Science Teachers Get A Glimpse Into The Classroom And Support For Their Future
We’ve heard the statistics about the need for more science and math teachers in the United States. In fact, over the next decade, schools will need 200,000 or more new teachers in these fields, according to the Business-Higher Education Forum in Washington, DC. The implications to our future workforce are evident – without a strong base of teachers, the nation’s ability to compete in today’s economy is at risk. Even more concerning is the low number of African American teachers.
The Siemens Teacher Scholarship program, sponsored by the Siemens Foundation, is providing a unique way to connect future teachers at Historically Black Colleges and Universities to the classroom and provide financial support for their education. The Siemens Foundation, based in New Jersey, provides more than $7 million annually in support of educational initiatives from grade school to graduate school in the areas of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) in the United States.
“This is a critical time to promote the growth of teaching careers,” said Jeniffer Harper-Taylor, Vice President of the Siemens Foundation and graduate of Southern University in Baton Rouge, LA. “This program provides the tools and resources to students who have expressed a genuine interest in teaching math and science, and brings us a step closer to increasing the number of teachers and role models for our next generation of leaders,” she said. Siemens Teacher Scholars also join a distinguished group of Siemens Foundation alumni – former scholarship winners of the Siemens Competition in Math, Science and Technology and the Siemens Awards for Advanced Placement, network online and have access to valuable resources on the Siemens Scholar Network.
“One of the greatest challenges faced by teachers today is accelerating the achievement rate across racial, gender, ability and socioeconomic divides,” said Jerib Carson, a graduate of Medgar Evers College in New York City, with honors, and 2008-09 recipient of the Siemens Teacher Scholarship. Jerib also participated in the Thurgood Marshall College Fund’s Leadership Institute and encouraged students who are considering teaching careers. Jerib earned a B.A. in special education and general childhood education and this fall is pursuing a master’s in education, on full scholarship, at Tufts University.
In partnership with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, the Siemens Teacher Scholarship program provides recognition and financial support to juniors and seniors at public and private Historically Black Colleges and Universities who plan to become science or math teachers. Students must have a desire to teach after graduation, maintain a 2.75 grade point average, and major in education, science, technology, engineering or mathematics. A key component of the scholarship requirements is the completion of a Siemens Science Day activity.
Many Siemens Teacher Scholars gain their first interactive classroom teaching experience through the Siemens Science Day program, a nationwide initiative in partnership with Discovery Education that has reached more than 56,000 elementary and middle school students since its inception in 2006. By participating in Siemens Science Days, Siemens Teacher Scholars are able to share their passion for math and science and gain a unique and concrete teaching experience. Scholars identify a local school and spend up to 2 hours introducing scientific concepts in the classroom, helping elementary students work in teams to solve scientific challenges in a fun and engaging way. For example, the “Oobleck” science activity uses simple materials such as cornstarch and water to examine the behavior of different types of solids. Students gain an understanding of how the properties of a solid material can effect how it interacts with water. Dozens of activities in the fields of earth science, physical science and earth science are available at no charge for download at www.siemensscienceday.com. All activities are aligned with national teaching standards for grades 4-6. Thurgood Marshall College Fund, in partnership with the nationally recognized STEM teacher preparation program UTeach, supports these students through its STEM Teacher Quality and Retention Program. These Teacher Quality and Retention Fellows are paired with an experienced mentor, attend training institutes, and receive support to pass credentialing exams. This comprehensive support continues from college through the first three years of teaching. Siemens Teacher Scholars have a unique passion for teaching that is further developed through the Siemens Science Day experience. Lindsey R. Rutledge, a junior attending Howard University (Mathematics/Education), says, “I truly believe that my destiny is to work with youth as an educator. I believe that becoming a teacher is a special calling and should not be viewed as ‘just a job.’ Teachers must want to add to the students’ educational experience. They must be sensitive to any challenges students may have; this special position just does not begin and end with the ringing of the school bell. You must be passionate about being a teacher.”
STATE OF EMERGENCY: STEM
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