Building Capacity for Smoky Mountain Noyce Scholars through Mathematics Teacher Circles

该项目旨在满足国家招聘和培训农村地区高中数学教师的需要。在与西南社区学院（SCC）和梅肯县，斯温县，和杰克逊县公立学区的合作伙伴关系，西卡罗莱纳大学（WCU）将致力于合作发展一个基于队列，未来的教师管道。该项目旨在制定一项招聘和支持计划，并确定未来教师面临的障碍。此外，该项目将通过SCC确定早期的实地经验，并通过Smoky Mountain数学教师圈（SMMTC）确定指导和建立联系的机会。通过关注基础设施、合作和保留三个需求，该项目旨在建设能力，以帮助解决中学数学教师的短缺问题，该项目的目标如下：（1）制定一项计划，招聘和支持各种各样的有才华的本科生，攻读STEM学位，并有兴趣成为北卡罗来纳州西部的高中数学教师;（2）确定学生在WNC中学数学教育中取得成功的障碍;（3）通过SCC现有的课程为早期实地经验建立各种选择;（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专业的调查，内容涉及在WNC教授中学数学的兴趣和障碍。一个地方教育机构重点小组，一个社区学院咨询委员会，一个教育充实计划咨询委员会，和SMMTC的领导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移选项，设计的教学桥梁和新的区域合作伙伴关系中受益。这个能力建设项目是通过罗伯特诺伊斯教师奖学金计划（诺伊斯）的支持。诺伊斯计划支持有才华的STEM本科专业和专业人士成为有效的K-12 STEM教师和经验丰富的模范K-12教师，成为高需求学区的STEM硕士教师。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力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.