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Preparing Tomorrow's Science and Math Teachers Summer
2003 |
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Raritan Valley Community College's team - Lynne Kowski, Cynthia Hutton, Barbara Seater, Nancy Jordan, and Thomas Walsh of Kean University - reports that the following strides have been made in refining our teacher education programs in early childhood education and elementary/secondary education, and work has begun on a para-professional program and an alternate route teacher certification program: Our field experience course, which was first offered in summer 2002 to four students, has a current enrollment of 14 students. The weekly seminar allows students opportunities to explore the teaching profession while they complete 30 hours of classroom observation in two different public school settings. In-class discussions, course assignments, and classroom observation and journal assignments are designed to help future teachers reflect upon teaching. Our new Problem Solving Strategies in Mathematics course, with 14 students enrolled, teaches mathematical concepts for future and/or current elementary school teachers. Emphasis is placed on computational skills, problem solving and teaching via a hands-on approach. Topics include number theory, probability, statistics, functions, geometry, and measurement. Prospective teachers need a solid understanding of mathematics so that they can teach it as a coherent, reasoned activity and communicate its elegance and power. This course teaches mathematics in the connected sense-making way that future teachers need and is consistent with the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics' Principles and Standards for School Mathematics. Advisory committees for early childhood, elementary/ secondary and in several content areas, including middle/secondary school mathematics, continue to meet each semester. The advice and suggestions offered by public schools, 4-year schools, and RVCC representatives continues to strengthen our education programs. Our first annual Future Teachers Conference is planned for November 15, 2003 on the RVCC campus. The conference will address issues related to teaching for high school students, RVCC education majors, and current para-professionals and substitute teachers. RVCC began a para-professional program during spring 2003. The first course in the program is being offered at a county elementary school to nine para-professionals. Our goal is to expand the program to other school districts and offer a para-professional certificate at the end of the 60-hour program. Two team members recently completed a reverse site visit to our mentor Pat Cunniff's institution, Prince George's Community College. Future plans include updating the elementary transfer degree and coordinating the alternate route teachers certification program efforts through RVCC's University Center. Helping to prepare quality educators for the state of New Jersey continues to remain RVCC's goal. Participation in this Phi Theta Kappa/NSF project has added to our efforts in multiple ways. Lynne Kowski: lkowski@raritanval.edu
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