S.T.E.P. thru S.T.E.M. Program Secondary Teacher Education Preparation thru Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics A COMMUNITY OF SCHOLARS AT WORK S.T.E.P. thru S.T.E.M. Program Secondary Teacher Education Preparation thru Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics A COMMUNITY OF SCHOLARS AT WORK Peter Sheppard, Ph.D. Coordinator, STEP thru STEM

Sheppard2 S.T.E.P. thru S.T.E.M. In response to the critical shortage of qualified STEM teachers, LSU faculty from math, the sciences, and education collaborated to create a unique 4-year undergraduate program that allows participants to obtain both a bachelor’s degree in a STEM discipline as well as complete all the necessary secondary teacher certification requirements. In response to the critical shortage of qualified STEM teachers, LSU faculty from math, the sciences, and education collaborated to create a unique 4-year undergraduate program that allows participants to obtain both a bachelor’s degree in a STEM discipline as well as complete all the necessary secondary teacher certification requirements. This program, now referred to as S.T.E.P. thru S.T.E.M., represents unprecedented collaboration among STEM faculty, education faculty and East Baton Rouge Parish School System, among others.This program, now referred to as S.T.E.P. thru S.T.E.M., represents unprecedented collaboration among STEM faculty, education faculty and East Baton Rouge Parish School System, among others.

Sheppard3 Program Goal GoalGoal –Produce 80 “highly qualified” graduates with teacher certification in a STEM content area.

Sheppard4 Program Objectives ObjectivesObjectives –Recruit and retain students for the new program; –Provide scholarships for students; –Enhance communication among university and school personnel involved in designing, teaching and operating the program as well as teachers and students impacted by the program –Recruit, train and support mentor teachers. –Develop and implement a permanent evaluation system for the program; –Train an "induction specialist" whose responsibilities will be to monitor and solve problems for graduates during their first two years.

Sheppard5 What Makes STEP thru STEM Unique for Students? Students earn degrees in Math or a Science Field and earn certification with secondary ed. concentration within 128 hours.Students earn degrees in Math or a Science Field and earn certification with secondary ed. concentration within 128 hours. Students visit high school classrooms in 1 st SEM. of junior year for field experiences.Students visit high school classrooms in 1 st SEM. of junior year for field experiences. Students are under the guidance of accomplished mentor teachers.Students are under the guidance of accomplished mentor teachers. Students can be offered teacher certification as secondary career option.Students can be offered teacher certification as secondary career option. Scholarship Opportunities Scholarship Opportunities

Sheppard6 Course Requirements The first course, EDCI 2001, can also be used as a general education social science elective.The first course, EDCI 2001, can also be used as a general education social science elective. This three credit hour course is an introduction to contemporary educational issues, especially as these are situated historically, culturally, socially, and politically; topics include history, theory, and politics of education, especially as related to gender, race, class, and technology.This three credit hour course is an introduction to contemporary educational issues, especially as these are situated historically, culturally, socially, and politically; topics include history, theory, and politics of education, especially as related to gender, race, class, and technology. This course is ideally taken in the 2 nd semester of student’s sophomore year.This course is ideally taken in the 2 nd semester of student’s sophomore year.

Sheppard7 Course Requirements EDCI 3001BIOL 3001EDCI 3001BIOL 3001 EDCI 3002BIOL 3002EDCI 3002BIOL 3002 EDCI 4003BIOL 4003EDCI 4003BIOL 4003 EDCI 4005 (Student Teaching) EDCI 4004BIOL 4004EDCI 4004BIOL 4004

Sheppard8 Robert Noyce $7,500 STEM-TP$500 Total Number Spring 2004 (apply Fall ’03) Six SixTen16 Fall ’04 (apply Spring ’04) Six SixForty46 Fall ’05 (apply Spring ’05) Six SixForty-Eight54 Fall ’06 (apply Spring ’06) Six SixSixty-Four70 STEP thru STEM Scholarship Awards thru 2006

Sheppard9 What Makes STEP thru STEM Unique for Mentor Teachers ? Mentor Teachers are recruited based on their ability to embrace reform based teaching.Mentor Teachers are recruited based on their ability to embrace reform based teaching. Mentor Teachers are compensated for hosting early field experiences.Mentor Teachers are compensated for hosting early field experiences. Mentor Teachers engage in the process of designing field experiences.Mentor Teachers engage in the process of designing field experiences. Lead Mentor Teachers train and recruit future mentor teachers.Lead Mentor Teachers train and recruit future mentor teachers.

Sheppard10 Mentor Teachers Mentor teachers are expected to be model educators, facilitators, content specialist, and critical friends to our pre-service teachers.Mentor teachers are expected to be model educators, facilitators, content specialist, and critical friends to our pre-service teachers. Mentor teacher have an increased responsibility in the preparation and training of pre-service teachers because of the field-intensive design of this program.Mentor teacher have an increased responsibility in the preparation and training of pre-service teachers because of the field-intensive design of this program. Seven Lead Mentors are currently in the program; eventually an additional 44 cooperating mentor teachers will be hired.Seven Lead Mentors are currently in the program; eventually an additional 44 cooperating mentor teachers will be hired. YearNewRetainedTotal

Sheppard11 What Makes S.T.E.P. thru S.T.E.M. Unique for the University? Faculty from Education, Math, Chemistry, Physics, and Biological Sciences take responsibility in training future teachers.Faculty from Education, Math, Chemistry, Physics, and Biological Sciences take responsibility in training future teachers. Faculty in math and science departments interact with high school science and mathematics teachers.Faculty in math and science departments interact with high school science and mathematics teachers. Low faculty to student ratio in 1 hour subject matter seminars (a.k.a. STEP Courses).Low faculty to student ratio in 1 hour subject matter seminars (a.k.a. STEP Courses).

Sheppard12 On Campus Recruiting Target Audience: Future Educators and Traditional Math, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics Majors.Target Audience: Future Educators and Traditional Math, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics Majors. Identify and Isolate Core Courses in math and science fields-specifically sophomore level courses.Identify and Isolate Core Courses in math and science fields-specifically sophomore level courses. Presentations/Brief SurveyPresentations/Brief Survey –Data Collection through Self Reported Survey Responses.

Sheppard13 Recruiting Sophomore Level STEM Courses are our target courses.Sophomore Level STEM Courses are our target courses. –Faculty of these courses are contacted in order to obtain endorsement to present information to their students. – Brief presentations are made to the classes, highlighting the major features of the program – Surveys are distributed in order to obtain self-reported demographic information and general interest in the program. –Gathered data leads to follow-up contact with all interested students.

Sheppard14 Student Reflections “I wanted to be a teacher but my parents wanted me to get a “real” degree that I could do something with if I decided not to teach later in life. This was the perfect solution to the problem.”“I wanted to be a teacher but my parents wanted me to get a “real” degree that I could do something with if I decided not to teach later in life. This was the perfect solution to the problem.” “My first semester in this program, I was assigned to an inner- city middle school. My first day, I thought “It’s going to be a long semester.” Now, after completing the semester, I think I would rather a middle school.”“My first semester in this program, I was assigned to an inner- city middle school. My first day, I thought “It’s going to be a long semester.” Now, after completing the semester, I think I would rather a middle school.” “I thought going out to the different high schools around the parish was great. It provided me with “on-the-job training” with a safety net. I was able to observe different teaching methods and the ways in which teachers handled disruptive students. Then, I was able to discuss my feelings with the teacher which was a big plus“I thought going out to the different high schools around the parish was great. It provided me with “on-the-job training” with a safety net. I was able to observe different teaching methods and the ways in which teachers handled disruptive students. Then, I was able to discuss my feelings with the teacher which was a big plus

Sheppard15 Reflections from Mentor Teachers “I think of a teacher-candidate as an apprentice. If I were an apprentice I would want to work with the best, I would not want to work with someone who is below average. People who are interested in sports like to observe, learn, and admire the best athletes; they certainly do not try to imitate the mediocre ones. I want to model myself as after the best.”“I think of a teacher-candidate as an apprentice. If I were an apprentice I would want to work with the best, I would not want to work with someone who is below average. People who are interested in sports like to observe, learn, and admire the best athletes; they certainly do not try to imitate the mediocre ones. I want to model myself as after the best.” “It is also important that they see things from a teaching perspective because they are so used to seeing from a student perspective. As a student you do not really think of all things and ways a teacher tries to get all of the students to learn. You mostly concentrate on how you learn. It allows them to get a bigger picture from the teacher’s perspective.”“It is also important that they see things from a teaching perspective because they are so used to seeing from a student perspective. As a student you do not really think of all things and ways a teacher tries to get all of the students to learn. You mostly concentrate on how you learn. It allows them to get a bigger picture from the teacher’s perspective.”

Sheppard16 Points of Pride The Secondary Education Concentration is the largest concentration among Mathematics Majors.The Secondary Education Concentration is the largest concentration among Mathematics Majors. We currently have ninety-seven science and mathematics majors enrolled in the secondary education concentration. That is more enrollees than the UTEACH (UT- Austin) program had at this stage in its development. We currently have ninety-seven science and mathematics majors enrolled in the secondary education concentration. That is more enrollees than the UTEACH (UT- Austin) program had at this stage in its development. The average ACT score for the science and mathematics students pursuing the secondary education concentration is which is higher than the university average for enrolled students which is 24.0.The average ACT score for the science and mathematics students pursuing the secondary education concentration is which is higher than the university average for enrolled students which is Among our cadre of outstanding students are:Among our cadre of outstanding students are: –A mathematics major who became a University Medalist for maintaining a 4.0 his entire career. –A biological sciences major who completed the program and was accepted into medical school. –A biological sciences major who scored a perfect score of 36 on the ACT. –At least two students earned the ETS Recognition of Excellence award for scoring among the top 15% of students nationwide taking the Praxis II subject matter and Pedagogy segment of the exam. –A biological sciences majors received the College of Basic Sciences Outstanding Sophomore Student Award. –A mathematics major received a summer internship with the Chicago Public Schools.