Post on 21-Mar-2016
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Different Strokes for Different Folks: Supporting New Teachers Using Multiple
Approaches
Allan Feldman, Morton M. Sternheim, Marlina Duncan, Sharon Palmer,
Janice WingUniversity of Massachusetts Amherst
STEMTEC II
CETP 1997-2002 More, better prepared,
more diverse K12 math and science teachers
8 (21) colleges, 7+ school districts
195 college faculty attended institutes
350 scholarships for prospective teachers
Original STEMTEC Program
2002-2005 Summative Evaluation New Teacher Support
Science and Engineering Saturday Seminars
New Teacher Dinner Club Online course Research experiences for teachers –
“appropriate master’s degree”
STEMTEC II: Follow-on Grant
Science and Engineering Saturday Seminars
Funded in part by Raytheon, Engineering School Low cost program, easily replicated anywhere Build ties between schools, UMass faculty 6 Saturdays, 8:30-1 Grad credit option (free PDP’s)
Lesson plan / class project; book review Reduced tuition
25-35 teachers/session, some new, some experienced
Very popular; people drive 1-2 hours
Fall 2003 Program
Teaching basic physics concepts
Geology field trip Civil Engineering field
trip (all day) Environmental evolution Food safety /
microbiology Recall for those
receiving grad credit
Sample Projects
Science Overnight, Westfield Middle, 300 students
Engineering Expo, Forest Park Middle, Springfield, 40 students
Manufacturing lesson, Milford High
Science in Industry, Great Falls Middle, 70 students
Lip Balm engineering project, Agawam Junior High, 617 students
The New Teachers Dinner Club: What is it?
The New Teachers Dinner Club is a support group for new math and science teachers.
The sessions are facilitated by Janice Wing, a middle school science teacher, and myself, a former science teacher now working on my Ed.D. at UMass.
Meeting Format
All meetings provide time for members to discuss classroom or educational topics of personal concern such as:
Classroom management issues Relating lessons to the frameworks Assessment techniques Planning tips MCAS discussion Resources (including best web sites, etc)
Vision of the Group
Create a Peer Mentoring Environment which fosters: Support Sharing of Ideas Sounding Board Gain Resources (classroom, personal,
professional)
Being a New Teacher
University course to support new teachers
Hybrid on-line/face-to-face Five regular class meetings Use of web-based environment (WebCT)
for discussions, assignments, feedback
Being a New Teacher
Topics: Classroom management Assessment Inclusive pedagogy Special education Web-based instruction Teacher research
Being a New Teacher
Sample assignments: Written reflections on readings Classroom Management Plan Case study Construct a website Final Presentation/Showcase of
teaching
Professional Licensure
MA requires new teachers to obtain the “Professional License” by the end of the 5th year of teaching.
The Professional License requires substantial work in the subject area.
Professional Licensure
Problems: Advanced subject matter courses are not
usually offered when teachers can take them (after school or summers)
Advanced subject matter courses usually are not designed to meet the subject matter needs of practicing teachers. [Academic discipline ≠ School subject]
Professional Licensure
Solution: Research Experience for Teachers Model includes spring semester before and
fall semester after summer RET. Teachers get graduate credit in the
discipline for their participation in the RET. Teachers learn engage in authentic science
practices on NSF-funded research projects.
Acid Mine DrainageResearch Experience for
Teachers (RET)University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Klaus Nusslein, MicrobiologyRichard Yuretich, GeoSciences
Sarina Ergas, Civil and Environmental EngineeringDavid Ahfeld, Civil and Environmental Engineering
Allan Feldman, Education
NSF funded interdisciplinary project
Teacher Participation
Spring – Journal Club (1 credit) Summer – 160+ hours of field work/lab
research in microbiology and civil and environmental engineering ($2500 stipend and 9 credits)
Fall – Journal Club (1 credit) Curriculum Development (3 credits)
Spring – Implementation of developed curriculum (3 credits)
Davis mine
Drainage below tailings pile
Tailings pile
AMD Project Goals
• Research aims to understand the natural biogeochemical processes involved in the remediation of acid mine drainage.
• Outreach focuses on involving teachers in real research experiences to aid in classroom instruction.
Stream confluence up close
Measuring well water depth
Preparing enrichment media under anoxic conditions.
Opening sediment jars and inoculating sediment into media bottles under anoxic conditions
Incubation and observation
Enrichment bottles with Postgate’s medium at
pH 3.0 4.0 5.0 7.0
Microscopy using a live/dead bio-stain with this fluorescent microscope. Pictures were taken.
Postgate pH 7.0 sediment from Well 4
Thread-like filament
Classroom Curriculum Topics
Metals / nonmetals and chemical cycles Mineral formation Topography Microbiology: micro-organisms in stream water Enrichment media technique Water quality tests: pH, ions (Fe, SO4
2-, Ca), hardness test, dissolved O, N, C, P.
Soil test – capillary action
Importance to Education Practiced full scope of developing and
implementing a research project. Different perspective on science and what it
means to really do research. More of a supporter for science than before. New respect for what it takes to earn a Ph.D
(motivation, patience and resilience).