1

Stimulating STEM Teacher Growth

Timothy P. Scott, Ph.D.

Associate Dean

College of Science, Texas A&M University

2Initial STEM Certifications by Flagship*

*Data collected from State Board of Educator Certification Educator/Teacher Counts http://www.sbec.state.tx.us/Reports/prodrpts/rpt_edu_tchr_prod_counts.asp?width=1024&height=768

Initial Certifications includes both Traditional Route and Alternative Route

University

06-07 Academic Year

07-08 Academic Year

08-09 Academic Year

09-10 Academic Year

10-11 Academic Year (through 5-31-11)

Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage

Texas A&M 157 37.56 133 34.73 109 30.62 133 30.16 106 35.81

University of Texas

70 16.75 64 16.71 55 15.45 60 13.61 36 12.16

Texas State 66 15.79 56 14.62 68 19.10 65 14.74 40 13.51

University of Houston

40 9.57 47 12.27 54 15.17 74 16.78 29 9.80

Texas Tech 62 14.83 54 14.10 43 12.08 62 14.06 45 15.20

North Texas 23 5.50 29 7.57 27 7.58 47 10.65 40 13.51

Total 418 383 356 441 296

3STEM Teacher Production Routes

• Middle School Math and Science Program

• aggieTEACH Program - (traditional certification with basic degree in mathematics and/or science)

• Accelerate Online - (alternative certification with emphasis on on-line instructional modules)

• Secondary Post-Baccalaureate Program - (Master’s level course work extending basic mathematics and/or science degrees by one year)

4aggieTEACH

• Introduce profession of education early, immediate and continued use of field experiences

• Complete degree/certification within 120 hours or 4 years

• Provide scholarship network to support committed students

• Involve students with Mentor Teachers throughout preparation

• Student chapters of NCTM and NSTA and early exposure to leadership opportunities

• Rely on research to update and improve training

5Letter to All Students from the Dean

Letter sent to all students entering the College 2 weeks prior to New Student Conference:

• Welcome from the Dean of Undergraduate Programs

• Congratulates incoming students

• Esteems profession of teaching

• Raises awareness of State/National need

• Introduces aggieTEACH Program

• Encourages students to consider opportunity to pursue teacher certification (including tuition/fee waivers* for initial course)

6

SCEN 201 Introduction to Teaching as a Profession

• Introduces lingo (standards-based instruction, high stakes testing, student centered learning, etc.)

• Approval – logistics for students to be in public schools

• Identify/recruit mentor teachers

• Placement of students (schedule, carpool, content area)

• Observe, reflect, journal/blog

• Mini-lessons, assist in laboratories, one-on-one tutoring

• TRACKING!!!

7

Field Plans & Degree Plans

• Degree plans, content courses for certification, and education courses = 120 hours (same as for any other degree in the area)

• Plan coursework to allow for appropriate scheduling, completion of pre-requisites, course offerings and access to courses

• 1 stop shopping for advising for degrees, required education courses, certification exams, student teaching, etc.

• Revisit courses, standards, state law, research and certification exam pass rates on regular basis

8Incentive$

• Tuition waivers*

• Small scholarships at freshmen/sophomore level (NSF Collaboratives for Excellence in Teacher Preparation)

• TEACH grants ($4k/year all four years)**

• NSF Noyce Scholarships ($10k/year - junior/senior years)**

**Forgivable loans

9Staffing STEM Teaching Efforts

• Teacher certification and K-12 teaching experience is a must

• Graduate Assistants (M.S. and Ph.D. students in math and science education programs)

• Advisors

• Post-Doctoral Researchers/Research Associates

• Budgeted positions are key and essential for leveraging outside investments and sustainability

• Student Intern

10Community

• STEM pre-service teachers must feel valued in disciplines that have historically catered to pre-professional and pre-graduate students

• Advising sessions targeted for future teachers

• Designated advisors that are familiar with degrees, courses and certification requirements

• Seminar Series/Hands-On, Make and Takes

• aggieTEACH Tutor Program (aTP)

11Community Cont’d

• Student Chapters of NSTA and NCTM

• http://www.nsta.org/membership/student.aspx?lid=tnav

• http://www.nctm.org/membership/content.aspx?id=7618

• Scholarship Luncheon

• Listserv

• Professional Development Opportunities

12Required Education Courses

13

Entry PointsFreshman Year Semester 1

Freshman Year Semester 2

Sophomore Year

Semester 3Sophomore Year

Semester 4Junior Year

Semester 5Junior Year

Semester 6Senior Year

Semester 7Senior Year

Semester 8

SCEN 201

Complete field plan with

aggieTEACH advisor

Submit field plan to COE advisor

INST 310 Meet w/ COE

advisor

INST 322 (OR SOCI 317)*

TEFB 322/323 Meet w/ COE

advisor

TEFB 324 RDNG 465/

460/372 Meet w/ COE

advisor

TEFB 406(sci) /407(math) Meet w/ COE

advisor, attend required stu.

teaching mtg., complete

Content Exam

TEFB 423 (Student

Teaching)** Complete PPR

Exam

SCEN 201 Complete field

plan with aggieTEACH

advisor & submit to COE advisor

INST 310

INST 322 (OR SOCI 317)*

TEFB 322/323 Meet w/ COE

advisor

TEFB 324 RDNG 465/

460/372 Meet w/ COE

advisor

TEFB 406(sci) /407(math) Meet w/ COE

advisor, attend required stu.

teaching mtg., complete

Content Exam

TEFB 423 (Student

Teaching)** Complete PPR

Exam

Be sure to meet frequently with the COE advisor. Contact Mr. Justin Smith at jdesmith@tamu.edu or 862-

2065 to schedule an appointment. This is where you will turn in your field plan.

SCEN 201 INST 310

Complete field plan with

aggieTEACH advisor & submit

to COE advisor

INST 322 (OR SOCI 317)*

TEFB 322/323/324 (Need 2 of 3)

Meet w/ COE advisor

TEFB 406(sci) /407(math) RDNG 465/

460/372 Meet w/ COE

advisor, attend required student

teaching meeting, complete

Content Exam

TEFB 423 (Student

Teaching)** Complete PPR

Exam

Suggested Freshman Pathway

Suggested Sophomore Pathway

Suggested JuniorPathway

* Satisfies core course SS requirement**Must have 2.5 GPR for student teaching. Option in place of student teaching is a full year internship . Must have 3.0 GPR & be interviewed and hired by district for internship.

Additional Courses Which Must be Completed for Certification: ENGL Lit (Humanities), COMM 203

14

• Use of Effective Instructional Strategies

• Requirement of research experiences

• Invite pre-service teachers to participate in local professional development:

∙ Texas Regional Collaboratives for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching

∙ G-Camp

∙ Teacher Summit

Use Research and PD to Inform Teacher Training

15Sustainability

• Endowments

• Teacher Stipends Course Fees

• Tuition waivers

• Scholarships

• Personnel Costs

16

• Tracking from 4 different programs (Middle School, aggieTEACH, Accelerate and Post-Baccalaureate Program)

• State certification data

• Retention to the profession

• K12 Student achievement

Data Management

17Institutionalization

• College of Science

• College of Education/Human Development

• College of Agriculture/Life Sciences (Genetics, Biochemistry, Nutrition)

• College of Geosciences

• College of Engineering

• College of Veterinary Medicine

STEM Teacher Education Council established 2011

18Retention to the Profession

• Induction Support

• Mentoring

• Electronic Platform

• Professional Development

• Aggie Teacher Network of the Association of Former Students

19aggieTEACH – It’s Time to Teach

20For additional information

Timothy P. Scott, Ph.Dtim@science.tamu.edu

Center for Mathematics and Science Education (CMSE)www.science.tamu.edu/cmse

Texas A&M University, College of Science979-845-7362

Jose AmayaaggieTEACH, Robert Noyce Scholarship

Texas A&M University