The Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) has put out a call for proposals for funding the training of STEM teachers according to a new report. This is going to be an expansion of an already existing program, National Math and Science Iniativive (NMSI) UTeach program. This is essentially a pilot program that Texas-Austin started. It sounds very similar to the way thigns are done in the TEP here at Iowa however.
What makes this my science education article? It is the fact that it is all about the training and results. They talk about retention rates in the pilot program of close to 70% in math and science where the normal attrition rate is 50%! Now that is something to look at. Of course, why is it that a four year degree and a teacher ed program works while something like Teach for America gives 50% rates?
Impressive things to me is HHMI. They don't throw money at things unless you get results on somethings. I have seen HHMI labs (and pilfered their supplies when they weren't looking shhhhhhhhhh) they are all about compliance, hoops, publishing, graduating, and "achieving".
Troubling facts to me about this whole thing. Doing anything that originated in Texas. NCLB. 'Nuff said. Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation haven't found enough underqualified people in the classroom yet. The Dell foundation is gonna be broke soon. Exxon and Lockheed Martin obviously are in it as a pipeline to fill their workforce, but for all the evil they do they at least are stepping up and saying math and science are important (even if used against us).
No comments:
Post a Comment