By Michelle Hines, University Relations
Contact: (336) 334-5371
Posted 5-15-07
GREENSBORO, NC – Researchers in the School of Education and the College of Arts and Sciences have received a $250,000 state grant to provide mentoring and support for science teachers in the Guilford County Schools.
The project, which spans 18 months, is funded through the state’s N.C. Quest program. Called Teachers Teaching Teachers, it will include 20 science teachers at two county high schools—the new Northern Guilford High School and Southwest Guilford High School.
Science education faculty at UNCG will collaborate with the high school teachers, developing activities and materials. The high school teachers can then put the new materials and activities into practice, and give feedback in return. The program is expected to impact more than 1,000 students in participating classrooms.
It’s all about mentoring, and recruiting and retaining science teachers, said Dr. Betty Epanchin, director of UNCG’s Teachers Academy. Epanchin and Dr. Jerry Walsh of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry are the principal investigators for Teachers Teaching Teachers.
“They’ll really teach each other,” Epanchin said. “It’s a dialogue among all of us about what worked, what didn’t work and how we can improve it. The teachers are learning about science and learning about working with each other. It’s a different means of professional development.”
Attrition rates for science teachers in the public schools are high because mathematics and science teachers can generally make more money in business and private industry, Epanchin said, although industry might not be as gratifying as working with kids.
The School of Education will likely apply to renew the grant, expanding the program to other county high schools.
“One of our goals will be to increase passing rates for end-of-year tests, and we want to provide the kind of support that makes teachers want to return,” she said.
