Be Brave Teach STEM: Building a Diverse Teacher STEM Workforce in Mississippi

Alcorn State University, Alcorn State MS

Investigators

Abstract

With support from the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program (Noyce), this Track 1: Scholarships and Stipends project at Alcorn State University aims to serve the local need of preparing high-quality STEM teachers in the state of Mississippi. Currently, in Mississippi, there are 58 districts with critical teacher shortages where mathematics and science teacher positions are unfilled. Districts in rural areas with little economic development have faced the biggest challenges in hiring teachers. A high percentage of these districts are in poor or underserved areas with a high percentage of minority students. This project seeks to meet the demand of well trained STEM teachers by preparing and supporting Scholars to become teachers at the elementary or secondary level in rural Southwest Mississippi in high-need school districts. The Be Brave Teach STEM project builds on the conceptual framework for the School of Education and Psychology at Alcorn State University. Over the five-year period, the project will provide 36 upperclassmen undergraduate students earning baccalaureate degrees in biology, chemistry, physics, or mathematics with intense support to become science and mathematics teachers who are culturally competent and prepared with pedagogical knowledge to teach in high-need schools. The 5E Instructional Model, which includes Engagement, Exploration, Explanation, Elaboration, and Evaluation, and is consistent with constructivist instructional approaches will be embedded into the project activities. This will contribute to conceptual understanding of science and mathematics by pre-service teachers in the service of supporting student success in mathematics and science. Built upon the constructs of the 5E Instructional Model, the project is comprised of four components: 1) marketing and Scholar recruitment and selection; 2) pre-Noyce Scholars support; 3) Noyce pre-service teacher-Scholar support; and 4) novice Noyce Scholar teacher support. Activities will include workshops and clinics, STEM Education service hours, pre-service teacher bootcamps, scholarships, mentoring and advising, and Scholar recognition. After graduating, the new teachers will participate in new teacher orientation sessions, a teacher renewal institute, professional conferences, and receive new teacher mini-grants. Strong partnerships and collaborative efforts include Hinds Community College - Utica Campus and six local school districts, Natchez-Adams, Claiborne County, Jefferson County, South Delta, Vicksburg-Warren, and Wilkinson County. 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 and 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.