The Center of Excellence for the Enrichment of Science and Mathematics Education at the University of Tennessee at Martin is charged with the responsibility of rendering service to public schools in mathematics and science education in the state of Tennessee. This project is designed to provide that service in elementary science in three Educational Service Centers in rural settings. Teams consisting of one primary teacher, one intermediate teacher, one principal, and one supervisor, all from the same school, will be formed. A major effort will be made to find minority participants and those interested in mainstreaming handicapped children. Three of these teams will be formed in each of the three Education Service Centers. These teams of exemplary educators will participate in an intensive eight-week summer session designed to increase competency in content and teaching strategies. Once trained, they will redesign the elementary science programs in their home schools. When that task is complete, the teams will move on to serve other institutions. These involvements will take the form of team members working in classrooms as trainers of teachers and with appropriate administrators. Support for the teaching teams during the academic year will be provided by "Level III" teachers who will serve as field supervisors, the science consultant for the State Department of Education, and the project staff.
