Stimulating STEM Teacher Growth

1 Timothy P. Scott, Ph.D.

Associate Dean College of Science, Texas A&M University

Initial STEM Certifications by Flagship*

06-07 Academic Year 07-08 Academic Year 08-09 Academic Year 09-10 Academic Year 10-11 Academic Year (through 5-31-11) University Texas A&M University of Texas Texas State University of Houston Texas Tech North Texas Total

Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage 157 70 66 40 62 23 418 37.56

16.75

15.79

9.57

14.83

5.50

133 64 56 47 54 29 34.73

16.71

14.62

12.27

14.10

7.57

109 55 68 54 43 27 30.62

15.45

19.10

15.17

12.08

7.58

133 60 65 74 62 47 30.16

13.61

14.74

16.78

14.06

10.65

106 36 40 29 45 40 383 356 441 *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 296 35.81

12.16

13.51

9.80

15.20

13.51

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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 level course work extending basic mathematics and/or science degrees by one year) (Master’s 3

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 4

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) 5

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!!!

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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 7

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)** 8 **Forgivable loans

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 9

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) 10

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 11

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 12

Entry Points

Suggested Freshman Pathway

Freshman Year

Semester 1

Freshman Year

Semester 2

Sophomore Year Sophomore Year

Semester 3 Semester 4

Junior Year

Semester 5 SCEN 201

Junior Year

Semester 6

Senior Year

Semester 7

Senior Year

Semester 8

Complete field plan with aggieTEACH advisor Submit field plan to COE advisor

TEFB 406(sci) INST 310

Meet w/ COE advisor

INST 322

(OR SOCI 317)*

TEFB 322/323 RDNG 465/ 460/372

Meet w/ COE advisor Meet w/ COE advisor Meet w/ COE advisor, attend required stu. teaching mtg., complete Content Exam

(Student Teaching)**

Complete PPR Exam

Suggested Sophomore Pathway

* Satisfies core course SS requirement place of student teaching is a full year internship . Must have 3.0 GPR & be interviewed and hired by district for internship.

Additional Courses Which Must be Completed for Certification: ENGL Lit (Humanities), COMM 203

SCEN 201

Complete field plan with aggieTEACH advisor & submit to COE advisor

INST 310 INST 322

(OR SOCI 317)*

TEFB 324 RDNG 465/ TEFB 406(sci) /407(math) Meet w/ COE

Meet w/ COE advisor Meet w/ COE advisor

TEFB 423 (Student teaching mtg., complete Content Exam

Complete PPR Exam

Suggested Junior Pathway TEFB 406(sci) SCEN 201 INST 310

Complete field plan with

INST 322 TEFB /407(math) RDNG 465/ 460/372

Meet w/ COE

322/323/324

advisor, attend aggieTEACH advisor & submit to COE advisor (Need 2 of 3) Meet w/ COE advisor required student teaching meeting, complete Content Exam

TEFB 423 (Student Teaching)**

Complete PPR Exam

Be sure to meet frequently with the COE advisor. Contact Mr. Justin Smith at [email protected] or 862 2065 to schedule an appointment. This is where you will turn in your field plan.

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Use Research and PD to Inform Teacher Training

• 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 14

Sustainability

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

Data Management

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

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 17

Retention to the Profession

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

aggieTEACH –

It’s Time to Teach

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For additional information

Timothy P. Scott, Ph.D

[email protected]

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 20