Ambitious Math and Science Teaching Fellows

Oregon State University, Corvallis OR

Investigators

Abstract

This Noyce Teaching Fellows project will provide training for 16 teaching fellows to complete a Master's degree program for licensure in secondary mathematics or science teaching. The project will also provide professional development and support for the participants during their first four years of teaching in high needs schools. The key elements of the project are (a) research-based teacher preparation courses and clinical experiences, (b) professional development to support induction, and (c) support for teacher retention. The ambitious teaching philosophy, which promotes instructional practices and routines that support every student, across racial, ethnic, gender, and linguistic boundaries as they learn essential ideas within a discipline, will be central to the curriculum. This project will be carried out by Oregon State University in partnership with the Mid-Valley Math and Science Network, six Mid-Valley School Districts, and the Teachers Development Group, a non-profit organization that designs professional development plans that focus on improving students' mathematical understanding and achievement. The project's goal is to provide fellows with a Master's degree program and follow-up professional opportunities that use an evidence-based teaching model, which focuses on the development of strategies that will support students from diverse backgrounds with an emphasis on solving real-world problems. The fellows will be introduced to the foundations of this ambitious teaching model (high leverage teaching practices, equitable instruction, and discipline-specific practices) during the Master's program and continue to refer back to these foundations once they have been placed in the classroom. The investigators hypothesize that the ambitious teaching model will be especially effective in STEM classrooms in high-needs schools. Project evaluation will address this premise through assessment of the fellows' continuing progress (Mathematical Quality of Instruction) and formative teaching observation (EQUIP) during the induction phase. The results and resources developed through this work will be disseminated through, the Mid-Valley Math Science Teaching Network, an established online network of Oregon teachers and administrators, and at meetings of the Teachers of Teachers of Mathematics.