- Year 2017
- NSF Award #1339919
- Registration Master Teaching Fellow
- First Name Brandi
- Last Name Norman
- Discipline Biology
- Institution Montana State University Billings
- School Name and District Currently Teaching Shepherd High School
Abstract
In our poster session, we will explain how our Noyce Scholars and Fellows are better prepared to work in high need schools throughout Montana. Our training focused on becoming the more effective STEM teachers through Professional Development integrating the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and Common Core into our daily lessons. We also created techniques to implement them in the unique culture of Montana. Members of the Montana State University-Billings Noyce Program have experienced extensive training in these standards to better prepare our current and future teachers for high need classrooms. Because of the frontier nature of Montana, our realities are that we may be the only science teachers 7-12 grades at our schools. With this challenge, we have focused on using available resources and specific high need professional development so we can recruit to and retain these positions in isolated areas. Recruitment and retention in rural towns is vital to Montana?s STEM education efforts. We have focused on developing a networking community among the scholars and fellows to prevent those isolated in these small communities from planning and prepping alone. Our Success coaches have played an integral part of this effort.
We have learned and collectively developed a multitude of lessons around the 3D mindset of NGSS and Common Core. With this training, and the art of collaboration, among Noyce Scholars and Fellows, a lasting collegial relationship was formed among the members of the Montana State University-Billings Noyce Scholars. Although our teaching jobs have spread our Noyce Scholars throughout a vast geographical area in Montana, we have created a network among us to share and support each together in our journey as educating the youth of Montana.
