Building upon and expanding a previous GK-12 project (DGE 9979550), this partnership between the Colleges of Science and Education at Wayne State University (WSU) and the administration and teachers of the Detroit Public Schools (DPS) Fellow/teacher teams is working in two Detroit inner city middle schools, (Foch and Hally). The teams negotiate the role of each team member and discuss science and mathematics content and concepts; effective classroom management techniques; and teaching methods and the research on teaching and learning that undergirds them during summer workshops in pedagogy and classroom management and academic year Math and Science workshops. The subject foci of these workshops are determined by the requirements of state standards and the needs of the middle school classes. They provide fellows with content knowledge outside of their major and give the teacher and fellow teams a more coherent view of middle school math and science. In addition to their work with teachers in the classroom, the Fellows organize and participate in family mathematics and science nights, assist with science fairs, and forge ties between the schools and community based outreach organizations, such as The Greening of Detroit, Earth Force and Friends of the Rouge. Wayne State science, math and engineering faculty visit the partner schools and conduct science and math activities with the students. The broader impacts of the program include the strong partnership being forged between the students and faculty of Wayne State and the students and faculty of two urban schools with predominantly African American student populations and the many community groups, including parents, it is enlisting in its effort to build a local comprehensive learning community that nourishes children's interests and abilities in mathematics, the sciences and technology. Overall broader student and teacher contacts are being developed and there is an increase in the number of faculty participating in outreach activities. Part of the support for this project comes from the Directorate for Mathematics and Physical Sciences.
Title: GK-12, Detroit Science and Mathematics Fellowship Program, Institution: Wayne State University PI/co-PI: Regina Zibuck, PI; Maria Ferreira, Carl Freeman, Wayne State; Karen Harrison, Nancy Varner, Detroit Public Schools Funding: $1,498,265 total for 3 years Partner School District: Detroit Public Fellows per year: 6 graduate and 14 undergraduate Target grades: 6-8 Setting: Urban NSF supported disciplines involved: Science and Mathematics
