Transcript The road less traveled: Personal reflections of a physics teacher educator Carl J.

The road less traveled:
Personal reflections of a
physics teacher educator
Carl J. Wenning
PTE Coordinator
Illinois State University
Where are we at?
» 50% of all current teachers will
retire in next 10 years.
» 40% of current science teachers
will retire within next 5 years.
» Illinois has 45-50 “unfilled” physics
teaching positions annually.
» Illinois PTE not up the task.
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How did we get here?(+)
» Historically small percentage of students
take physics in high school with growing
demand.
» Technology and jobs requiring more
science understanding.
» More science being required to meet
testing or college admission requirement.
» Physics First and Conceptual Physics are
having an impact.
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How did we get here?(-)
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Baby boomer generation retiring.
Competition from other professions.
Physics at end of lock-step sequence.
Failure of science teachers to promote
their own profession.
» Insufficient attention paid to growing
need for physics teachers by professional
organizations and postsecondary schools.
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What can we do about it?
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ISAAPT Ad Hoc Committee (2004).
Pipeline Project Report (2004/05).
Brochure & web page (2005/06).
Cracker Barrel discussion re: TG.
David Sykes
Ken Mellendorf
Mel Sabella
4/8/06
Ann Brandon
Rob Mason
Ivan Trimble
ISAAPT
Roger Malcolm
David Cornell
Carl Wenning
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Critical Steps
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Inspiration
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Induction
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Mentoring
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Retention
Identification
Recruitment
Preparation
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Inspiration
» Make physics fun for all students.
» Allow best students to practice teach
and tutor and set up labs.
» Conduct programs for elementary.
» Ask for comments and suggestions.
» Speak positively about teaching.
» Take students to a conference.
» Be a joyful teacher.
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Identification
» Good character traits: enthusiasm,
curiosity, honesty, patience, clarity,
trustfulness.
» “People personalities” with empathy.
» Natural teacher/natural scientist.
» Active participant/capable student.
» Strives for conceptual understanding.
» Good at time management/multitasking.
» Learns well from experience.
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Recruitment
» Must include direct/indirect approaches.
» A direct invitation followed up with
resource information.
» Take students to summer teaching
internship or workshop at university or
ISAAPT meeting for prospective physics
teacher seminar.
» Invitation by school district, including
providing supporting funds.
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Preparation
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Inquiry and the nature of science.
Constructivism/concept change.
Organizational patterns.
Metacognition and student selfregulation.
» Cooperative learning
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Induction
» Appropriate supervisory practices.
» Avoid overworking novice teachers:
» Multiple preparations.
» Least desirable courses.
» Most difficult teaching situations.
» More preparation time.
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Mentoring
» Pair up novice teacher with an
experienced teacher from the same
discipline.
» Formalize the relationship, and
provide remuneration to mentor.
» Consider employing retired
teachers.
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Professional Growth
» End the classroom isolation.
» Establish and nurture long-term
school-university partnerships.
» Provide professional development
opportunities.
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4/8/06
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S 2006
F 2005
S 2005
F 2004
S 2004
F 2003
S 2003
F 2002
S 2002
F 2001
S 2001
F 2000
S 2000
F 1999
S 1999
F 1998
S 1998
F 1997
S 1997
F 1996
Number of PTE Majors
“A Hopeful Sign” (AAAS)
PTE Majors from Adv ising Data
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Semest er
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What it took
» A departmentalized program.
» A full-time program coordinator.
» Program accreditation along with
implementation of NSTA Teacher
Preparation Standards
» A willingness by the faculty to say
“enough is enough.”
» Plenty of hard work!
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Challenges to PTE
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Many more PTE majors
More females and minorities
More rural candidates
A convergence of what constitutes
“quality” physics teacher candidate
preparation.
» A synthesis of PER findings.
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Challenges to ISAAPT
» The ISBE “science” certificate.
» Promotion of teaching careers by
our own and similar associations.
» Providing outreach to prospective
teachers through its meetings.
» To become more high school
physics teacher and physics
teacher candidate friendly.
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