Dual Certification MAT Program: Focus on Inclusive iSTeM Education

1. Dual Certification MAT Program: Focus on Inclusive iSTeM Education

2. Are you an undergraduate majoring in math or science OR a career changer in a STEM field? New Jersey’s schools need your expertise.

3. “Our future success as a nation requires that we educate all of our children, that we do a better job of educating them… and ensure that students will be college and career ready in science and other essential subjects.” - U.S. Representative Lynn Woolsey

4. In order to be prepared for the fast-paced and globalized nature of the 21st century, our children need to fully develop creativity, innovation, problem solving, and communication skills. We can transform education through the work of teachers like you.

5. “Too often we give children answers to remember rather than problems to solve.” - Roger Lewin

6. Inclusive iSTeM integrative Technology Mathemathics Science engineering

7. Teachers who focus on integrating science and math through the design of technology that solves REAL problems have a ready-made framework for teaching these skills to students. These problem-based learning contexts are known as design challenges. In order for our nation to stay competitive, ALL children should be given the opportunities to develop these skills.

9. Teach STEM Now • In the future, 75% of jobs will be in STEM fields. • 10% of the American workforce are individuals with disabilities • Only 2% of those individuals are employed in STEM fields • Diversity of ideas lies at the forefront of creativity and innovation. Individuals with disabilities are an untapped pool of knowledge and experience that contribute to this process.

10. Teach STEM Now • Inclusive classrooms are those in which students with and without disabilities learn together. This kind of classroom is very common in New Jersey’s schools – in fact, diverse learners are present in every classroom. Unfortunately, most STEM teachers are not well prepared for teaching in this environment.

12. Your Role Teachers are the facilitators of knowledge in the classroom. It is their job to identify and teach the skills and content that students need to master in order to take charge of their own learning. It is the job of teachers to individualize instruction for every one of their students so that each student is successful in the classroom and prepared for college and career.

13. Your Role – What Inclusive iSTeM Teachers Say [Inclusive iSTeM] really lets them get their hands on the materials and they have a concrete idea of how to perform a task and they wind up with something. They’re more invested in the end because it’s their idea and their product that they’re coming up with. - Charmee Park, 7th grade Mentor Teacher

14. Your Role – What Inclusive iSTeM Teachers Say Looking at our student data, we compared how they did on the unit where we had a month-long design challenge as compared to how they did on assessments using the regular curriculum. We saw a massive increase in student scores. It was apparent that not just special ed students benefited but also students who tend to struggle with the general curriculum. Clearly the students were able to understand the concept, retain it, and then apply it to an assessment. That was really exciting for us. - Christina Bridges, 7th grade Mentor Teacher

15. Your Role – How Students Benefit We still adapt the design process to fit the needs of those with learning disabilities. But this process really gives those students: (1) the opportunity to be successful or become a leader where they normally wouldn’t in a traditional classroom (2) it also gives them the ability to have a hands-on approach when solving a problem whereas if they were using abstract reasoning, they might not be as able to solve some of the types of problems they are solving in eighth grade. - Lauren MacDonald, 8th grade Mentor Teacher

17. How Inclusive iSTeM Prepares You – Degree Program • Our program: • Master of Arts in Teaching in Math or Science • Dual certification in content and Teacher of Students with Disabilities • Inclusive iSTeM certificate and letter of endorsement • 48 credits of coursework that integrate • Math or science pedagogy • Special education and inclusive practices • iSTeM, a model that purposefully integrates science, technology, engineering, and math When STEM teachers know the right strategies and supports to use, students with disabilities can achieve in science and math. Our program prepares teachers who are experts in advancing ALL students’ STEM achievement.

18. How Inclusive iSTeM Prepares You – Degree Program • Ongoing, individual and small group advisement • Student cohort – a community of learners from various STEM fields that shares experiences and expertise • Two semesters of closely supported, collaborative classroom teaching • Nontraditional experiences in our iSTeM summer camp • After school program • Professional learning communities • Ongoing professional development institutes • Extensive involvement in our partner school with highly-trained mentor teachers

19. How Inclusive iSTeM Prepares You – After Graduation Research shows that new teacher support is critical to building strong student performance in the STEM fields. Through our ongoing investment in your success, we invest in New Jersey and its future success in STEM. • Online teacher induction system, STEM TIPS • Just-in-time teaching tips, strategies, and materials • Coaching and mentoring by highly trained members of our mentor teacher cohort • Resources for inclusive iSTeM teaching.

21. Contact Us • Facebook: inclusive-item • Twitter: @inclusiveistem • E-mail: Dr. Jennifer Goeke, goekej@mail.montclair.edu • http://www.inclusive-istem.com