Developing Effective Mathematical Sciences School Teachers for High-Need Middle Schools

Bethune-Cookman University, Daytona Beach FL

Investigators

Abstract

With support from the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program (Noyce), this Track 1: Scholarships and Stipends project aims to serve the national need to increase the number of highly effective mathematics teachers. This project will be led by Bethune-Cookman University, one of the private Historically Black Colleges and Universities in Florida, in partnership with Volusia and Flagler County School Districts and the Boys & Girls Club of Volusia County. The overall goal of this five-year project is to support talented STEM undergraduate majors to pursue mathematics middle school teaching careers at high-need schools in the Daytona Beach area. To achieve this goal, the project plans to recruit 25 STEM majors and support them as they obtain dual degrees in a STEM discipline and in mathematics education. To support robust recruitment, the project will fund summer internships to enhance the interest of STEM majors in middle school teaching. During their undergraduate years, the Scholars will receive financial support, as well as have access to research experiences, mentoring and advisement, and supplemental instruction and workshops. Following certification, the Noyce Scholar Alumni will have access to supports such as in-service workshops, mentoring, and field trips from Bethune-Cookman University, while they participate in the Volusia or Flagler School District induction programs. This project has the potential to serve as a model for recruitment, preparation, and retention of middle school STEM teachers. The project aims to improve the quality, quantity, and diversity of mathematics teachers in Volusia County and Flagler County School Districts, and to build sustainable models to address the teacher shortage by recruiting, preparing, and retaining mathematics teachers. To achieve these goals, the project will award 20 two-year scholarships and 5 one-year scholarships to STEM undergraduate majors who demonstrate commitment to become middle school teachers of mathematics. STEM majors supported by the project include mathematics, biology, chemistry, computer engineering, computer science, and integrated environmental science. Additionally, to stimulate the interest of first- and second-year STEM students in K-12 teaching careers, the project will award forty internships to STEM students. These 14-week internships will be organized in partnership with Volusia and Flagler County School Districts and the Boys & Girls Club of Volusia County, and serve as a "preparatory academy" for recruiting students into the scholarship component of the project. The internship will provide students with instructional experiences in informal learning settings and help students understand the competencies and skills required for highly qualified teachers. The Noyce program supports talented STEM undergraduate majors and professionals to become effective K-12 mathematics and science teachers in high-need school districts and experienced, exemplary K-12 STEM teachers to become STEM master teachers. It also supports research on the persistence, retention, and effectiveness of K-12 teachers in high-need school districts. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.