Science and Math Innovative Learning Environments (SMILE) for Encore Careers in Education

里奥萨拉多是一所在线社区学院，也是马里科帕县社区学院学区的成员，与坦佩联盟高中学区和格伦代尔联合高中学区合作，正在为教育领域的职业生涯建立科学和数学创新学习环境(SMILE)计划，以支持持有数学、生物、化学、物理或工程学士学位的专业人员成为中学教师的招聘、发展和支持。Noyce资金用于向40名STEM专业人员提供津贴，这些专业人员将在亚利桑那州高需求学区的7-12年级数学和/或科学课堂上过渡到教学生涯。通过拟议的混合形式的SMILE方案，该方案将在线课程与现场实习和学生教学相结合，正在增加亚利桑那州高需求学区提供的数学和科学教师的数量和质量。SILE计划基于里约萨拉多学院的毕业后教师准备计划，这是一个为期一年的计划，旨在培养和认证在非教育领域拥有四年学位的新教师。在线课程将亚利桑那州的教师认证要求纳入课程，提供参与者成为高效教师所需的知识和基本技能。现场实习和学生教学体验提供了在课堂上观察大师老师的机会，并在受监控和指导的环境中进行教学。这种方法的结合为STEM专业人员提供了完成课程的灵活性，并允许该计划在全州范围内招募微笑奖学金获得者。在SILE计划下，方法和课程开发方面的课程将得到加强，以纳入基于国家标准的数学和科学内容。大师教师研讨会，专门为微笑计划设计，提供对数学和科学课堂有用的方法、内容和资源的见解。微笑奖学金获得者在整个准备计划期间以及在完成所需的教学承诺时，都会得到额外的发展和支持。微笑学者通过专业发展机会得到支持，这些机会整合了教材、在线资源和由三个当地NSF资助的中心开发的培训计划，这些中心为STEM教育提供资源。该计划还纳入了毕业后辅导，以提高微笑学者的质量和课堂留存率。通过微笑计划创造的综合课程增强、存档的硕士教师研讨会和专业发展机会成为里约萨拉多学院教师准备计划的一部分，因此对未来的候选人很有用。微笑计划为学者们提供了接受在线教学培训和经验的机会，从而在教师教育计划和劳动力队伍中建设能力，以满足亚利桑那州每个学区最近对在线高中的呼吁。特别是，微笑计划对数学和科学教师的重视促进了在线教学轨道上特定内容和实践经验的发展，以应对在线教学STEM内容的挑战。除了招聘、培养和支持40名STEM专业人员成为高素质的数学和科学教师外，SILE学者计划还提供了一个机会，以确定影响STEM专业人员招聘到教师专业人员的因素；确定特别有助于培养称职、自信的教师的计划活动；以及确定促进有效的数学和科学教师留在教学生涯中的条件。微笑传播计划专门针对社区大学和替代认证项目，这些项目在培养数学和科学教师方面传统上没有得到充分利用。

Rio Salado, an online community college, and member of the Maricopa County Community College District, in partnership with the Tempe Union High School District and the Glendale Union High School District, is establishing the Science and Math Innovative Learning Environments (SMILE) Program for Encore Careers in Education to support the recruitment, development, and support of professionals holding baccalaureate degrees in mathematics, biology, chemistry, physics or engineering in becoming secondary teachers. Noyce funds are used to provide stipends to forty STEM professionals as they transition into teaching careers in grades 7-12 mathematics and/or science classrooms in high-needs school districts in Arizona. Through the proposed hybrid format of the SMILE program, which incorporates online courses with onsite practicum and student teaching, the number and quality of mathematics and science teachers available to high-needs school districts in Arizona is being increased. The SMILE program is based on Rio Salado College's Post-Baccalaureate Teacher Preparation Program, a one-year program designed to develop and certify new teachers who have a four-year degree in a non-education field. Online courses incorporate Arizona's teacher certification requirements in curriculum that offers the knowledge and essential skills participants need to become highly effective teachers. Onsite practicum and student teaching experiences provide opportunities to observe master teachers in the classroom and practice teaching in a monitored and mentored environment. This combination of approaches provides STEM professionals flexibility in completing courses and allows the program to recruit SMILE Scholars statewide. Under the SMILE program, courses in methods and curriculum development are enhanced to incorporate mathematics and science content based on state standards. Master Teacher Seminars, designed specifically for the SMILE program, provide insight into methods, content, and resources useful in mathematics and science classrooms. SMILE Scholars receive additional development and support throughout the preparation program and while completing the required teaching commitment. SMILE Scholars are supported through professional development opportunities which integrate teaching materials, online resources, and training programs developed by three local NSF-funded centers that provide resources for STEM education. The program also incorporates post-graduation mentoring to improve the quality and retention of SMILE Scholars in the classroom. Integrated course enhancements, archived Master Teacher Seminars, and professional development opportunities created through the SMILE program become part of Rio Salado College's teacher preparation program and therefore are useful to future candidates. The SMILE program offers its Scholars opportunities to receive training and experience with online teaching, thus building capacity within the teacher education program and within the workforce to meet the recent call for online high schools in each Arizona school district. In particular, the SMILE program's emphasis on mathematics and science teachers promotes the development of specific content and practicum experiences in this online teaching track to address the challenges of teaching STEM content online. In addition to recruiting, developing, and supporting forty STEM professionals to become highly qualified mathematics and science teachers, the SMILE Scholars program provides an opportunity to identify factors that affect recruitment of STEM professionals into the teaching profession; identify program activities that are particularly helpful in producing competent, confident teachers; and identify conditions that promote retention of effective mathematics and science teachers in teaching careers. The SMILE dissemination plan specifically targets community colleges and alternative certification programs that have traditionally been underutilized in preparing mathematics and science teachers.