A Model NSF Teaching Fellowship Program to Improve STEM Teacher Recruitment, Preparation, Professional Development, and Retention in Rural High-Need Schools

这一诺伊斯教学研究员项目将为22名最近获得STEM学位的人和STEM专业人员提供教师认证。该项目将实施和测试在高需求的农村地区招聘、准备和支持新的数学和科学教师的模式，并创建一个强大的新教师和有经验的教师社区。在头两年，学员将获得个人指导和课堂指导，以及基于社区的专业发展机会。在奖学金的最后两年，他们将开始通过与所在学校的教师合作并协助职前教师准备来发展领导技能。该项目的一个独特特点是，研究员将有机会观察大学教师，然后通过NSF支持的大学课程观察计划就教学策略提供建议。缅因州大学和全州学区之间的这一合作伙伴关系是通过诺伊斯能力建设奖建立的。该项目将解决缅因州偏远、高需求学校面临的数学和科学教师危机，方法是通过严格的学习课程培训和发展新教师，并将一些项目活动扩大到包括导师和教学领域教练，他们是从因其专业知识而受到认可的教师领导人中挑选出来的。在整个项目中，来自高需求学校的导师教师将与研究员合作，提供建议和支持。教练将与研究员合作制定该学科的教学策略，并举办专业发展研讨会，在全州推广模范教学实践。到入职期间结束时，助教人员将有培训和经验来担任导师和教练的角色。形成性和终结性评价将侧重于访谈，考察研究员对他们与教师领导接触及其发展的看法和经验。这项工作的发现将在美国教师教育学院协会、美国教育研究协会和全国农村教育协会的会议上广泛展示。将为《化学教育杂志》、《科学教育与技术杂志》、《CBE-生命科学教育》和其他STEM教育出版物准备稿件。

This Noyce Teaching Fellows project will provide teacher certification for 22 recent STEM degree recipients and STEM professionals. The project will implement and test a model for recruitment, preparation, and support for new mathematics and science teachers in high-needs, rural districts and create a strong community of new and experienced teachers. In their first two years, fellows will receive individual mentoring and classroom coaching along with community-based professional development opportunities. In the last two years of the fellowship, they will begin to develop leadership skills by working with teachers in their schools and assisting in pre-service teacher preparation. A unique feature of the project is the opportunity that fellows will have to observe university faculty and then advise them on teaching strategies through the NSF-supported University Course Observation Program. This partnership between the University of Maine and school districts across that state, was established through a Noyce capacity Building award.This project will address the mathematics and science teacher crisis faced by remote, high-needs schools in the state of Maine by training and developing new teachers through a rigorous course of study and extending some of the project activities to include mentors and content area coaches, chosen among teacher-leaders who have been recognized for their expertise. Throughout the project mentor teachers from high-needs schools will collaborate with, advise, and support the fellows. The coaches will partner with the fellows to develop strategies for teaching in the discipline and deliver professional development workshops to propagate exemplary instructional practices across the state. By the end of the induction period, the teaching fellows will have the training and experience to take on the roles of mentors and coaches themselves. Formative and summative evaluation will focus on interviews that will examine the fellows' perceptions and experiences related to their engagement with teacher-leaders and their development as such. Findings from this work will be presented broadly at conferences of the American Association of Colleges of Teacher Education, American Educational Research Association, and the National Association of Rural Education. Manuscripts will be prepared for the Journal of Chemical Education, the Journal of Science Education and Technology, CBE-Life Science Education and other STEM education publications.