Supporting STEM Teaching and Learning through Communities
S2TLC is a six-year NSF-funded partnership of the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Greenfield, Holyoke, and Springfield public schools, the Mahar Regional school district and the Hitchcock Center for the Environment. From 2011-2017 the project has been building and supporting a community and pipeline of STEM educators that explore deep content knowledge, inquiry-based and culturally responsive practices, and the integration of technology in grades 6-12 mathematics and science classrooms. Face-to-face and virtual communities of practice are hallmarks of the project that connect teachers in western Massachusetts during and beyond the project.
2011-2017
In 2011, 20 Master Teaching Fellows were selected on the basis of their potential to assume leadership in the direction of highly successful collaborations among mathematics and science educators and began involvement in the project in January 2012. Among other responsibilities, they served as mentors for 20 Teaching Fellows.
During summer 2012, 20 Teaching Fellows entered an accelerated program for their Master’s degree and initial licensure to teach in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics) field.
MTFs and TFs have been teaching in high need districts since 2013 as well as participating in a variety of professional learning experiences including biannual institutes, face-to-face school-based communities of practice, and virtual communities of practice.
2017-2018
Building on the work done from 2011-2017 and taking account of lessons learned, S2TLC-II is recruiting 8 Mentor Mathematics Teachers (similar to MTFs) and 8 Pre-service Mathematics Teachers (similar to TFs) to replicate a modified year-long apprenticeship into teaching experience. The experience maintains S2TLC’s original focus on teaching in high needs districts, the importance of community connections and culturally relevant teaching, and communities of practice for supporting reflective practitioners. More information and application materials may be found here.
UMass Amherst S2TLC faculty:
College of Education
- Dr. Sandra Madden
Mathematics Education
smadden{at}umass.edu
College of Engineering
- Dr. Paula Rees
CASA Director of Education and Outreach
rees{at}ecs.umass.edu
College of Natural Sciences
- Dr. Stephen Schneider
Department of Astronomy
schneider{at}astro.umass.edu
Miscellany:
Teaching Fellows and Master Teaching Fellows are delving deeper into their virtual community built on a Moodle platform. Here they discuss topics of interest, seek review of projects, share resources, and more. Quick link to the VCoP
Master Teaching Fellows and Teaching Fellows presented at regional and national conferences in 2014, and will present in 2015 as well. See their titles here.
Teaching Fellows are now in their fourth year of work at their teaching jobs across the country.