Preparing Chicago STEM Teacher-Leaders through Community Partnership, Transformative Practices, and Mentorship for Improved Middle Level STEM Education

Northeastern Illinois University, Chicago IL

Investigators

Abstract

This Noyce Track 3 project aims to serve the national need of developing highly effective science, technology, engineering, and mathematics teacher leaders. Additionally, this project will support 15 fellows by providing a graduate level certificate program in STEM teacher mentorship, training and practice in mentoring early career middle and high school STEM teachers, and partnership-building with local STEM organizations. The proposed project components will enable high-achieving practicing teacher fellows to mentor early career STEM teachers in placed-based approaches, increase their STEM content knowledge, lead professional development workshops, and build a strong and committed STEM teaching workforce. This project at Northeastern Illinois University includes partnerships with Chicago Public Schools, the Museum of Science and Industry, Math Circles of Chicago, and the Westside Bee Boyz. Project goals include: creating a NEIU 24-credit hour certification program in STEM mentorship; preparing 15 middle and high school STEM Teacher Leader Mentors over five years who will mentor a new generation of early career STEM teachers and assume leadership positions in CPS; creating and fostering a STEM community that consists of mentors and mentees, overlapping professional learning communities and local partner organizations that collaborate to create interactive, place-based, curricular enhancements that meet Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) Crosscutting Concepts and improve student engagement; building capacity for Teacher Leader Mentors to design and facilitate innovative professional development and induction support of STEM content and teachers in various contexts; and hosting annual ChiSTEM summer institutes. This project will be iteratively evaluated. Evaluation of the project will be guided by the following evaluation question(s): (a) How do place-based curricular enhancements, designed in partnerships between local STEM organizations, highly skilled STEM mentor teachers and early career STEM teachers, influence mentor preparation and mentee practice? and (b) To what extent do factors such as pragmatic mentoring, self-reflection, and examination of current research, best prepare STEM mentor teachers to design and lead innovative professional development? The results of this project will be disseminated to help enhance the field. This Track 3: Master Teaching Fellowships project is supported through the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program (Noyce). The Noyce program supports talented STEM undergraduate majors and professionals to become effective K-12 STEM teachers and experienced, exemplary K-12 teachers to become STEM master teachers in high-need school districts. It also supports research on the effectiveness and retention of K-12 STEM 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.