Future Math and Science Teachers Get Experience and Scholarships

       Future math and science teachers in New York University’s (NYU) Teaching and Learning Residency program will get real-life exposure to the demands of their profession while learning their craft from a team of experts.
Recruited from among undergraduate science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) majors, the prospective teachers are placed in exemplary New York City math and science classrooms in high-needs secondary schools and also attend weekly seminars designed to introduce them to the content and pedagogy involved in teaching math and science.
The NYU program is one of 16 projects funded in 2007 through the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Robert Noyce Scholarship program. Successful completion of the residency make STEM majors eligible for a $10,000 undergraduate scholarship, plus a $15,000 scholarship for a fifth-year program leading to teacher certification and a master's degree in science or math education.
The residency includes recommendations from the New York City teacher and the NYU teacher educator who mentored the student in the residency, and from an NYU STEM faculty member who agrees to provide continuing content mentoring to the student. “Through the Noyce program math and science teachers are inducted into the profession early on,” says NSF Program Manager Joan Prival. “They’re put in touch with excellent teachers and given a real picture of some of the challenges they’ll face.”
This approach recognizes that beyond the financial incentives, future teachers need to be part of a community that mentors and supports them. While the Noyce program requires that they teach for two years in a high-need school district for each year of financial support they receive, the goal is to develop excellent teachers who will make a career out of teaching math or science. With the Noyce Scholarship Program, grants are awarded to colleges and universities to offer scholarships to prospective science and mathematics teachers.
The scholarship recipients are both undergraduates majoring in STEM disciplines who are preparing to become K-12 math and science teachers and STEM professionals who are making a career change to go into teaching. Recipients may receive scholarships or stipends of at least $10,000 annually, limited by the cost of attendance at their institution.Program Contacts:Joan T. Prival, NSF jprival@nsf.gov

— Teachers of Color