From Candidate to Teacher:

Innovative Induction and Mentoring in the PhysTEC Noyce

B LippittVisiting Master TeacherSeattle Pacific University

Amber FrazierNoyce Scholar

Seattle Pacific University

Jon AndersonPhysics Teacher, Centennial High SchoolTiR & VMT Coordinator, PhysTEC

What is PhysTEC?

PhysTEC is a project to improve and promote the education of future physics and physical science teachers.

It is a partnership led by the American Physical Society and the American Association of Physics Teachers, with support from the American Institute of Physics.

For more information, please see www.PhysTEC.org.

What is the PhysTEC Noyce?The PhysTEC Noyce program works with six university campuses across the country

Ball State University, Cornell University, Seattle Pacific University, University of Arkansas, University of North Carolina, & Western Michigan University.

Scholarships are available to future physics teachers▪ Up to $15,000/year for two years▪ Junior or senior undergraduate▪ Post-baccalaureate student pursuing teaching

certification 2012 – 13 is the fourth year of funding

What Distinguishes the PhysTEC Noyce?

Visiting Master Teacher (VMT) at each site Experienced high school physics teacher Regular contact with scholars VMT program began with 2010-11

scholars Supported conference attendance for

scholars Poster presentations at AAPT Meetings Noyce conference

presenter/panelist/attendee Summer research/internship

opportunities for scholars

Pop Quiz!

Please respond individually to the following questions: What is induction? What is mentoring? What do new teachers need to be

successful? How is induction/mentoring best

delivered? How does your institution provide

induction/mentoring support?

The “Typical” Physics Teacher

Quality Teachers Need to be Recruited!

"More than one-quarter of teachers are at least 50 years old, and nearly half will retire over the next decade" (Hirsch, Koppich, and Knapp citing National Center for Education Statistics, Projection of Education Statistics to 2008).

Every year, approximately 500 physics teachers leave the profession and only 300 become newly certified to fill these positions.

Two-thirds of new physics teachers lack a physics degree, and over 90% of middle school physical science students are taught by teachers without a physical science major or certification.

After Recruitment, Quality Teachers Need to be Retained!Over half of all science,

mathematics, and engineering teachers in the U.S. leave the profession within their first ten years (Alt & Henk, 2007, from U.S. Department of Education study, To Teach or Not to Teach?)

Up to 40% of physics teachers leave the profession within five years

Isolation…often the only physics teacher in a school.

Why Induction/Mentoring?A review of 15 studies on induction and mentoring programs for new teachers shows that support and assistance for beginning teachers has a positive impact on three sets of outcomes:

teacher commitment and retention teacher classroom instructional

practices student achievement

(Ingersoll and Strong, 2011)

Induction & Mentoring Defined

Induction: A noun. The name given to a comprehensive, coherent, and sustained professional development program to support pre-service and new teachers.

Mentoring: A verb. The process, formal or informal, of a knowledgeable and skilled veteran guiding a relative novice through the maze of an organization or profession.

”Formal” Mentoring Opportunities

Student teacher/cooperating teacher In-school mentor for new teachers

Both in and out of discipline Day to day details of working in the

school Structured meeting times

District mentor for new teachersLocal area mentor for new teachers

via local organizations of teachers

“Informal” Mentoring Opportunities Teacher Advisory Groups at PhysTEC sites Classroom observation/PD for new

teachers RET at local university physics department Outreach with local university physics

department QuarkNet Workshop at site in area Physics Modeling workshop Smaller groups of physics teachers

State AAPT organizations Local organizations (Go4St8 Physics Teachers,

Chicago Area HS Physics Teachers, etc.)

Mentoring in the Digital Age AAPT e-mentoring

To connect high school physics educators who desire additional guidance with experienced high school physics educators willing to provide it.

NSTA New Science Teacher Academy To help promote quality science teaching,

enhance teacher confidence and classroom excellence, and improve teacher content knowledge.

Facebook & Twitter Blogs and List-serves Online Professional Learning Communities

(PLC)

Guidelines for Mentoring

Determine needs of mentee Individualize mentoring experience

based upon individual circumstances Small vs large district Rural vs suburban vs urban district Content vs pedagogy needs

Maintain regular mentor/mentee contact

Recognize that mentoring is a dynamic process that must respond to the changing needs of the mentee

Advantages to Mentors

Articulation of teaching practices and ideas

Critical appraisal of what and why topics are taught

Acquire new teaching ideas and techniques from mentees

Acquire new teaching ideas and techniques from fellow physics teachers

An opportunity to give something back to the physics teaching community

The role of physics departments in the recruitment, preparation

and support of pre-college teachers of physics

Lane Seeley and Stamatis Vokos,

Seattle Pacific University

Pam Kraus Facet Innovations LLC.

Supported in part by NSF grant DUE-0310583, PhysTEC, an SPU Academic Renewal Grant, and the SPU Science Initiative

Special Thanks to: Theodore Hodapp Director of Education and

Diversity, APS

The Local PictureWe need to dramatically increase our investment in math & science learning. Employers are demanding more workers with science, technology, engineering and mathematical skills. The top jobs in the new economy require an understanding of math and science, so our math and science curriculum must prepare students to meet state and international standards.

Governor Christine Gregoire, January 10th 2007

Recruitment

Preparation

Induction

ProfessionalDevelopment

Mentoring &Formative Assessment

LA Program

Introductory Course

Early Field Experience Two YearColleges

School of Education

School Districts

Physics dept. partners with …

Adv. Phys/Edu Courses

Student Teaching

First Year Teaching

Teacher Leaders

Continuing Education

Life Cycle of a Teacher

Professional Community

Tim

e

What is a Learning Assistant Program?

Intentionally constructed to…

Shape attitudes Impact vocational goals Recruit K-12 teachers

A week in the life of an LA at SPU

Most LA’s have prior exposure as students to curricular materials

Weekly LA Responsibilities• Attend 1 or 2, 80 minute training sessions.• Assist in 1 to 3, 80 minute tutorial sessions.• Grading 0 – 2 hrs.• Weekly journal prompts.• Bi-weekly pedagogy course 2 hrs.

Recruitment

How can LA’s can be personally confronted with the possibility of a career in teaching?

Who should be targeted?

Success at SPU

PhysTEC Noyce Scholar Survey ResultsSixteen current and former scholars

responded 93.8% interacted with VMT 93.3% started interaction in September 2011 100% felt “comfortable” or “very comfortable”

with mentorScholar Quotes

“experience, advice, and guidance through my first year…”

“Have been exposed to different professional groups for physics teachers as well as networking with other area physics teachers.”

“I have been able to ask lots of questions about teaching, job hunting, and life in general.”

VMT Survey Results

Five VMTs responded All had monthly communication with scholars.

80% communicated weekly or daily. 80% “usually” communicate via email, 20% face

to face 60% of VMTs initiated contact with scholar while

40% was initiated by both.VMT Quotes

“…I was able to fine tune my teaching skills and pedagogy by helping…”

“…the work has been valuable for my personal growth…”

“The scholar learned the value of professional development and networking with other teachers.”

Recruiting Video

http://www.phystec.org/video/video-noyce.php

PhysTEC Noyce Summary

22 scholars funded since 2009 Eleven received two years of funding Four scholars funded for 2012-13 Six are certified physics teachers and

teaching in high needs schools Six expect to begin teaching this fall

VMTs assigned to all scholars Resource person for job openings in area

schools Opportunity to maintain ongoing

mentoring

Phenomenal Odds

~23,00o veteran physics teachers in US

~300 new physics teachers/year