Partnering to Prepare Outstanding Mathematics Teachers

California State University-Fresno Foundation, Fresno CA

Investigators

Abstract

With support from the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program (Noyce), this Track 1: Scholarships & Stipends project aims to serve the national need for highly effective mathematics teachers. As are most states, California is experiencing critical shortages of qualified mathematics teachers and these shortages disproportionately affect high-poverty and high-minority schools. This project will develop and implement an intensive outreach program to recruit 44 undergraduate mathematics majors with the expertise, interest, and passion to teach. These students will receive scholarships and other supports to help them become highly effective mathematics teachers for high-need schools throughout the San Joaquin Valley. The Scholars will: 1) participate in seminars that will help prepare them to meet the diverse needs of students; 2) engage in high impact research experiences to develop their knowledge about teaching mathematics; and 3) participate in carefully structured early field experiences in high-need schools. By tapping talent throughout the Valley's high schools and community colleges, this project will produce mathematics teachers who reflect the demographics of the region. Over its five-year duration, the project aims to prepare 44 new mathematics teachers for high-need schools. The project activities include a bi-weekly seminar series in which Scholars will meet with master teachers and education researchers to learn about best teaching practices for their future classrooms. It will also provide scholarships and a high impact support system to facilitate the success of undergraduate mathematics majors in a rigorous, newly-designed four-year Single Subject Teaching Credential program at California State University, Fresno. The new, innovative program will allow students to graduate in four years rather than following the state's widespread fifth-year post-baccalaureate pathway to a teaching credential. The project will also deliver single subject, content-focused mentoring, an evidence-based approach that may help novice teachers guide student understanding of what it means to authentically engage in mathematics. The project will support a partnership with three high-need school districts (Fresno, Clovis, and Sanger) and the Education Futures Project, a collaborative of 14 local community colleges through the Valley. These partners will collaborate on outreach activities and new teacher mentoring of new teachers. The project will disseminate findings throughout the California State University system, for potential adaptation of the teacher education model at other California State University campuses. The Noyce program supports talented STEM undergraduate majors and professionals to become effective K-STEM 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.