- Year 2018
- NSF Noyce Award # 1758353
- First Name Tanya
- Last Name Berezovski
- Discipline Other: Bio, Chem, CS, Math, Physics
- Co-PI(s)
Augusto Macalalag, Arcadia University, macalalaga@arcadia.edu; Victor Donnay, Bryn Mawr College, vdonnay@brynmawr.edu; Greer Richardson, La Salle University, richards@lasalle.edu; Susan Varnum, Temple University, susan.varnum@temple.edu
- Presenters
Tanya Berezovski, Saint Joseph’s University, tberzov@sju.edu
Need
The Philadelphia Regional Noyce Partnership Scholarship (PRNP-S) program is an initiative of the Philadelphia Regional Noyce Partnership (PRNP). The PRNP-S program will use a multi-institutional partnership model to recruit, prepare and retain 55 STEM majors to become middle and secondary math and science teachers who will teach in high-need school districts in the Philadelphia region. The challenges associated with serving a low-income and diverse student population are magnified by
the precarious funding situation the District has faced in recent years, with large cuts in state funding causing the district to struggle to balance its budget. The District has a large number of teacher vacancies, with a particular hiring need for STEM teachers.
Goals
The goals of the Philadelphia Regional Noyce Partnership-Scholarship program are to: 1. Increase the number of STEM majors that enter and remain in teaching in high-need schools in the Philadelphia region 2. Increase the social capital of Noyce program participants at all levels 3. Increase Noyce teachers’ understanding of Culturally Responsive Teaching practices 4. Increase Noyce teachers’ knowledge of Education for Sustainability content and pedagogical practices In order to fulfill these goals, PRNP-S will implement a number of program activities that will take place within a learning community structure and include a focus on social capital building, culturally responsive teaching and education for sustainability: 1. Intern Learning Community. A six-week summer internship program for first and second year students from CCP that will combine a credit bearing STEM pedagogy course together with a teaching practicum in a summer STEM program. 2. Scholar Learning Community. A yearlong cohort based learning community that brings together preservice Noyce scholars supplementing the preparation they receive at their institution’s teacher preparation program. (Henceforth, we use the term scholar to refer to the pre-service teachers.) 3. First Year New Teacher Learning Community. A yearlong cohort based learning community that follows new Noyce teachers into their first year of service providing them with targeted induction and mentoring support. 4. Second Year New Teacher Learning Community. A yearlong cohort based learning community that supports Noyce teachers’ transition into their second year of service, facilitates their use of in-school collaborators and helps them assume leadership roles in their schools.
Approach
Research tells us that learning communities provide the space for pre-service and new teachers to name, reflect and act on problems of practice in collaboration with knowledgeable colleagues to ensure student success for diverse learners. Studies suggests that teacher learning communities not only address problems of practice, they unite pedagogical and content knowledge, foster transformative teaching among diverse groups, increase student learning and improve teacher retention. In addition, it is important that these professional development experiences be cohesive, sustained, use active learning and collaboration. The PRNP-S program has chosen to employ learning communities as a vehicle through which teacher development will occur. The learning communities will support professional Social Capital Development; promote Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT) practices; and increase knowledge of Education for Sustainability (EfS) content and pedagogical practices.
Outcomes
1. Strengthening of the STEM Teacher pipeline in a high need school district 2. Increased STEM teacher engagement and retention 3. Increased student engagement and achievement 4. Less stressful transition of pre-service teachers into in-service teaching positions 5. Deeper collaboration of partner IHEs leading to a more sustainable Noyce network in the Philadelphia area.
Broader Impacts
The PRNP-S program will contribute to broader impacts by: Increasing access and opportunity for students at the Community College of Philadelphia to pursue STEM careers by providing 24 internships (CCP has 75% minority student enrollment) 2. Preparing 55 STEM teachers who will teach approximately 8250 students per year (150 students per teacher) in high-need school districts in the Philadelphia region 3. Expanding Philadelphia’s STEM Educator Professional Social Network 4. Increasing STEM teachers’ ability to use CRT and EfS to engage diverse learners and prepare them to face the challenges of the 21st century 5. Developing a viable model of university partnership that supports STEM teacher recruitment, preparation and retention.
