- Year 2016
- NSF Noyce Award # 934831
- First Name Victor
- Last Name Donnay
- Discipline STEM
- Co-PI(s)
Josh Sabloff, Haverford College, jsabloff@haverford.edu
- Presenters
Bonnie Hallam, Bryn Mawr College, bhallam@brynmawr.edu
Need
The National Science Foundation Noyce Scholarship invests a lot of funding for recruiting and preparing STEM teachers for high need schools. This investment is fruitless if new teachers cannot be retained in the profession. The Bryn Mawr/Haverford Noyce Scholarship Program believes that staying in the lives of the young STEM teachers who receive our scholarships and supporting them as they navigate their journey into the teaching field and through their induction period helps them create their identity as a STEM teacher who is committed to staying in the practice.
Goals
In the past two years, our program has focused on mentoring our Noyce Scholars in a personal and individual way. We have encouraged our scholars to be part of the PRNP New Teacher Support program where they receive both one-on-one mentoring, an individualized support plan, and a cohort of other new teachers as a support network. In addition, those new Noyce teachers who do not choose to be part of the New Teacher Support Program are closely followed to support their professional development, career trajectory and their emotional well-being as we strive to help them remain in the teaching profession, particularly in high need areas.
Approach
Ensuring that we are staying in close communication with each of our scholars, taking in an interest in their professional development and helping them find resources to enhance this and establishing a personal relationship whereby the scholars come to us when they are in need or facing challenges are the key methods that we have used to help sustain and retain our scholars.
Outcomes
Out of 12 scholars, only 2 are currently not teaching in high need schools. One of these is teaching in a private school and one is teaching at the college level. All are still committed in one way or another to teaching STEM. Our goal for the future is to connect our scholars to networks where they can continue to receive support as they grow in their practice even when the Bryn Mawr/Haverford Noyce Scholarship program is no longer active.
Broader Impacts
Hundreds of secondary school children are impacted by the enthusiastic, intelligent and well prepared teachers that our Noyce Scholars have become. In addition, as our teachers take on leadership roles, they are impacting their colleagues and the wider educational community.
