Building Capacity for Smoky Mountain Noyce Scholars through Mathematics Teacher Circles

该项目旨在满足全国招募和培训农村地区高中数学教师的需求。西卡罗莱纳大学（WCU）将与西南社区学院（SCC）以及梅肯县、斯温县和杰克逊县公立学区合作，共同开发一个基于队列的、有前途的教师队伍。该项目旨在建立一个招聘和支持计划，并确定未来教师的障碍。此外，该项目将通过SCC确定早期现场经验，并通过SMMTC （Smoky Mountain Math Teachers ' Circle）确定指导和网络机会。通过关注基础设施、合作和保留这三个需求，该项目旨在建立能力，帮助解决中学数学教师短缺问题。该项目有以下目标：(1)建立一个计划，以招募和支持有兴趣成为北卡罗来纳州西部高中数学教师的有才华的本科生攻读STEM学位；(2)找出中学数学教育中影响学生成功的障碍；(3)通过SCC现有的项目建立早期实地体验的各种选择；(4)通过学生参与SMMTC建立指导和网络机会。数据收集将包括对在职教师、校友、学校辅导员和当前STEM专业学生关于WNC中学数学教学兴趣和障碍的调查。当地教育机构焦点小组、社区大学咨询委员会、教育充实计划咨询委员会和SMMTC领导层将帮助该项目实现其目标。由于这个项目，未来的STEM专业可以从有意简化的转学选择、设计的教学桥梁和新的区域合作伙伴关系中受益。该能力建设项目由罗伯特·诺伊斯教师奖学金项目（诺伊斯）支持。Noyce计划支持有才华的STEM本科专业和专业人士成为有效的K-12 STEM教师，并支持经验丰富的模范K-12教师成为高需求学区的STEM大师教师。它还支持对高需求学区K-12 STEM教师的持久性、留任性和有效性的研究。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The project aims to serve the national need to recruit and train high school mathematics teachers in rural areas. In partnership with Southwestern Community College (SCC) and the Macon County, Swain County, and Jackson County public school districts, Western Carolina University (WCU) will work toward the collaborative development of a cohort-based, prospective teacher pipeline. The project intends to establish a recruitment and support plan and determine barriers for prospective teachers. Additionally, the project will identify early field experiences through SCC and mentoring and networking opportunities through the Smoky Mountain Math Teachers’ Circle (SMMTC). By focusing on the three needs of infrastructure, collaboration, and retention, the project intends to build capacity to help address the deficit of secondary mathematics teachers.The project has the following goals: (1) establish a plan for the recruitment and support of a diverse pool of talented undergraduate students pursuing STEM degrees with an interest in becoming high-school mathematics teachers in Western North Carolina (WNC); (2) identify the barriers to student success in Secondary Mathematics Education in WNC; (3) establish various options for early field experiences through existing programs at SCC, and (4) establish mentoring and networking opportunities through involvement of students with the SMMTC. Data collection will include surveys of in-service teachers, alumni, school counselors, and current STEM majors regarding interest in and barriers to teaching secondary mathematics in WNC. A Local Educational Agency focus group, a Community College Advisory Board, an Educational Enrichment Programs Advisory Board, and the SMMTC leadership will help the project meet its goals. As a result of this project, future STEM majors could benefit from intentionally streamlined transfer options, designed instructional bridges, and new regional partnerships. This Capacity Building project is supported through the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program (Noyce). The Noyce program supports talented STEM undergraduate majors and professionals to become effective K-12 STEM teachers and experienced, exemplary K-12 teachers to become STEM master teachers in high-need school districts. It also supports research on the persistence, retention, and effectiveness of K-12 STEM teachers in high-need school districts.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.