Seattle Pacific University Project Report 2007
Induction & Mentoring
Successes
- Members of our Teachers Advisory Group (TAG) identified the students teaching experience as the single most important component of a teacher preparation program.
- We have established the Science Education Task Force. This group of faculty from physics and education met three times to discuss strategies for improving the recruitment, preparation, mentoring and induction of physics and physical science teachers.
- The Science Education Task Force has made a plan to work together to identify and support outstanding supervising teachers for PhysTEC student teachers.
- We have successfully placed our first PhysTEC teachers with outstanding supervising teachers from our TAG.
Challenges
- The TAG noted that as supervising teachers they have received few resources and little guidance or support from either their district or the student teacher’s education program. (We should note that our TAG members had not yet supervised student teachers from SPU).
- We are working to identify ways in which the Physics Department, working in partnership with the School of Education (SOE) can better support the critical work done by supervising teachers.
Sustainability/Physics Department Buy-In
- Physics faculty have committed to serve as evaluators of the student teaching experience for PhysTEC teachers.
Lesson Learned
- The student teacher/supervising teacher relationship is a critical experience in the growth of a new teacher. The modeling and guidance provided by the supervising teacher needs to be consistent with National Teaching Standards. Therefore, successful preparation and induction of PhysTEC teachers will require selecting and supporting outstanding supervising teachers.
Activity Summary
- TAG members will be invited to participate in induction/mentoring activities either as the provider or recipient of support. One TAG member has already initiated a professional education plan for herself. This summer she is scheduling bi-monthly meetings with the TIR to discuss relevant research and how that research can be used to improve design and delivery of curriculum.
- We are planning to formally invite all Noyce Scholarship recipients from last year to join our Science Community here at SPU.
- Intern teachers who participate in physics and science education are encouraged to participate in science-related workshops provided to in-service teachers in the Seattle School District. Participation in these courses opens the door for these apprentice teachers to be initiated into a community of teachers of science. Student teachers are encouraged to participate with their cooperating teachers when possible.
