Speak Up 2015 Snapshots for Science Teacher

Science Teacher Preliminary Data Snapshot

This is a special release of the preliminary data findings from Speak Up 2015 (data collected from October 1 – December 4th from 1,689 Science Teachers nationwide). The final data results will be published in a series of national reports in spring 2015.

The Speak Up survey is open to anyone who is interested in sharing their thoughts about education. If you are not a student, educator, administrator or parent but would like to take the survey, please take our community members survey. Feel free to share the survey (http://bit.ly/SU15survey) with anyone who may be interested as well!

Teacher Preliminary Data Snapshot

This is a special release of the preliminary data findings from Speak Up 2015 (data collected from October 1 – December 4th from 24,622 teachers nationwide). The final data results will be published in a series of national reports in spring 2015.

The Speak Up survey is open to anyone who is interested in sharing their thoughts about education. If you are not a student, educator, administrator or parent but would like to take the survey, please take our community members survey. Feel free to share the survey (http://bit.ly/SU15survey) with anyone who may be interested as well!

Teacher shortage reaching crisis proportions in California and across the nation

We’ve been sharing news about the teacher shortage, especially in science and math, for a while now (see previous posts here and here).  This past weekend the New York Times reported that the shortage is now reaching crisis proportions in California, and increasingly, across the nation. Check out our summary below:

"[The teacher shortage] is not impending. It's here."

Monica Vasquez, chief human resources officer for the San Francisco Unified School District, is just one of several school district members nationwide who have experienced teacher shortages in their schools. Last spring her district offered early contracts to over a hundred teachers in order to secure candidates before other districts.

The teacher shortage in the United States has been noted as a huge change from just a few years ago, when school districts handed out pink slips to teachers. Now, districts across the country struggle with a shortage of teachers - a result of the aforementioned layoffs (during the recession years) combined with the improving economy in which fewer people are training to be teachers.

Although teacher layoffs happened nationwide, California was particularly hit, with 82,000 school jobs lost from 2008 to 2012, according to the Labor Department. This academic year, the California Department of Education estimates that districts will need to fill a total of 21,500 slots - a difficult task, as California issues less than 15,000 new teaching credentials each year.

In order to combat this shortage, schools nationwide are looking to hire applicants as soon as possible - which means sacrificing experience and credentials for some. One school in Rohnert Park hired a high school cross country coach as an elementary school physical education teacher before he began taking teacher credential courses; meanwhile, a masters degree student in Stanford University's school of education was hired as a fourth grade teacher after a 45-minute telephone interview. During the 2013-2014 school year, nearly a quarter of new teaching credentials issued in California were for teaching internships, which enabled candidates to work as teachers while taking classes after school or on weekends.

"We don't like it, but we do it," noted Paul Beare, dean of the school of education at California State University, Fresno, where 100 of the 700 teaching credential candidates will teach full time while completing their degrees. While this may not be the ideal approach for schools, it is certainly a popular short-term remedy for the problem of teacher shortages.

To learn more, check out the original article, "Teacher Shortages Spur a Nationwide Hiring Scramble (Credentials Optional)" by Motoko Rich (New York Times).

Two of Project Tomorrow's initiatives, YouthTEACH2Learn and Educators Rising California, work to combat the issue of the teacher shortage.

YouthTEACH2Learn is a career exploration program where students explore teaching as a career. During the course, the students gain practical experience by observing elementary school classrooms, learning how to teach, developing and teaching standards-based lessons to younger students in neighboring elementary schools and participating in local community service projects. In addition, students also have the opportunity to meet local educators, attend career panels and visit local college campuses in order to determine if the teaching is a "good-fit" for their professional goals. To learn more about YouthTEACH2Learn, visit http://www.tomorrow.org/programs/yt2l.html.

Educators Rising California, formerly California F.E.A., encourages students to learn about careers in education and aid them in exploring teaching while providing meaningful opportunities to receive the mentoring and support they need to actualize their career aspirations. The California affiliate of Educators Rising has made several accomplishments during the 2014-2015 school year, including but not limited to increasing its chapters from 3 to 14 (with membership increasing from 55 to 358), producing a webinar on National Board Certification with National University, and doubling participation in the Educators Rising state conference with over 400 members in attendance. To learn more about Educators Rising, visit https://www.educatorsrising.org/.

SoCal schools face a teacher shortage

Southern California school districts are facing what Donna Glassman-Sommer, a Tulare County Office of Education administrator, calls "the perfect storm" - a combination of teachers going into retirement, a decline of enrollment in teaching credential programs, and increased state funding for new hires.

The 2013-2014 annual report from the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing shows that enrollment in teacher preparation courses has been in a steady decline for twelve consecutive years, with the number of new teachers down 26% over the last five years. One reason for this are budget cuts that have driven several experienced teachers from the field and students in teacher preparation programs to change majors.

In order to combat the lack of recruitable credentialed teachers, some schools turn to teacher interns and substitutes. While interns usually have a bachelor's degree, teacher training, and no classroom experience, substitute teachers must be enrolled in a four-year California university/college with at least ninety units completed. With these empty spots filled for the time being, districts still worry about filling classrooms with fully credentialed teachers. “I think it's especially going to be urgent coming July in 2016 as we see all of the baby boomers, we would like to say, retiring and deciding to move on to another part of their life,” Patricia Pernin, president of California Teacher Corps, said.

There does seem to be good news for Southern California schools, though - incoming college freshmen have expressed a greater interest in teaching, and report noticing that the job market in education is getting better. Schools remain hopeful for this next generation of tech-savvy and Common Core trained teachers - but for the time being, continue searching for teachers for the upcoming school year.

To learn more, check out the original article, "SoCal schools may see more interns, substitutes in classrooms as teacher shortage grows,"by Mary Plummer for Southern California Public Radio.

Two of Project Tomorrow's initiatives, YouthTEACH2Learn and the California Future Educators Association (F.E.A.), work to combat the issue of the teacher shortage.

YouthTEACH2Learn is a career exploration program where students explore teaching as a career. During the course, the students gain practical experience by observing elementary school classrooms, learning how to teach, developing and teaching standards-based lessons to younger students in neighboring elementary schools and participating in local community service projects. In addition, students also have the opportunity to meet local educators, attend career panels and visit local college campuses in order to determine if the teaching is a "good-fit" for their professional goals. To learn more about YouthTEACH2Learn, visit http://www.tomorrow.org/programs/yt2l.html.

California F.E.A. encourages students to learn about careers in education and aid them in exploring teaching while providing meaningful opportunities to receive the mentoring and support they need to actualize their career aspirations. CFEA has made several accomplishments during the 2014-2015 school year, including but not limited to increasing its chapters from 3 to 14 (with membership increasing from 55 to 358), producing a webinar on National Board Certification with National University, and doubling participation in the CFEA state conference with over 400 members in attendance. To learn more about California F.E.A., visit http://www.tomorrow.org/fea/.

Infographic: Mobile Learning in the United States

In honor of Mobile Learning Week 2015, we created this handy infographic based on mobile learning data pulled from Speak Up 2014. Click here to view the full image, or click on the smaller version above. Let us know what you think!

Additionally, if you participated in Speak Up 2014, your data is now available for viewing! Click here to access your data or retrieve any lost passwords.

The Shortage of Substitute Teachers

The state of Minnesota is facing a struggle that several other states know well- a shortage of substitute teachers.

School districts in Rochester, Minnesota report difficulties finding substitute teachers, with principals and superintendents having to cover the vacancies. Full-time teachers also report filling in for other teachers, which cuts into their preparation time. In an interview with the Post-Bulletin, Kingland High School principal Jim Hecimovich said he has had to fill in for sick teachers regularly.

Some education leaders say the substitution teacher shortage is caused by a good job market; "The job market has become so good in the Rochester area, people are not relying on substitute teaching but are finding different careers," said Byron Public Schools Superintendent Jeff Elstad. However, other education leaders blame the shortage on a larger problem - there are simply fewer people in teaching. Dover-Eyota superintendent Bruce Klaehn said he noticed a decline in the number of job applicants for teaching positions.

Two of Project Tomorrow's initiatives, YouthTEACH2Learn and the California Future Educators Association (F.E.A.), work to combat this issue.

YouthTEACH2Learn is a career exploration program where students explore teaching as a career. During the course, the students gain practical experience by observing elementary school classrooms, learning how to teach, developing and teaching standards-based lessons to younger students in neighboring elementary schools and participating in local community service projects. In addition, students also have the opportunity to meet local educators, attend career panels and visit local college campuses in order to determine if the teaching is a "good-fit" for their professional goals. To learn more about YouthTEACH2Learn, visit http://www.tomorrow.org/programs/yt2l.html.

California F.E.A. encourages students to learn about careers in education and aid them in exploring teaching while providing meaningful opportunities to receive the mentoring and support they need to actualize their career aspirations. To learn more about California F.E.A., visit http://www.tomorrow.org/fea/.

Interested in reading the original article? Click here to read "Area districts desperate for substitute teachers" by the Post-Bulletin.

Reminder: Free seminars for Southern California Educators this month!

The Tiger Woods Learning Center, Discovery Cube and PITSCO are collaborating together to offer two FREE seminars for Southern California Educators this January, 2015.

On Wednesday, January 21^st, a Mathematics and Engineering Seminar will be offered for 6^th – 10^th grade teachers. In this seminar, educators have the opportunity to assume the role of students and participate in fun mathematics and engineering activities.

On Thursday, January 22^nd, a STEM Seminar will be offered for 4^th – 6^th grade teachers. In this seminar, educators will have the opportunity to learn about high quality STEM experiences by engaging in the same activities their students will experience in their classrooms.

These FREE seminars enable teachers to learn more effectively by engaging them in the same activities their students will experience in their classrooms. Workshops will focus directly on STEM connections that teachers will lead their students through. Teachers will experience a blend of pedagogy and hands-on application to build their confidence in delivering powerful STEM activities to their students.

Click here to register for the Mathematics and Engineering Seminar

Click here to register for the STEM Seminar

Exciting grant opportunity for technology and engineering teachers!

PITSCO/HEARLIHY/FTEE GRANT

Excellence in Teaching Technology and Engineering

The Foundation for Technology and Engineering Educators in cooperation with Pitsco/Hearlihy & Company proudly announces the $2,000 Pitsco/Hearlihy/FTEE Grant in honor of Tom and Mary Hearlihy. The grant is for a technology and engineering teacher at any grade level (K-12). Its purpose is to recognize and encourage the integration of a quality technology and engineering education program within the school curriculum. Criteria include: (1) evidence of an effective quality technology and engineering education program, (2) documented success in the integration of technology and engineering education with other academic subjects, and (3) plans for professional development via the anticipated grant.

Eligibility Requirements:

• Applicant must be an ITEEA member and register for the ITEEA Annual Conference.
  (Membership may be enclosed with scholarship application).
• Applicant must be a teacher (elementary or secondary) who is successfully integrating technology and engineering education within the school curriculum. (Applicant above the elementary school level must be a technology/engineering teacher.)
• Applicant must attend the conference awards ceremony where award is presented.

Application and Deadline:  Applicants must submit an application package, postmarked by December 1, that consists of four sets of the following required items:

• Letter of application with a clear explanation of: (a) the technology and engineering education program, (b) how technology and engineering education is integrated with other academic subjects, (c) plans for using the grant, and (d) identification details - school name, grade level, address, telephone, and home address.
• School-based curriculum materials and/or a 10-min. maximum video (mpeg, wmv, or avi) illustrating how technology and engineering education is integrated with other academic subjects in the school.
• Three recommendation letters that confirm the success of integrating technology and engineering education with other subjects. One letter must be from the principal and at least two must be from other academic teachers.

Mail to:

HEARLIHY/FTEE GRANT
Foundation for Technology and Engineering Educators
1914 Association Drive, Suite 201
Reston, VA 20191-1539
703/860-2100, FAX 703/860-0353
iteea@iteea.org

Grant Presentation:  The grant is provided directly to the teacher and will be presented during the ITEEA Annual Conference.

Click here to learn more about the grant on ITEEA's website

100Kin10: Why we need more STEM teachers

After President Obama challenged the United States to produce 100,000 excellent new science, technology, engineering, and math teachers by the year 2021, the organization 100Kin10 has rallied scores of universities, nonprofits, foundations, and other partners around the single shared mission. Check out their video about why we need more STEM teachers!

Project Tomorrow is proud to be a 100Kin10 partner organization. 100Kin10 is a networked approach to providing America's classrooms with 100,000 excellent STEM teachers by 2021 while supporting tens of thousands more. Through unique, ambitious commitments, their 150+ partners (including Project Tomorrow) are together fueling the creation of the next generation of innovators and problem solvers. Click here to learn more about 100Kin10, and be sure to check out their Blow Minds. Teach STEM. campaign!

Around the Web Wednesday

Happy Around the Web Wednesday! Browse all the links below for the latest news and topics trending in education and technology. Be sure to let us know which article intrigued you the most!

Have you registered for Speak Up 2014 yet? Make sure you register to have your voice heard before our launch date on October 6th!

- The Project Tomorrow Team

K-12 Leaders & Laggards Circa 2014: How the States Are Doing - U.S. Chamber of Commerce

Essential to STEM Education: Other Subjects - US News

Rossier: Where Online Teacher Education is Personal - edSurge

Taking Classroom Tech Use to the Next Level: Specific Traits to Look For - MindShift

With Tech Taking Over in Schools, Worries Rise - The New York Times

Is the Flipped Class Model Here to Stay? - Education Week

5 must-have tools to hire and develop effective teachers - eSchool News

Analysis finds California students attend school more than U.S. peers - The Los Angeles Times

How digital learning can lead to a career in STEM

Technology use in the classroom is here and is no longer an idea of the future. Thanks to grants and state-subsidized funding, more and more schools are using devices within their classrooms. Not only does the use of educational technology provide a new way of learning, but it also makes it easier for teachers to satisfy Common Core standards.  Furthermore, it also gives students an opportunity to access 21st century technology, which will be relevant and used throughout their entire lives.

However, given that flipped classrooms are a relatively new practice, some schools still struggle with adopting devices into their classrooms. While lack of funding and device scarcity are obvious barriers to digital learning, another barrier is the lack of teacher education and understanding of how they can use technology in the classroom. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the majority of the US education workforce is comprised of individuals whose median age is 45 years, meaning that they did not experience technology learning in their own academic careers, making it a new concept for everyone involved. However, the technical knowledge of teachers is ultimately up to their administrators, who can provide tutorials, workshops, and other methods of training; one example is the Baldwin County Public School District in Alabama, which has created a Digital Renaissance Leadership Academy for teachers, where teachers are given the opportunity to improve their skill set.

With the right instruction and use of technology, perhaps more students will be driven and prepared to enter careers in STEM. For example, while the lack of computers and adequate computer science classes/programs may have deterred students from programming careers in the past, the combination of the two is now possible through digital learning. Furthermore, if schools provide teachers  with resources supporting digital learning, teachers can then use technology to motivate, interest, and support students who are looking towards STEM careers.

Interested in learning more about how digital learning can lead to a career in STEM? Check out the original article, "Technology Education for Students Is Essential in Creating a Future STEM Workforce, and It Starts With Educating Teachers" by Felix W. Ortiz III.

Every year our Speak Up surveys contain questions regarding digital learning, STEM careers, and students' accessibility to devices. In our teacher survey we ask questions regarding those topics on top of questions about teachers' familiarity with technological devices, such as

How much do you agree with this statement: My pre-service education adequately prepared me to effectively use a wide range of technologies within my teaching practice.

Speak Up provides an easy way for students, parents and educators to participate in local decisions about technology, as well as contribute to the state and national dialogue about educational technology. Data from the surveys - including data regarding online classes - will be released in February 2015. Click here to register for Speak Up 2014 and mark your calendars for the survey's launch date on October 6!

Exciting News! Project Tomorrow Named as Partner in 100Kin10, National Network to Grow STEM Teaching Force!

Project Tomorrow commits to advancing the goal of recruiting, preparing, and retaining 100,000 science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) teachers in 10 years

100Kin10, a multi-sector network addressing the national imperative to train 100,000 science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) teachers by 2021, today announced that Project Tomorrow has been accepted as a partner. 

With a highly selective and competitive selection process, Project Tomorrow is extremely honored to be one of only 31 organizations chosen nationwide in this year's application process. As part of 100Kin10, Project Tomorrow will recruit 2,050 excellent STEM teacher candidates, with 25% (512) from groups traditionally under-represented in STEM, in California by 2018, as measured by the number of students majoring or minoring in education and a science or math discipline.

More and better-trained STEM teachers are essential to prepare America’s students to fully participate in our democracy and to understand and respond to complex national and global challenges. To compete in the global marketplace and provide opportunity to all young Americans, all students—not  just those fortunate enough to attend certain schools— must have basic STEM skills and knowledge. Project Tomorrow is one of nearly 200 100Kin10 partners unified by a single, ambitious goal: to prepare all students with the high-quality STEM knowledge and skills to equip them for success in college and the workplace.

Organizations are accepted as 100Kin10 partners following a rigorous vetting process conducted by a team of partner reviewers and the University of Chicago. Reviewers are looking for organizations that bring innovation, boldness, and a proven track-record to their commitment(s) toward expanding, improving, and retaining the best of the nation’s STEM teaching force, or building the 100Kin10 movement. 

A complete list of partners—with new partners highlighted— is available on the 100Kin10 website. 

Teachers' Professional Development Wish List

What's on Teachers' Professional Development Wish List?

By Julie Evans, 8/13/13- Educational Channel Partner

 

 

Summer is coming to an end and school is starting up again. Mid-August is here to remind us of the looming school year ahead!

 

Back to school means different things for all involved, but what does it mean for teachers and their yearly school year aspirations?

 

To find out, check out Project Tomorrow's CEO Julie Evans' article in Education Channel Partner here.

 

Speak Up surveys were used to collect the research!

 

Make sure to let us know what you thought of the article, and don't forgot to register for Speak Up 2013! Registration information is below. Have a great Thursday!

 

- The Project Tomorrow Team

Registration for Speak Up 2013
Thank you for your interest in Speak Up! Please send us an email at speakup@tomorrow.org with your registration request.

1. Please include the name of your district or school
2. Your State
3. Name and email address of the main contact
   Main Contact’s Role: The main contact will be in charge of the promotion and encouragement of the survey, will receive emails with the up to date participation numbers by school and district, will be able to monitor your district/school’s survey counts at any time and will have access to your district and individual schools’ results come February 2014.
4. A student survey password
5. An organizational login password (to view weekly survey counts and other important updates during the survey period)

** To ensure confidentiality, every participating district is provided with two passwords: one organizational login password and one student survey password. The organizational login password is used for registering/updating contact information and to view your results come Feb. 2014. The student survey “secret word” password is what student participants will use when going to take the survey.

We will then send you a follow up email with a PDF of your school list and passwords to confirm that your district/school has been registered.

Speak Up 2013 Surveys will open October 2nd, 2013, and will run through December 20th, 2013!

 

 

Around the Web Wednesday

Happy Wednesday to all our readers and supporters!

 

Today is Around the Web Wednesday here on the Project Tomorrow Blog. Below, you will find links to news articles and more highlighting relevant education topics and discussions.

 

 

Let us know which article intrigued you the most!

 

Enjoy!

 

P.S. Don't forget to register for Speak Up 2013. Information below.

 

Registration for Speak Up 2013
Thank you for your interest in Speak Up! Please send us an email at speakup@tomorrow.org with your registration request.

1. Please include the name of your district or school
2. Your State
3. Name and email address of the main contact
   Main Contact’s Role: The main contact will be in charge of the promotion and encouragement of the survey, will receive emails with the up to date participation numbers by school and district, will be able to monitor your district/school’s survey counts at any time and will have access to your district and individual schools’ results come February 2014.
4. A student survey password
5. An organizational login password (to view weekly survey counts and other important updates during the survey period)

** To ensure confidentiality, every participating district is provided with two passwords: one organizational login password and one student survey password. The organizational login password is used for registering/updating contact information and to view your results come Feb. 2014. The student survey “secret word” password is what student participants will use when going to take the survey.

We will then send you a follow up email with a PDF of your school list and passwords to confirm that your district/school has been registered.

Speak Up 2013 Surveys will open October 2nd, 2013, and will run through December 20th, 2013!

 

Around the Web Wednesday

 

1. A large public university looks to expand its online education programs: Read it here

 

2. K-12 Blended and online learning programs: Read it here

 

3.  Blackboard Inc. chosen to implement state-wide online learning in Arkansas: Read it here

 

4. Mentoring programs for new teachers: Read it here

 

5. STEM education holds the key to success: Read it here

 

6. Teacher Ambassador Fellowships- Which teachers were chosen? Read it here

 

7. Google's RISE awards: Read it here

 

8. Flipped classrooms: Read it here

 

9. Schools focusing on STEM education: Read it here

 

10. Race to the Top Grants: Read it here

 

- The Project Tomorrow Team

The Struggle to Retain Teachers

The state of Hawaii faces a problem schools and districts across the nation are facing.

 

 

An article in the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal (lubbockonline), recently highlighted the state of Hawaii's conflict with retaining new teachers...mainly on the State's smaller islands.

 

A variety of factors play into this dilemma, some being the culture-shock teachers unfamiliar with the island face, and the low income toppled with the high cost of living.

 

The island state is attempting to combat this teacher retention issue by utilizing the $75 million they have received in a "Race to the Top" grant, supplied by the Federal government.

 

Interestingly, however, the struggle to recruit new teachers is not a dilemma the state of Hawaii alone faces. Nationwide, there is a shortage of teachers, and it is a concern for the future of education.

 

Two of Project Tomorrow's initiatives, YouthTEACH2Learn & the Future Educators Association of California are working to combat this issue.

 

YouthTEACH2Learn is an opportunity for high school students interested in teaching careers to gain hands-on experience by teaching math and science lessons to elementary students. To learn more about YouthTEACH2Learn, visit http://www.tomorrow.org/programs/teach2learn.html.

 

F.E.A. California provides experiences and opportunities for students interested in pursuing teaching as a career. A variety of opportunities are open to F.E.A. California members, including participation in competitions, access to lesson plan databases, college admission information, and more. To learn more about F.E.A. California, visit http://www.futureeducatorsca.org/.

 

What are your thoughts on this issue? Feel free to share your comments below.

 

Remember, registration for Speak Up 2013 is around the corner! Please check our website, www.tomorrow.org, frequently in the coming days to learn more information.

 

Thank you for your continued support in Project Tomorrow.

 

- The Project Tomorrow Team