Senate Appropriations Committee Hearing March 15 to Focus on STEM Education

The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, HHS, and Education will hold a hearing next Wednesday, March 15th, on federal STEM education programs. NSTA member (and NSELA Board member) Larry Plank, STEM Director for the Hillsborough School District in Florida, will be testifying before the committee. Other panelists include Caroline King of Washington STEM. The hearing presents a unique opportunity to highlight STEM education programs and funding before key lawmakers. Read more about the hearing (and watch it live) here.

Senate Scraps ESSA Accountability Regulations and Teacher Prep Rules

On Thursday, March 9 the Senate voted 50-49 to scrap the Obama Administration’s regulations for holding schools accountable under the Every Student Succeeds Act. The House earlier passed a measure to scrap the rule; the measure now goes to President Trump, who is expected to sign it into law.

This measure will not repeal or replace ESSA, instead it will only undo accountability regulations finalized last fall governing how school performance is judged under the new law. The accountability regulations were intended to direct the work of state stakeholders creating new plans required under ESSA to track low income students, and intervene in high risk schools.

For weeks Democrats and many business, labor, and civil rights groups opposed overturning this accountability rule, citing it would eliminate the federal oversight to ensure that state and local districts were held accountable for closing the student achievement gap. The Dems also argued that overturning the rule would severely disrupt the plans that states are now in the process of creating around ESSA.

Republicans saw the accountability rule as an overreach from the Obama Administration that would have restricted local decision makers as they implement the new law.

The accountability rule was repealed under the Congressional Review Act (CRA), which allows Congress to review and overrule some federal regulations that were issued by the Obama Administration. Once a rule is repealed, the CRA also prohibits the agency from reissuing the rule in the same form or issuing  a new rule that is substantially the same. Secretary DeVos is expected to release something later this week that will tell states what’s “absolutely necessary” for them to consider in developing their plans.

Goodbye to Teacher Prep Regs

On Wednesday, March 8, the Senate voted 59 to 40 to get rid of the Obama Administration’s regulation on teacher preparation programs. This regulation would have linked students’ test scores to the teacher prep programs from which their teachers graduated. Low-performing teacher preparation programs would see access to federal Teach Grants eliminated.

Seven Democrats and one Independent joined Republicans to kill the teacher prep rule. This regulation was widely disliked by the education community, who believed it was an overreach by the federal government and much too costly. The issue of teacher prep will come up again when Congress reauthorizes the Higher Education Act, which is expected to come up in the next year or so.

The House also passed their version to nullify this reg, so it goes to President Trump who is expected to sign this rule as well.  

Read more here.

Stay tuned, and watch for more updates in future issues of NSTA Express.

Jodi Peterson is Assistant Executive Director of Communication, Legislative & Public Affairs for the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) and Chair of the STEM Education Coalition. Reach her via e-mail at jpeterson@nsta.org or via Twitter at @stemedadvocate.

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This week in education news, new research by the National Women’s Business Council supports women in STEM; David Berliner explains what is really happening in America’s public schools; Louisiana will phase new science standards into classroom by the 2018-19 school year; and parents are the key to getting high school students interested in STEM, according to a new study from the University of Virginia.

On the Commercialization Path: New Research Supports Women In STEM

While women make up more than half of all college students and now surpass men in attaining undergraduate degrees, the National Women’s Business Council’s new report, On the Commercialization Path: Entrepreneurship and Intellectual Property Outputs among Women in STEM, reveals that women are underrepresented among students pursuing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. Click here to read the article featured in The Hill.

What The Numbers Really Tell Us About America’s Public Schools

David Berliner discusses what is really happening in America’s public schools today as opposed to what the media and politicians say is happening. Click here to read the post featured on The Washington Post’s Answer Sheet blog.

New Science Standards To Be Phased Into Louisiana Classrooms

Louisiana’s new science standards for public schools will be phased into classrooms, taking full effect by the 2018-19 school year. The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education gave final approval earlier this week to the rewrite of the state’s 2-decades-old teaching benchmarks with no discussion. Click here to read the article by Associated Press.

Study: To Get High School Students Interested In STEM, Invest In Parents

When parents of high schoolers are given guidance on how to talk about the importance of science and math, their children are more likely to score well on a STEM standardized test and, years later, pursue a STEM career, according to a recent study from the University of Virginia. Click here to read the article on Education Week’s Curriculum Matters blog.

What Happens To Education Spending If The Budget Stays In A Holding Pattern

Right now, the federal budget is operating on a “continuing resolution” through April 28 that essentially holds fiscal year 2017 spending levels at their fiscal 2016 amounts. In this article, Andrew Ujifusa examines how a few programs in the Every Students Succeeds Act would be affected if Congress approves a continuing resolution for the rest of the fiscal 2017. Click here to read the article featured in Education Week.

A New Technology Is Fundamentally Changing Learning—Here’s How

Middle school students across the U.S. are learning how the body works by studying the anatomy of a frog, a vertebrate with an organ system similar to that of humans. But unlike school lab work that uses real specimens or images of a virtual frog on a screen, a new approach to this standard experiment is taking the act of learning to a unique interactive level, thanks to the use of technology known as blended reality. Click here to read the article featured in eSchool News.

Stay tuned for next week’s top education news stories.

The Communication, Legislative & Public Affairs (CLPA) team strives to keep NSTA members, teachers, science education leaders, and the general public informed about NSTA programs, products, and services and key science education issues and legislation. In the association’s role as the national voice for science education, its CLPA team actively promotes NSTA’s positions on science education issues and communicates key NSTA messages to essential audiences.

The mission of NSTA is to promote excellence and innovation in science teaching and learning for all.

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I still have the wooden unit blocks that were central to many of my childhood play scenarios. The wooden blocks did not stick or snap together so we had to consider balance and how to make a sturdy base to support our structures. They were the materials we used to make models—building beds and shelter for our dolls, walls to separate MY space from YOUR space, and paths around our wooden block village. Making and using models is one of the Next Generation Science Standards essential science and engineering practices, and the NGSS K-2 Engineering Design performance expectation K-2-ETS1-2, using a model to illustrate how form helps an object function. Models can be sketches, drawings, or physical models. 

When young children play with blocks, teachers have many opportunities to support the children’s language development and mathematical skills, and strengthen their spatial abilities. The book Creative Block Play: A Comprehensive Guide to Learning through Building by Rosanne Hansel (Redleaf 2016) provides guidance on how to understand what children learn through building with blocks and strategies to increase the learning opportunities in the “block area.” 

Wooden unit blocks have been a staple in early childhood programs since they were designed in 1913 by educator Caroline Pratt (Hewitt, 2001) with a single rectangular prism unit block having the proportions 1:2:4, and measuring 1-3/8 by 2-3/4 by 5-1/2 inches, and many other shapes based on this unit. They meet the needs of children to learn through play and the needs of educators for materials that address many areas of the curriculum and can survive years of use by children. A set of 300-400 quality wooden unit blocks will provide hours of learning for generations of children and costs about the same as 2-4 tablets. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if every early childhood program had both these forms of technology? 

Here’s an example of how one teacher strengthened a child’s math and problem-solving skills while supporting his developing self regulation.

Jeremiah was still adding blocks to his “house” structure when it was time for breakfast. Knowing that children often need help making transitions, Ms Carrie posed a problem to those in the block area: “You may put away the blocks you are working with, or you may move your structure out of the way so there will be room for circle time later.” “How can I move it?” asked Jeremiah. Ms Carrie counted the blocks on one side, saying, “You have 1, 2, 3, 4 blocks on this side wall of your house and we can rebuild this wall right over here.” She helped him carefully move and rebuild that wall. “Which shapes did you use for the roof up on top of the walls? How many blocks did you use for the opposite wall?” she asked as they counted, noted the position and rebuilt the house in a new location.

Moving and rebuilding the house structure, together with a teacher, also supported Jeremiah in learning vocabulary (side, roof, rebuild, opposite) and developing spatial ability to “translate” (move a shape without rotating it) and his “part-whole integration” (knowing how parts fit together to form a whole). 

Do you have a favorite block-building memory? How can you support young children in making their own memories as they play with blocks?

Hewitt, K (2001). Blocks as a tool for learning: Historical and contemporary perspectives. Young Children 56(1): 6-13. Retrieved from https://www.naeyc.org/files/yc/file/Hewitt0101.pdf

Introduction

As mentioned in our prior overview of STEM Sims [http://nstacommunities.org/blog/2017/02/06/stem-sims-interactive-simulations-for-the-stem-classroom/], this interactive software package provides over 100 simulations of laboratory experiments and engineering design products for the STEM classroom. The simulation titled “Trench Attack” immerses students in World War I trench warfare. This simulation has the student assume the role of a military commander using chemical agents against enemy forces to win a battle. During the simulation, students explore how chemical agents (e.g., mustard gas) can affect the environment. As is the case with all STEM Sims software, Trench Attack is aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards (MS-ETS1.A –Defining and Delimiting an Engineering Problem) and is compatible with state standards as well.

The simulation provides students with a brochure (see link below) that includes a pre-assessment quiz and introductory information about the use of chemical agents in warfare. Moreover, the simulation includes background information on science and historical content. The integration of historical information is a great opportunity for science and history teachers to work together on a WWI Unit across the curriculum. 

Brochure: https://stemsims.com/content/brochures/trench-attack-brochure.pdf

The STEM Sims provides three separate lesson plans for this simulation (see links below), which will help you tailor it for your curriculum. As is the case for other STEM Sims packages, a multiple-choice assessment is included with a Teacher Guide.

Lesson Plan 1: https://stemsims.com/content/lessons/trench-attack-lesson-1.pdf

Lesson Plan 2: https://stemsims.com/content/lessons/trench-attack-lesson-2.pdf

Lesson Plan 3: https://stemsims.com/content/lessons/trench-attack-lesson-3.pdf

Teacher Guide: https://stemsims.com/content/teacher-guides/trench-attack-teacher.pdf

Conclusion

Undoubtedly, Trench Attack is an excellent simulation that will stimulate students’ interest and engage them in learning chemistry. Moreover, the potential for the assimilation of instruction into both science and history content is an added benefit of this highly dynamic learning tool.  If you are looking for something to create a bridge between history and science, Trench Attack Makes the connection.

For a free trial, visit https://stemsims.com/account/sign-up

Recommended System Qualifications:

• Operating system: Windows XP or Mac OS X 10.7
• Browser: Chrome 40, Firefox 35, Internet Explorer 11, or Safari 7
• Java 7, Flash Player 13

Single classroom subscription: $169 for a 365-day subscription and includes access for 30 students and 100 simulations.

Product Site: https://stemsims.com/

Edwin P. Christmann is a professor and chairman of the secondary education department and graduate coordinator of the mathematics and science teaching program at Slippery Rock University in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania. Anthony Balos is a graduate student and a research assistant in the secondary education program at Slippery Rock University in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania.

Learning to Read the Earth and Sky: Explorations Supporting the NGSS by Russ Colson and Mary Colson is a new book from NSTA Press that helps teachers of grades 6-12 create lessons and activities aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).

The objective of the book is to be practical, easy-to-use, and applicable to the classroom. The book is based on four premises:

1. Earth science should engage students with the world they know.
2. Teacher and student are colleagues and fellow scholars.
3. Doing earth science requires breaking big concepts into smaller chunks.
4. The purpose of experimental and observational activities in the classroom is to practice doing science, and not to convey factual information in an active and “hands-on” way.

The authors have deep experience in using the fascinating world around us to teach and engage students. While the book delves into the requisite standards, it also breaks down the disciplinary core ideas, crosscutting concepts, and significant ideas that make it all relevant to students.

“Our goal in writing this book is to provide concrete examples of classroom exploration that meet the ambitious goals of the NGSS to both teach science as a practice and reach toward an understanding of how all the small parts fit into the greater whole,” the authors state.

Learning to Read the Earth and Sky offers examples of how to teach students to read the stories that are written in layers of rock, in the stars, and everywhere around us.  The book offers anecdotes, activities, and strategies for getting students to take ownership of their learning. “Addressing aspects of our universe that students see and experience, and teaching students to read those stories on their own, gives them ownership in the process of discovery,” the authors state.

Read the sample chapter “Analyzing and Interpreting Data.” This book is also available as an e-book.

Save Now on Book Purchases!

Between now and May 31, 2017, save $15 off your order of $75 or more of NSTA Press books or e-books by entering promo code BOOK17 at checkout in the online Science Store. Offer valid only on orders placed of NSTA Press books or e-books on the web and may not be combined with any other offer.

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Like science labs, STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) labs require safety and security measures, with an emphasis on safety training, personal protective equipment (PPE), standard operating procedures, engineering controls, and supervision. While hand and power tools (e.g., hammers, screw drivers, table saws, drill presses) can be found in STEM labs, many students and teachers use these tools without receiving proper safety training.

Teachers and students who use hand and power tools can be exposed to falling, flying, abrasive, or splashing objects and harmful dusts, fumes, mists, vapors, or gases. Teachers should be aware of the following engineering control, PPE, and security recommendations:

• Hand tools in the STEM lab should not be accessible to students when the teacher is not present.

• An engineering control (e.g., wood dust collection system and electrostatic dust filtration device) should be in place to filter wood dust produced by table and hand saws.

• A master power kill switch should be installed that can immediately shut down the power in case of an emergency.

• An eye wash station should be present to in case a student’s eyes are exposed to hazardous liquids or solids.

Hand and power tool safety

Before using hand and power tools and addressing security issues in the STEM lab, teachers should peruse hand and power tool safety procedures. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s website has a great resource on safety and security precautions and operation of hand and power tools (see Resources).

Here are some general safety precautions when using power tools, via OSHA. All hazards involved in the use of power tools can be prevented by following five basic safety rules:

1. Keep all tools in good condition with regular maintenance.

2. Use the right tool for the job. For example, don’t use a wrench to hammer in a nail.

3. Examine each tool for damage before use.

4. Operate according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

5. Provide and use the proper protective equipment.

In addition:

1. Never carry a tool by the cord or hose.

2. Never yank the cord or the hose to disconnect it from the power receptacle.

3. Keep cords and hoses away from heat, oil, and sharp edges.

4. Disconnect tools when not in use, before servicing, and when changing accessories such as blades, bits, and cutters.

5. Keep all observers at a safe distance from the work area, outside of the designated work zone.

6. Secure objects with clamps or a vise.

7. Keep your finger away from the power switch when carrying a plugged-in tool to avoid accidentally turning it on.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has a school-specific website that provides additional information on tools and their associated hazards (see Resources). Technology and engineering education teachers can also provide excellent safety and security training on hand and power tools.

In the end

Schools are required to provide appropriate safety training for both teachers and students prior to any work in the STEM lab.

Submit questions regarding safety in K–12 to Ken Roy at safesci@sbcglobal.net, or leave him a comment below. Follow Ken Roy on Twitter: @drroysafersci.

Resources

OSHA, hand and power tools—www.osha.gov/Publications/osha3080.html

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, hand and power tools—www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2004-101/chklists/r1n50p~1.htm

NSTA resources and safety issue papers
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I’m a science teacher in a small district, and I’m curious about lessons that incorporate the three NGSS dimensions of and what they “look like.” Where can I find examples to share?  —B., New Hampshire

A good place to find examples of lessons aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) is NSTA’s K-12 journals (Science and Children, Science Scope, and The Science Teacher). The featured articles in each issue describe classroom lessons, and each has a graphic at the end that connects the lesson to a performance expectation and the three dimensions (Science and Engineering Practices, Disciplinary Core Ideas, and Crosscutting Concepts). After I read an article, I try to determine the connections to NGSS as a way to check my understanding. The photographs and other documentation in the article also help identify the focus and outcomes of the lesson.

Here are some examples from recent issues:

• Physics of Sound (Pre-K)
• Making Sense of Sound (elementary)
• Food and Energy for All (middle school – and this article also illustrates turning a demonstration into an inquiry activity)
• Powered by the Sun

In a recent discussion forum, Peggy Ashbrook (who writes the Early Years blog) noted, “I find it useful to look at photos of children at work in a science and/or engineering activity, such as building with blocks, and name which practices I see in use.”

To continue your study and find more examples, see the resources at NGSS@NSTA, including Curriculum Planning and Classroom Resources

There are also examples on NSTA’s You Tube channel. Check out Introduction to Three-Dimensional Learning and The Vision for Science Education and the New Role of Teachers

If you have specific questions or requests, NGSS and STEM are topics in the NSTA discussion forums and e-mail lists. Our colleagues are always willing to help, and we can all learn together!

Ella Bonah (left), a teacher at Tyner Academy in Chattanooga, Tennessee, completed an apprenticeship through Project Inspire, a  program that prepares teachers for positions in high-need schools. (photo by David Humber)

“Our challenge is recruiting and developing teachers for a mid-sized city and preparing teachers to serve in high-need schools. [Teaching low-income students requires] a specialized skill set beyond teaching content,” says Mark Neal, director of Project Inspire, a teacher apprenticeship program serving Chattanooga, Tennessee, and the Hamilton County School District. “We have been solely focused on secondary math and science, but we’re now expanding to [the elementary level],” he reports.

Project Inspire provides college graduates aspiring to teach with a year-long apprenticeship in a Hamilton County classroom and a stipend during that time. Higher-education partner Lee University of Cleveland, Tennessee, offers apprentices a 14-month degree program in which they earn a Masters of Arts in Teaching. Graduates are required to teach in a high-need school in the county for four years and receive coaching support and professional development (PD) from Hamilton County Department of Education and Lee University faculty.

“Secondary science is a difficult position to fill, and we have a number of priority schools that are difficult to teach in. We offer a one-year residency versus a student teacher practicum,” explains Justin Robertson, Hamilton County Schools assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction. Apprentices get to “see how students react, and they have permission to make mistakes. It’s a good way to prepare teachers for any school system, and specifically for our school system.”

“We continue to see really committed candidates, people who didn’t get this training as undergraduates,” says Neal. “[Though] we tend to get more recent undergraduates as applicants, our network has a strong interest in attracting career changers,” he observes, adding, “We’re aiming to have a more diverse and talented teaching force.”

Apprentices start planning with their mentors—known as “clinical instructors”—in June and spend several weeks during the summer with them. “Clinical instructors provide additional training and support throughout the year, and unstructured [PD] times as well…A lot of the best support comes from those sessions,” says Robertson.

In Project Inspire’s “gradual release model,” clinical instructors gradually allow apprentices to assume more and more responsibility, to ensure they “have a full role and are not just observing,” explains Robertson. “Side-by-side co-teaching and coaching is a great experience for [apprentices].”

Apprentices are taught “science methods used in our classrooms, our pedagogy and terminology,” Neal emphasizes, “so they don’t experience a disconnect when they hit the classroom.” They learn about “teaching in the context of high poverty, what it looks like in our area,” he explains.

As undergraduates, “a lot of our [apprentices] learned ‘old-style’ science, with a lot of lecturing. We try to stay with the cutting edge,” Neal contends. “Tennessee is writing its own standards, and they’ll be similar to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). We refer [apprentices] to the [NGSS] during training.”

Though they receive full certification that is portable, most graduates—“70%,” says Neal—teach in the Chattanooga area. “Generally in urban areas, the retention rate is only about 50%,” he points out.

In addition, Chattanooga is “known as ‘gig city’ because of all the tech startups; there’s a lot of innovation and change happening…Our program attracts [aspiring teachers] who are intentionally working in math and science and working in a high-need school—all in one package,” Neal contends.

Hired as Apprentices

Because of teacher shortages in Oklahoma, the Tulsa Public Schools (TPS) district was “having to [hire teachers] who were waiting on their certification…Some may be entering the teacher workforce for the first time; others may be coming from out of state and need time to have their current certification transferred; and others may be simply waiting on their certification to arrive, having just graduated from a teacher preparation program,” says Bradley Eddy, TPS director of certified talent. “We were paying them as substitutes, which was the only option at the time.”

But the substitutes “weren’t paid adequately, and we couldn’t keep enough substitutes. Asking someone to prepare lessons, deliver them, and handle connections with parents and community” for just $65 per day wasn’t effective, he acknowledges. “So we offered them a chance to work hourly as a substitute, with overtime.”

Though the numbers increased a little, those positions “didn’t pay well enough [to make up for] the extra work. We [decided] to create an exempt position with a flat rate and a shorter-term contract” to ensure retention, Eddy relates.

Under the current plan, uncertified teachers are hired as apprentices and are offered a one-semester contract. They earn a first-year salary of $25,000 with benefits, including health insurance, if their contract is renewed for a second semester.

“This saves [TPS] money because [constant teacher attrition] is financially unfeasible…and [we had] apprentices [with emergency certification, which] is only good for the year it’s granted and isn’t renewable. [And sometimes] there’s a delay in time in which a principal [decides] to hire [someone]. We offer an apprentice contract so we can pay them as full-time classroom teachers,” he explains.

Apprentices also receive up to two years of mentoring support, paid evening and Saturday PD opportunities, and certification test preparation. While they have to attain certification within one semester, their salary makes it easier for them to pay $400 for the certification tests, he points out.

Many apprentices express interest in teaching science. “We were able to fill all of our science and math positions this year,” Eddy notes.

Promoting Best Practices

While Project Inspire and TPS prepare teachers for their own schools, the year-long Teacher Training Course (TTC) at independent Shady Hill School in Cambridge, Massachusetts, trains apprentice teachers to work in preK–8 classrooms at other schools. “We occasionally hire teachers from our program,” says Tracy Polte, science department chair, but many apprentices “go on to public schools for their second year of teaching.” TTC apprentices can train to teach early childhood and elementary classes, middle school humanities classes, or middle school science, math, and science/math classes.

About 50% of applicants come from outside the area. “We receive 50 to 55 applications each year,” with 14 to 18 accepted into the TTC, Polte relates. The program attracts persons ranging from new graduates to those in their sixties, she reports.

Tuition for the TTC costs slightly more than $11,000. Shady Hill has financial aid and merit awards to help apprentices pay for the course, and many apprentices “coach after school or work in after-school programs,” she notes.

While some apprentices enroll only in the TTC for their certification, many also participate in the master’s degree program at nearby Lesley University. “They’re [attending] Lesley all summer” and during the school year, says Polte.

Apprentices in the TTC work in the classroom for four days a week, and attend workshops on Fridays. They work with one teacher for the first half of the year and another during the second half, and learn about teaching various subjects and age bands before deciding which ones they prefer. “We give them experience with lots of different kinds of students,” she observes.

“To be an effective teacher, you have to have more experience in the classroom than [what you’d have] in a student-teacher program,” Polte contends. “As an independent school, we focus on multiculturalism, and every workshop has a multicultural component.”

“We can’t cover all the content [for every subject], so we hope their background has provided some of the content,” she admits. In science, “we cover the main points for grades K–6 and help them understand the inquiry method and the engineering design process, how to integrate engineering into literacy, [along with] the joy students feel” in science classes.

Teaching apprentices “is written into our contracts,” says Polte. “It keeps all of us fresh and new and makes us work harder to keep material up to date.”

This article originally appeared in the March 2017 issue of NSTA Reports, the member newspaper of the National Science Teachers Association. Each month, NSTA members receive NSTA Reports, featuring news on science education, the association, and more. Not a member? Learn how NSTA can help you become the best science teacher you can be.

The mission of NSTA is to promote excellence and innovation in science teaching and learning for all.

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