Innovative Noyce Program for Preparing High School Physics Teachers.

ORAL

Abstract

The ``Robert Noyce Scholarships for Teaching Miners'' program at the University of Texas at El Paso currently consists of 14 mathematics majors minoring in secondary education, most of whom are preparing for the Mathematics-Physics Certification. From the time of their selection (junior year), till after they begin teaching, participants in this program will have financial support consisting of a {\$}10,000 per year scholarship during the last two years in college. Programmatic support during these two years consists of four, half-day workshops emphasizing: 1) inquiry-based teaching, 2) mathematics {\&} science integration, and 3) actual inquiry in the form of a senior research project. The workshops are facilitated by a team of university faculty and school district partners (EPISD and YISD). These district partners help with the workshops, but also mentor the scholars when placed at their classroom observation and student teacher sites. Once the scholars graduate and receive certification, they will experience unique induction year support: being hired in pairs or small groups and placed together in the same school. This placement with classmates combined with the mentoring of the same district personnel with whom they are familiar is hypothesized to be uniquely effective.

Authors

  • Eric Hagedorn

    University of Texas at El Paso

  • Olga Kosheleva

    University of Texas at El Paso

  • Amy Wagler

    University of Texas at El Paso

  • Ron Wagler

    University of Texas at El Paso