|
Proposal:
|
The proposed program would create a Bachelor of Science degree in middle school education with a mathematics and science area of concentration that would prepare candidates for Maryland state certification for the middle-level grades. Preparation of middle school teachers has been identified by State Superintendent of Schools Nancy S. Grasmick as a major need in Maryland public schools. As the flagship institution of the state university system, the University of Maryland, College Park should be at the forefront of national efforts to design model teacher preparation programs for the middle-level grades.
In addition to the needs for teachers prepared for the middle grades, increased attention has turned to Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education initiatives at the national, state, and local levels, and the University of Maryland System has identified STEM education as a high priority. The proposed program would focus on preparing candidates to teach middle-level mathematics and science by providing a balanced program of mathematics and science content accompanied by pedagogical preparation designed specifically to address teaching and learning in middle school.
Currently, both the mathematics and science education programs do prepare candidates who wish to teach middle school, but this is done within the confines of the existing secondary education programs. As a result, candidates must complete an entire major in either mathematics or science, which leaves little opportunity to get adequate content preparation to teach both in middle school.
The proposed program would require mathematics and science content that would provide substantive content preparation for candidates to teach the middle grades in both subjects. Furthermore, the program would also attract candidates, currently in the elementary education program, who wish to become highly qualified to teach middle school mathematics and science. We go further by designing coursework that explicitly requires middle school teacher candidates to integrate curriculum across traditional disciplinary boundaries by using innovative technologies and working collaboratively with fellow teachers. |
