STEM Teaching Scholars for High Need Chicago-Area Schools

Roosevelt University, Chicago IL

Investigators

Abstract

With funding from the NSF Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program, a team at Roosevelt University (RU), partnering with Chicago Public Schools (CPS), the Field Museum of Natural History (FMNH), and Oakton Community College (OCC), will recruit and prepare science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors and STEM professionals for careers in teaching secondary mathematics and science. RU and OCC will work closely to ensure the communication of clear advising and financial aid information to OCC STEM students and to organize recruitment activities with the goal of providing compelling invitations to careers in teaching mathematics and science in high-need schools. Furthermore, the Field Museum for Natural History will be a key collaborator on the design and implementation of internship activities. At RU, there are two pathways to teacher licensure: a traditional four-year undergraduate track and a traditional graduate degree option for career changers and recent college graduates. Over its five-year duration, the project will recruit 5-6 new undergraduate Scholars and 5 new post-baccalaureate Scholars per year, for a total of 42 new teachers. As a theoretical underpinning, this project will intentionally examine and support the development of STEM teacher identities to enhance their confidence and competence in STEM content knowledge and pedagogical knowledge as well as their translation of such knowledge into teaching practices. Thus, in addition to recruiting Scholars and preparing them for K-12 STEM teaching careers, project goals include: (1) strengthen RU's course-based approach to the development of STEM identities and (2) strengthen pre-student teaching curricular experiences. The project will also be an example of a partnership between a four-year institution of higher education (IHE) and a two-year IHE as well as a partnership between a four-year IHE and a museum.