Learning about a community and developing authentic and sustaining relationships are central to this STEM INSPIRES program plan. This model of community-engaged teacher education aims to develop Noyce Scholars who practice culturally responsive pedagogy and who personify the moral conviction required to work toward socially, culturally responsive pedagogy and teaching mathematics and science for social justice addresses issues of identity and power in the mathematics and science classroom. STEM INSPIRES provides opportunities for future STEM 7-12 Noyce Scholars to become part of the community, and can proudly say, “I Am My Community.” STEM INSPIRES provided perspectives and life circumstances of low-income and/or ethnic minority students, preparing future teachers to work in urban schools.

Year 2023
NSF Award #2050588
Registration Current Noyce Scholar

First Name Danielle
Last Name Bravo

Discipline Life Sciences, Mathematics, Physics, STEM Education (general)
Institution Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi

Abstract

The Try-Teach experience created deep and meaningful relationships between the cooperating math and science teachers, the Noyce Scholars and PIs on the project. As part of the STEM INSPIRES scholarship program, the program team recruited potential STEM Scholars during the spring semester of their sophomore year to apply for participation in an early, intensive, field-based teaching experience called Try Teach. During this field experience, participants spend five days after their spring semester completed with West Oso Independent School District (WOISD) master STEM teacher observing, collaborating, and co-teaching in a STEM classroom. They also participated in focus groups, reflective journaling, and surveys to help them process their experiences and how that experience influenced their perception of and desire to pursue STEM teaching as a career. The STEM INSPIRES scholarship program provides stipends to the participants and the STEM teachers who hosted participants in their classroom. Participants were enrolled in their sophomore year at either a community college or university and had a minimum 3.0 GPA. They completed an application for Try Teach consisting of demographic questions, stating reasons why they would like to participate, and report financial need. WOISD master STEM teachers were chosen for Try Teach through a collaborative process between WOISD administration and the STEM INSPIRES leadership team. These are the same cooperating teachers that attend STEM PD with the university and during the STEM INSPIRES Clinical Experiences year. Evaluation of Try Teach consisted of Pre/Post surveys for student perceptions of teaching and self-efficacy and pre/during/post experience prompted journals.