|
 
MU science education students learn how to incubate and
hatch baby chicks. Upon graduation, they will be needed
to address the shortage of qualified science teachers
in Missouri. Photo by Rob Hill, MU Publications and Alumni
Communication
|
Fast-Track
Teaching Credentials
MU science education program works
to combat teacher shortage
As budget cuts across the country continue to damage education,
another crisis lingers in schools nationwide. The severe shortage
of qualified and certified mathematics and science teachers
is affecting the quality of school curricula and the overall
education students receive. A new program created through the
Southwestern Bell Science
Education Center (SBSEC) at the University of Missouri-Columbia
addresses this problem.
Science and Mathematics
Academy of the Recruitment and Retention of Teachers (SMAR²T)
recruits and prepares individuals with baccalaureate degrees
in the sciences or mathematics to teach middle school or high
school. Five Missouri school districts (Chillicothe, Columbia,
Hallsville, Moberly and Sedalia) are partners with SMAR²T,
which the National Science Foundation
funds.
“This program puts those individuals who are looking to
make a career change and who possess a background in science
or math on the fast track toward achieving their teaching certification,”
said Sandra Abell, director of the SBSEC and science education
professor at MU. “We have professors in mathematics, mathematics
education, science education, physics and environmental studies
participating in SMAR²T in order to provide these students
with the knowledge and expertise to become first-rate teachers.”
Sage Arnote, left, and Todd Sword, teachers
from the Independence School District, build
and observe density columns, an activity
from a “Properties of Matter” middle school
science curriculum. They took part in an
ELMSS summer institute at MU designed to
enhance science teaching in the middle
grades. Photo by Judy Davis Edwards
|
In 15 or 24 months, students can earn a
master’s degree in education while becoming certified
to teach science or mathematics, grades 6-12, in Missouri. Students
in the 15-month, Accelerated Post-Baccalaureate Program attend
two concentrated summer course sessions on the MU campus and
one school year interning at a partner school. During the school
year, the candidates are part of a learning community with other
interns, mentor teachers and MU faculty. The 24-month, Alternative
Certificate Program is for those who are hired by a school district
under the Missouri Temporary Authorization Certificate and teach
while they complete their certificate program.
Another project the SBSEC continues to conduct on is Enhancing
Leadership in Middle School Science (ELMSS), a 2-year project
which runs through April 2003. ELMSS’s goal is to develop
a model for enhancing the teaching of middle school science.
Science educators from MU, University
of Missouri-St. Louis and University
of Missouri-Rolla work with four Missouri school districts
(Columbia, Independence, Normandy and St. James) to implement
inquiry-based science teaching in their schools.
“The scientists help these middle school science teachers
become more science oriented in the classroom,” Abell
said. “ELMSS is unique because scientists play a strong
role and it is striking for a major research institution to
have so many scientists involved in a science education project.
The scientists benefit from this by learning how to become better
teachers in their own classrooms.”
Archives
| Comments | Home SUBSCRIPTIONS
Subscribe
| Change Your
Address | Unsubscribe
Copyright © 2009 — Curators of the University of Missouri
DMCA and other copyright information.
All rights reserved.
An equal opportunity/ADA institution.
Published by the Mizzou Alumni Association
Questions? Comments? E-mail comments@mizzoualumni.org
Last Update:
July 2, 2009
|
