board of Educator Certification Educator/Teacher Counts http://www.sbec.state.tx.us/Reports/prodrpts/rpt_edu_tchr_prod_counts.asp?width=1024&height=768 Initial Certifications includes both Traditional Route and Alternative Route

  3. STEM Teacher Production Routes • Middle School Math and Science Program • aggieTEACH Program - (traditional certification with basic degree in mathematics and/or science) • Accelerate Online - (alternative certification with emphasis on on-line instructional modules) • Secondary Post-Baccalaureate Program - (Master’s level course work extending basic mathematics and/or science degrees by one year)

  4. aggieTEACH • Introduce profession of education early, immediate and continued use of field experiences • Complete degree/certification within 120 hours or 4 years • Provide scholarship network to support committed students • Involve students with Mentor Teachers throughout preparation • Student chapters of NCTM and NSTA and early exposure to leadership opportunities • Rely on research to update and improve training

  5. Letter to All Students from the Dean • Letter sent to all students entering the College 2 weeks prior to New Student Conference: • Welcome from the Dean of Undergraduate Programs • Congratulates incoming students • Esteems profession of teaching • Raises awareness of State/National need • Introduces aggieTEACH Program • Encourages students to consider opportunity to pursue teacher certification (including tuition/fee waivers* for initial course)

  6. SCEN 201 Introduction to Teaching as a Profession • Introduces lingo (standards-based instruction, high stakes testing, student centered learning, etc.) • Approval – logistics for students to be in public schools • Identify/recruit mentor teachers • Placement of students (schedule, carpool, content area) • Observe, reflect, journal/blog • Mini-lessons, assist in laboratories, one-on-one tutoring • TRACKING!!!

  7. Field Plans & Degree Plans • Degree plans, content courses for certification, and education courses = 120 hours (same as for any other degree in the area) • Plan coursework to allow for appropriate scheduling, completion of pre-requisites, course offerings and access to courses • 1 stop shopping for advising for degrees, required education courses, certification exams, student teaching, etc. • Revisit courses, standards, state law, research and certification exam pass rates on regular basis

  8. Incentive$ • Tuition waivers* • Small scholarships at freshmen/sophomore level (NSF Collaboratives for Excellence in Teacher Preparation) • TEACH grants ($4k/year all four years)** • NSF Noyce Scholarships ($10k/year - junior/senior years)** • **Forgivable loans

  9. Staffing STEM Teaching Efforts • Teacher certification and K-12 teaching experience is a must • Graduate Assistants (M.S. and Ph.D. students in math and science education programs) • Advisors • Post-Doctoral Researchers/Research Associates • Budgeted positions are key and essential for leveraging outside investments and sustainability • Student Intern

  10. Community • STEM pre-service teachers must feel valued in disciplines that have historically catered to pre-professional and pre-graduate students • Advising sessions targeted for future teachers • Designated advisors that are familiar with degrees, courses and certification requirements • Seminar Series/Hands-On, Make and Takes • aggieTEACH Tutor Program (aTP)

  11. Community Cont’d • Student Chapters of NSTA and NCTM • http://www.nsta.org/membership/student.aspx?lid=tnav • http://www.nctm.org/membership/content.aspx?id=7618 • Scholarship Luncheon • Listserv • Professional Development Opportunities

  12. Required Education Courses • SCEN 201 (1 hr) – Intro to the Profession • INST 310 (3 hrs) – Special Populations • TEFB 322 (3 hrs) – Teaching as a Profession • TEFB 323 (3 hrs) – Teaching Skills I • TEFB 324 (3 hrs) – Teaching Skills II • TEFB 406/407 ( 3 hrs) – Science/Math Methods • Student Teaching or Internship

  13. Entry Points

  14. Use of Effective Instructional Strategies Requirement of research experiences Invite pre-service teachers to participate in local professional development: Texas Regional Collaboratives for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching G-Camp Teacher Summit Use Research and PD to Inform Teacher Training

  15. Sustainability • Endowments • Teacher Stipends Course Fees • Tuition waivers • Scholarships • Personnel Costs

  16. Tracking from 4 different programs (Middle School, aggieTEACH, Accelerate and Post-Baccalaureate Program) State certification data Retention to the profession K12 Student achievement Data Management

  17. Institutionalization • College of Science • College of Education/Human Development • College of Agriculture/Life Sciences (Genetics, Biochemistry, Nutrition) • College of Geosciences • College of Engineering • College of Veterinary Medicine • STEM Teacher Education Council established 2011

  18. Retention to the Profession • Induction Support • Mentoring • Electronic Platform • Professional Development • Aggie Teacher Network of the Association of Former Students

  19. aggieTEACH – It’s Time to Teach

  20. For additional information Timothy P. Scott, Ph.D tim@science.tamu.edu Center for Mathematics and Science Education (CMSE) www.science.tamu.edu/cmse Texas A&M University, College of Science 979-845-7362 Jose Amaya aggieTEACH, Robert Noyce Scholarship Texas A&M University

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