IIT EDUCATES THE EDUCATORS IN MATH AND SCIENCE

Teachers need mentors, too. And as the need for stronger mathematics and science skills soars to the forefront of educational reform, the Department of Mathematics and Science Education at Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) is now helping to build a pool of teachers in the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) to more effectively teach math and science to students and produce leaders for new teachers.

With a grant from the Chicago Community Trust, IIT has teamed with the Chicago Math and Science Initiative to form the IIT-CMSI High School Mathematics/Science Teacher Leadership Collaborative. The program will produce mentor teachers – experienced educators who will serve as guides for new CPS teachers. The mentor teachers will earn a master’s degree from IIT in the year-long program at virtually no cost to them. These teachers will become curriculum and administrative leaders in the Chicago Public Schools.

“This program helps CPS teachers improve the quality of their science instruction so that it is more consistent with national reform efforts,” said Dr. Norman Lederman, chair of IIT’s Department of Mathematics and Science Education. “The ultimate goal is to improve students’ understanding of foundational science subject matter and enable them to make informed decisions regarding science-based issues. Graduates of this program will also become leaders for innovation in science teaching in CPS.”

The teachers began the intensive program last summer and now attend classes two nights per week during the academic year. In summer 2005, they will attend daily classes before finishing with a master’s degree in mathematics or science education. Participating teachers receive a $5,000 stipend, provided by Searle Funds at the Chicago Community Trust, and a nearly 90 percent discount on tuition. The Community Trust funding also provides pre- and post-program workshops for the CPS teachers.

“The IIT collaborators in this valued partnership will play an important role in deepening our math and science leadership, particularly at the high school level, which is an area of tremendous need,” said Marty Gartzman, chief officer of the Chicago Public Schools’ Office of Mathematics and Science. “Ultimately the program will benefit CPS students by providing teachers with an updated and deeper understanding of mathematics and science content and more knowledge of issues related to teaching those subjects. Through their participation in the IIT program, the teachers also become part of a strong professional community of other math and science teacher-leaders, with whom they will be able to share ideas and strategies. The result should be better math and science teaching and stronger math and science leadership for Chicago’s schools.”

The ultimate beneficiaries of the program are the students, who will earn a greater understanding of and appreciation for math and science topics, thanks to their teachers’ studies. Research has shown that teachers who are more educated and knowledgeable produce students who are similar.

“The primary key to student success in school is a highly trained and talented teacher,” said Terry Mazany, chief executive officer of the Chicago Community Trust. “IIT and CPS are committed to establishing a top-notch teaching education program. Rather than investing in training talented teachers and then expecting these new teachers to sink or swim, IIT and CPS have crafted a program that takes a year to prepare a supportive environment with trained master teachers and then places novice teachers in these selected schools in the second year where they can receive the support necessary to rapidly progress to experts in the classroom.”

The teachers in the program are not novices, but skilled practitioners eager to strengthen the math and science bases in the Chicago Public Schools and pass that expertise to newcomers to the district.

“These are teachers who average around ten years of experience, some of whom have master’s degrees already,” said Lederman. “They all have at least three years experience and a strength in mathematics and science. When they finish the program, they will have master’s degrees in mathematics and science education, but, more importantly, they will serve as guides to preservice and newly certified mathematics and science teachers, as well as bridging the gap between students and curricula.”

Founded in 1890, IIT is a Ph.D.-granting technological university awarding degrees in the sciences, mathematics and engineering, as well as architecture, psychology, design, business and law. IIT’s interprofessional, technology-focused curriculum prepares the university’s 6,200 students for leadership roles in an increasingly complex and culturally diverse global workplace.

Founded in 1890, IIT is a Ph.D.-granting technological university awarding degrees in the sciences, mathematics and engineering, as well as architecture, psychology, design, business and law. IIT’s interprofessional, technology-focused curriculum prepares the university’s 6,200 students for leadership roles in an increasingly complex and culturally diverse global workplace.