- Year 2024
- NSF Noyce Award # 2151135
- First Name Sarah
- Last Name Hartman
- Institution Wayland Baptist University
- Role/Position Principal Investigator (PI)
- Proposal Type Workshop
- Workshop Category Track 1: Scholarships and Stipends
- Workshop Disciplines Audience Chemistry, Life Sciences, Mathematics, Physics, STEM Education (general)
- Target Audience Co-PIs, Evaluators/Education Researchers, Noyce Master Teachers, Noyce Teaching Fellows, Other Faculty/Staff, Project PIs, Undergraduate and/or Graduate Noyce Scholars
- Topics Developing Teacher Leaders, Supporting New Teachers/Induction
Goals
1. Sharing what has been the most difficult part of the Noyce Scholars journey thus far2. Sharing why it has also been the most fulfilling3. Have a discussion about why mentoring new high school–STEM–teachers can be difficult at times4. Discuss what aspects of new Noyce programs other programs are finding difficult
Evidence
Share the mentoring program that is a part of the Noyce grant at Wayland, and discuss the participants. Glean advice, expertise, discussion as to how might improve. Get ideas from experienced K-12 teachers and STEM faculty in the field as to how to improve mentorship to better prepare STEM teachers.
Proposal
While working through the grant with our Noyce Scholars, the Wayland Baptist University Education and STEM faculty believed the Noyce Scholars would tout “time invested,’ ‘balance of schedules,’ or ‘commitment’ to be their largest concerns. Instead, it was surprising to learn the Noyce Scholars were most challenged by the trifecta mentorship approach utilized in the Noyce program to prepare them to become “Day One ready” high school STEM teachers. This trifecta includes an experienced former K-12 administrator,/now higher education faculty, an experienced former K-12 science educator,/now higher education faculty, and a former K-12 high school science teacher/now higher education adjunct faculty. These three individuals work together to determine what areas of mentorship are most needed for the Noyce Scholars and meet with the Scholars twice per month. The Scholars are then sent to a local high school classroom where they further their mentorship by practicing what they learned from the mentors. Ironically, while the Noyce scholars have verbalized this aspect of the program to be their greatest challenge, they have also declared it the most valuable part of the program. One Scholar shared that he learned more from the mentorship portion than he might have in his entire part of the Education program. Join this session to learn how to work with new STEM educators as they begin their teaching careers!
