A Model for Training In-Service Middle School Science Teachers

For the past four years, Francis Marion University (FMU) has hosted a four-week summer institute, entitled the FMU Middle School Science Institute (MSSI). MSSI has partnered content faculty (physical science, earth science, life science) and pedagogical experts/master teachers (education faculty) with middle school science teachers. Regional public school districts provided the teachers that attended the summer institute. These same teachers participated in curriculum enactment with their own classes during the following fall and spring. During the four-week institute, middle school teachers attended a content course and pedagogical activities from 8:30am to 3:30pm Monday through Thursday. During the middle two weeks of the institute, approximately 70 area middle school students were brought in to serve as four practice classrooms for the teachers. In year 4, teachers from grades 5 through 8 were accepted as participants. In all cases the breadth of the content course exceeded the scope of the particular curriculum unit. Pre-tests and post-tests were administered to all teachers. The details of the summer institute and follow-up activities will be presented.