- Year 2019
- NSF Noyce Award # 1339981
- First Name Serigne
- Last Name Gningue
- Discipline Biology, Chemistry, Geosciences, Math
- Co-PI(s)
Gillian U. Bayne, Lehman College of CUNY, gillian.bayne@lehman.cuny.edu; Sunyata Smith, Lehman College of CUNY, unyata.smith@lehman.cuny.edu; Orlando Alonso, Lehman College of CUNY, orlando.alonso@lehman.cuny.edu
- Presenters
Gillian U. Bayne, Lehman College of CUNY, gillian.bayne@lehman.cuny.edu; Sunyata Smith, Lehman College of CUNY, sunyata.smith@lehman.cuny.edu; Serigne Gningue, Lehman College of CUNY, serigne.gningue@lehman.cuny.edu; Nicolette Georgiades, New World High School, NYC, ngeorgiades514@gmail.com; Hillary Lantigua, New World High School, NYC, hillvillar@gmail.com
Need
The STEMELL program, an innovative school-centered and needs-based model that consists of reform based efforts that provide induction and epistemological growth supports which produce demonstrated positive impacts on teacher competency, teacher retention, and the science and mathematics achievement of high-need, low-performing urban students in grades 7 through 12. Our goal is to strengthen our understanding and implementation of critical elements inherent to carefully crafting and enacting pedagogical practices that are aligned to meet the teaching and learning needs of this special population of students. In this poster presentation, we will share descriptions and analyses of the teaching effectiveness of graduates from the Noyce STEMELL program, by highlighting the successful experiences and trajectories of Scholars into and along the teaching pipeline – as they evidence a response to the need to bridge gaps that exist in research that has already been established.
Goals
Guiding questions for this poster presentation include: What evidence is there of the STEMELL program’s success? What measure of effectiveness did Noyce scholars demonstrate in their pedagogical practices? What tools were used to measure their effectiveness, and what did the results show? What level of engagement did ELL students have as a result of being immersed in STEMELL pedagogical practices? How effective was the enactment of lessons that were crafted specifically for ELLs?
Approach
We ground our work in sociocultural framework that includes identity, self efficacy, community cultural capital, and Lave and Wenger’s notion of situated learning. Good teaching is necessary but not sufficient to ensure that ELLs meet benchmark content standards. The most successful research-based strategies that mathematics and science teachers can use to teach ELLs content more effectively in STEM classrooms include both interactional and linguistic ‘scaffolds,’ or temporary support structures. Successful scaffolding begins with content teachers (a) assessing ELLs’ background knowledge and literacy skills in English and the home language (and not just conversational fluency); (b) reflecting on the linguistic demands of their content area, and (c) selecting language objectives aligned with the math or science objectives for each unit of study.
Outcomes
The program is having success in keeping its cohort participants on track in completing their baccalaureate-bearing coursework, and having students take their teacher certification exams. Focus group data and data provided directly from the project staff also have demonstrated that the project has ensured that each of the participants meets all internship requirements and continues to participate in their ongoing weekly meetings with the teacher mentors at the partnering schools. It has been recognized that (1) Scholars are better prepared to teach than their counterparts, (b)there has been successful mentoring by cooperating teachers, and (c) Scholars have a unique advantage over other recently certified teachers. They have had meaningful opportunities in learning how to connect, manage, and work best with ELL students in high need mainstream classrooms.
Broader Impacts
Broader impacts include -A new/mixed model of teacher Preparation has emerged -We developed two new clinically-based courses to enable Teacher Candidates to experience similar experiences in two semesters: -Course I – 1 credit seminar along with 50-hours/semester internship at a partner school; the creation of a minor in education -Candidates spend 5 hours per week for 10 weeks Candidates also enroll in a similar seminar who complete these courses Seminar taught on site by one school faculty Course II – 1-Credit Seminar 1 credit Seminar along with 50-hours/semester Internship at a PDS. STEMELL serves as a prototype that can be used broadly to help prepare the increasing number of English Language Learners in mainstream urban math and science classrooms.
